What To Bring When Purchasing A Vehicle

You are allowed 20 calendar days from the date of purchase to register your vehicle. Registrations in excess of 20 calendar days will result in a $15.00 penalty.

Note:  If the vehicle has an out of state title: the vehicle must be present at our office for a VIN inspection or an inspection form must be completed and signed by an Alabama law enforcement officer.

What You Need When Purchasing a Vehicle From an Individual
  • The title properly assigned to buyer(s)
  • Proof of Insurance (insurance provider must be licensed to do business in Alabama)
  • Proof of Residency in Shelby County *(See below)
  • Bill of sale (with seller's signature; and complete description of the vehicle including the VIN, year, make and model. It must include the amount paid for the vehicle, the date of sale, the name and signature of both buyer and seller).For sales tax purposes, if a bill of sale declares “other valuable considerations” each consideration must be itemized on the bill of sale and have a value assigned.
  • A valid (non-expired) Driver’s License or State issued ID for each owner. The names on the driver’s license/ID must match the names on the paperwork and must be the owner’s current legal name.  Note: Company owned vehicles require an FEIN.
  • If there are two owners and their names are joined by “and”, both owners must be present to sign the title application or one has to send an original, power of attorney. If there are two owners with no connecting word, it is considered “and”. If names are joined by “or”, only one owner is needed to register the vehicle. EACH owner reflected on the vehicle title must present a valid government issued driver’s license or non driver’s ID.
What You Need When Purchasing a Vehicle from a Dealership
If purchased from a dealership all applicable taxes must be itemized.
  • Title or MSO properly assigned to buyer(s)
  • Title Application
  • Bill of Sale with itemized sales tax.
  • Proof of insurance (insurance provider must be licensed to do business in Alabama)
  • Proof of Residency in Shelby County *(see below)
  • A valid (non-expired) Driver’s License or State issued ID for each owner. The names on the driver’s license/ID must match the names on the paperwork and must be the owner’s current legal name.  Note: Company owned vehicles require an FEIN.

*Items That Can Be Used to Prove Residency
  • Home Property Tax in the applicant’s name showing homestead exemption
  • A current apartment lease in the applicant’s name or listed as an occupant
  • A deposit on utilities in the applicant’s name
  • A current (within last 30 days) utility bill for a Shelby County residence in the applicant’s name (electric, gas, water, sewer, garbage, cable, and land line telephone)
  • Military orders to Shelby County (date must be current)


 Download a printable checklist here
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This information provided by the Shelby County License Department is the most current and thorough information available to help expedite your transaction. The license department regards every transaction as unique however we have only addressed the most common types of transactions and provided you the basic information to assist you with the documents needed before your visit to our license offices. Since every situation cannot be foreseen we encourage you to include any additional documentation you may deem pertinent to your transaction. For your convenience we also encourage you to use the printable checklists that are available within the text.

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