(a) Any motor bus passenger carrier vehicle owned or otherwise operated by a common carrier of passengers authorized to operate in this state by the Public Service Commission pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 37, is expressly exempt from the payment of any state, county, municipal, or other local ad valorem tax provided such vehicle is in compliance with subsection (b). Such exemption shall only apply to those common carriers of passengers that are both based in and have principal operating facilities located within Alabama.
(b) In lieu of the payment of any state, county, municipal, or other local ad valorem tax and in addition to any other business or occupational licenses required for operation by the laws of this state, any business, person, or persons operating as a common carrier of passengers that is authorized to operate in this state by the Public Service Commission pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 37, shall be required to annually obtain a special common carrier of passengers business operating license. Such license shall be obtained prior to the registration of any motor bus passenger carrier vehicle owned or otherwise operated by a common carrier of passengers and registered pursuant to Section 40-12-246. Furthermore, such business operating license must be presented by the common carrier of passengers to the license issuing official upon the registration of such vehicle and no registration shall be completed without sufficient evidence that the special common carrier of passengers business operating license has been obtained. The licensing provisions of this section shall only apply to those common carriers of passengers that are both based in and have principal operating facilities located within Alabama.
(c) The amount of each license shall be determined by multiplying by six hundred twenty dollars ($620) the number of motor bus passenger carrier vehicles that are less than 10 years old and are registered in the name of the common carrier of passengers that is authorized to operate in this state by the Public Service Commission pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 37, and by multiplying by one hundred dollars ($100) the number of motor bus passenger carrier vehicles that are 10 years old or older and are registered in the name of the common carrier of passengers that is authorized to operate in this state by the Public Service Commission pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 37.
(d) Such fee shall be paid annually to the county officials responsible for the collection of ad valorem taxes on motor vehicles in the county where the motor bus passenger carrier vehicle is based. The Department of Revenue may adopt any rules and regulations regarding the implementation of such provisions, including such rules and regulations regarding the license renewal process and the payment of such fee.
(e) Of the revenue generated from the issuance of the special common carrier of passengers business operating license, the county licensing official shall retain as commission two and one-half percent of the business operating license fee, which shall be deposited into the general fund of the collecting county. The balance of the revenue remaining after the payment of the commission shall be distributed as follows:
(1) Seven and one-half percent shall be distributed to the State General Fund.
(2) Fifty-six and one-half percent shall be distributed to the Education Trust Fund.
(3) Thirty-six percent shall be distributed to the general fund of the collecting county.
(f) Any common carrier of passengers authorized to operate in this state by the Public Service Commission pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 37, found in violation of this section shall be subject to the penalty provisions prescribed in Section 40-12-9.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 40 - Revenue and Taxation.
Division 1 - General Provisions.
Section 40-12-240 - Definitions.
Section 40-12-241 - Station Wagons, Jeeps, etc., Classified as Passenger Automobiles.
Section 40-12-242.2 - License Taxes and Registration Fees-Electirc Low-Speed Vehicles.
Section 40-12-244 - License Tags and Registration Fees - Exemption for Members of Armed Forces, Etc.
Section 40-12-247 - License Taxes and Registration Fees - Hearses and Ambulances.
Section 40-12-248 - License Taxes and Registration Fees - Trucks or Truck Tractors - Generally.
Section 40-12-250 - Tags for Motor Vehicles Used by State, Etc.
Section 40-12-251 - Motor Tractors.
Section 40-12-252 - Basis of Tax for Trailers; Permanent License Plate.
Section 40-12-253 - Ad Valorem Taxation of Motor Vehicles.
Section 40-12-254 - Motor Vehicles Issued to Disabled Veterans; Fees.
Section 40-12-255 - Manufactured Homes.
Section 40-12-256 - Travel Trailers - Ad Valorem Taxation - Generally.
Section 40-12-257 - Citations for Noncompliance With Sections 40-12-255 and 40-12-256.
Section 40-12-258 - Reregistration of Certain Stored Motor Vehicles; Placement of License Tags.
Section 40-12-259 - Computation and Payment of License Tax and Registration Fee.
Section 40-12-260 - Transfer of License Plates; Registration Procedures; Receipts; Penalty.
Section 40-12-263 - Registration of Certain Commercial Vehicles Owned by Nonresidents Prohibited.
Section 40-12-264 - Time Limit for Purchase of Tags or Plates; Dealer Plates; Manufacturer Plates.
Section 40-12-265 - Mutilation or Alteration of Tags; Replacement Tags; Use of Improper Tags.
Section 40-12-267 - Date Licenses Become Due and Delinquent.
Section 40-12-268 - Other Taxes Precluded.
Section 40-12-271 - Fee of Probate Judge or County License Commissioner for Issuing License.
Section 40-12-271.1 - Exemption for Disabled Veterans From License Plate Issuance Fee.
Section 40-12-273 - Increase in License Tax and Registration Fee Authorized.
Section 40-12-274 - Disposition of Additional Fees Collected Pursuant to Section 40-12-274.