The Alabama House of Representatives passed HB376 on Tuesday, a measure that would double the minimum lifespan of motor vehicle license plate designs from five to 10 years.
Sponsored by State Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster), HB376 seeks to amend Sections 32-6-62 and 32-6-64 of the Alabama Code to extend the required redesign period for license plates.
“This is a good economic bill,” said State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Shelby), who spoke in favor of the measure. “For counties like ours that operate on a cash basis, this is going to save taxpayer money that doesn’t need to be spent.”
Currently, Alabama is among the few states that require redesigning standard license plates every five years. Neighboring states often allow for longer design cycles or leave it up to the discretion of the vehicle registrant.
Proponents of the bill emphasized the financial savings for both the state and counties. According to Bedole, the state spends nearly $1 million to produce 600,000 license plates every five years. Moving to a 10-year cycle could cut those costs in half.
County projections also show significant increases in mailing and production costs for license plate renewals. “Postage alone jumped from $148,000 to over $361,000 in just a year,” Bedsole noted.
In addition to cost savings, the bill aims to reduce the burden on Alabama drivers, who currently must receive new physical plates every five years. Under HB376, most motorists would only need to get a new plate once a decade, streamlining the renewal process and cutting down on unnecessary trips to the courthouse or tag office.
To address concerns over plate durability, Bedsole presented a weather-worn license plate from 2009 that had been mounted on a birdhouse and exposed to the elements. “As you can see, these plates last,” he said.
The legislation does not impact specialty plates with different redesign standards, such as military, university or Gold Star family tags, unless otherwise specified. Under the bill, the Alabama Department of Revenue, in coordination with the License Plates Legislative Oversight Committee, will still oversee the design and issuance process.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law, HB376 will take effect on Oct. 1, 2025.
Today is the 17th legislative day.
Grace Heim is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You can follow her on X @graceeheim or email her at [email protected].
