Every vehicle in the State of Alaska is required to be registered unless specifically exempt by law. (R-2) Applicants must provide their full name (first, middle and last) or a business name [AS 28.10.041]. (Note: If the applicant does not have a middle name or has only a middle initial, this should be noted in the affidavit section of the application.) Vehicle license plates and validation tabs are issued and placed on a vehicle to show that the registration fee has been paid. (Tabs are not issued to commercial trailers or historical vehicles used primarily for exhibition purposes as they have permanent registration.) License plate colors and graphics are established by the Alaska State Legislature. The alpha/numeric system of plate identification is determined by the Division of Motor Vehicles.

License plates are intended and designed for multi-year use so validation tabs are used to indicate the month and year the current registration expires. The registration is valid through the last day of the indicated month and year and there is no grace period that allows operation past the expiration date. Alaska requires a front and rear license plate on all vehicles except trailers and motorcycles. Issue one month validation tab and one year validation tab when license plate(s) are issued. The tabs are to be placed on the rear license plate.

Prior to 1997 vehicles were registered for a one-year period and registered every year thereafter. In 1997 Alaska changed to a biennial (two-year) registration period. Normally vehicles will be registered for a two-year period. A vehicle that is used commercially may be registered for one-year at the owner’s request. Commercial vehicles must be registered in a business name to be eligible for annual registration. (Taxicab’s and tour buses are not eligible for annual registration). Certain vehicles such as commercial trailers, historic vehicles, and State vehicles do not have an expiration and are issued permanent registrations.

A certificate of registration is issued for a vehicle to show that registration fees and any applicable taxes have been paid for a specific vehicle. The certificate identifies the year, make, color, registered and legal owners, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle. It also identifies the license plate number issued for a specific vehicle.

There are five different registration documents that are valid:

Alaska law states that the certificate of registration, or a legible photocopy, shall be carried in the vehicle and shall be shown upon request to a peace officer or other person acting in an official capacity.

Decals are affixed to snowmachines and ATV’s in lieu of license plates and are also designed for multi-year use. Registration fees are collected every two, four, or six years for snowmachines or ATV’s (R-135). Tabs are affixed to the decal and identify that fees have been paid.

Alaska law requires that each vehicle be assigned a registration month based on when the vehicle is first registered, except snow vehicles and dealer plates, and retain the assigned registration month. All snow vehicles are assigned September and all dealer plates are assigned December for their expiration months.

A vehicle owner with a vehicle registration that has been expired for less than a full year is charged the full registration fee beginning with the month the registration expired, as the registration period and month remain the same even if the ownership changes. Example: Registration expired in January 2006. Customer requests a renewal in December 2006. New expiration date is January 2008.

The Division of Motor Vehicles collects a Municipal Tax for those municipalities that have elected to enact this form of personal property tax. The administration of the Municipal Tax follows the same guidelines as vehicle registration fees except that Municipal Tax cannot be collected in less than full 12-month increments. (R-190)

Any vehicle that is registered in a company name must be registered as a commercial vehicle and must pay commercial fees.

Leased vehicles must be registered as commercial vehicles and must pay commercial rates.

Commercial trucks with an unladen weight over 8,000 pounds must provide proof at the time of registration that the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (R-107) has been paid or that the tax is not required to be paid. This tax is collected by the Internal Revenue Service but is enforced through the registration process.

Certain motor vehicle owners residing in the Municipality of Anchorage and the Fairbanks North Star Borough must have their vehicles inspected for carbon monoxide emission (R-430) prior to registration. This program is administered by the local governments but is enforced through the registration process.

The procedures established in the Standard Operating Procedures Manual carry out and support Alaska statutes and regulations. These procedures are to be administered as written.

Cross Reference:

HISTORY:

12/8/06 - Removed reference to IVR (Interactive Voice Response).

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