What is the timeline on the availability of the University of Alabama speciality tags?

House Bill 1135 will go into effect October 1, 2020. However, programming for the new specialty license plates will not be available until October 16, 2020. On October 16, 2020, customers can purchase the vouchers at all county tax collector offices and license plate agencies in Florida.

When is the pre-sale time period for University of Alabama specialty tag vouchers?

The presale time-period is October 16, 2020 – October 15, 2022. The organizations have 2-years for 3,000 pre-sale vouchers or 4,000 pre-sale vouchers for out-of-state colleges or universities to be sold.

Who can purchase a University of Alabama specialty tag voucher?

Anyone can purchase a voucher. If you are buying the voucher for yourself, you will be the Purchasing Customer and the Receiving Customer. If you are purchasing it for someone else. you will be the Purchasing Customer and must have the following information available to enter in on behalf of the Receiving Customer: Driver's License Number, Tag Number, Year of Vehicle, Make of Vehicle and Model of Vehicle. When the Receiving Customer goes to redeem the voucher at any Florida Tax Collector's office, they must have a vehicle in their name, as owner or co-owner, to redeem the voucher. They must also provide their Driver's License Number.

How much are the pre-sale tag vouchers for the University of Alabama specialty plates?

The voucher fee is the specialty license plate fee $25 plus a processing fee of $5, a service branch transaction fee of $3. Additionally, the Pensacola Bama Club (the assigned entity responsible for marketing the voucher pre-sale) includes a transaction fee of $1.50. The total cost of each voucher fee is $34.50.

What happens if 4,000 vouchers are not pre-sold for the University of Alabama speciality plate?

At the end of the 2-year period, if the Pensacola Bama Club has not met the 4,000 pre-sale vouchers for the University of Alabama tag, the department will discontinue the specialty license plate voucher and it will no longer be available for sale. If this happens, customers that purchased the voucher can use the credit toward another specialty license plate or request a refund from the DHSMV using HSMV Form 83363. Please note that ONLY the $25.00 portion of the fee paid will be refunded or credited.

What is a voucher?

Upon the Florida Legislature's approval of any new specialty license plate, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) is required to collect voucher sales before the new plate may be produced and distributed to the various tag offices and tax collectors for purchase. The voucher requirement for any out-of-state college or university specialty plate is 4,000 sales. Additionally, once the initial 4,000 vouchers are sold, and the plate is placed into production, 4,000 tags must be renewed annually to remain in production and available to new customers year after year. If the plate falls below 4,000 renewals in any given year, the plate will be placed in a probationary status for one year and then discontinued until Florida Legislative approval once again.

How does my information go from this website to the DHSMV database and ensure the State of Florida correctly records my voucher purchase?

The Pensacola Bama Club is an official University of Alabama Alumni Chapter and has coordinated the University of Alabama’s efforts related to the specialty plate Bill. Once the Bill was signed into law, the Club established a partnership with Scott Lunsford, Tax Collector, for Escambia County, Florida, to process your online voucher sales. Data and payment from your purchase through this website are submitted to Mr. Lunsford’s office for processing and entry into the DHSMV statewide database. Vouchers typically take 10 business days for processing from purchase to completion. However, they may take longer due to holidays or other circumstances.

Is this site the only online platform for purchasing the pre-sale voucher?

Yes. It is our understanding no other tag office or tax collector in any of the 67 counties in the State of Florida offers online voucher sales, which is why we created this site. It provides you a safe and convenient option for making your voucher purchase. Please feel free to contact your local tag office/tax collector to confirm whether they offer online voucher sales through their website.

Is there any other option, besides this website, for purchasing my voucher?

Yes. You may visit your local tag office/tax collector and make the purchase in-person. Please contact your local office to verify their in-person procedures due to COVID-19.

Why must I enter “Purchaser” and “Recipient” information?

The State of Florida allows anyone to purchase a specialty plate presale voucher for another person to provide the recipient possesses a valid Florida driver’s license. For example, if you live outside of the State of Florida, but your parents or relatives have relocated to Florida for retirement, you may purchase a voucher on their behalf. If you are both the purchaser and the recipient, you must enter your information into both sections for the sale to process correctly.

I’ve purchased a voucher on the site; what happens next?

As the purchaser, you will receive a transaction email confirming each voucher purchase from this website. You may also receive a second transaction email from PayPal for each voucher you purchase. The recipient will receive a detailed email from the Pensacola Bama Club, which lists their name along with your name as the purchaser. Data and payment from your purchase through this website is then submitted to the Escambia County, Florida Tax Collector’s Office for processing and entry into the DHSMV statewide database through the partnership established with the Pensacola Bama Club. Vouchers typically take 10 business days for processing from purchase to completion. However, they may take longer due to holidays or other circumstances. Once 4,000 vouchers are sold, each recipient will then receive another email announcing the voucher requirement has been met, and they may now proceed with redeeming their voucher for the purchase of their plate. Please keep in mind that, by law, we have two years to sell 4,000 vouchers. We will do our best to keep recipients updated on voucher sales progress as we move towards the goal.

Will I be able to redeem my voucher and purchase my plate online using this website?

No. Once the voucher pre-sale requirement is met, you will need to proceed to your local tag office to redeem your voucher and purchase your plate at the time of your regularly scheduled renewal (birthday, etc.). You can redeem your voucher and purchase your plate before your regularly scheduled tag renewal by “breaking your cycle,” as the tag office calls it, which requires paying an additional fee. Please contact your local tag office for detailed information.

I purchased my voucher from this site, but my friend/relative bought their voucher in-person at their tag office. My friend/relative received a “printed voucher,” and I did not.  Do I need a printed voucher to redeem my plate?

No. If you purchased a voucher, whether on this website or in-person at any local tag office, you may redeem your voucher for the plate by simply presenting your valid Florida driver’s license at any tag office.

I misplaced the email confirmation I received as the recipient when my voucher was purchased. Do I need to request a new copy, or will that prevent me from redeeming my voucher?

No. The only thing you must present at any tag office to claim the voucher for your plate is your valid Florida driver’s license.

I’ve purchased a voucher, so does that mean I am guaranteed a plate?

Yes. Once the 4,000 vouchers are pre-sold, and the plate is placed into production, you are guaranteed a plate.

May I customize my plate with my name, favorite Bama phrase, or favorite score when we beat Auburn 😉?

Yes. When you redeem your voucher and purchase your plate, you may inform the tag office you wish to customize your plate. The personalization fee is an additional $15 per plate. However, if your name, phrase, score, etc. is already being used on another plate (whether UA plate or any other plate), you will need to select another option. If your current plate already contains your desired name, phrase, score, etc., you may transfer it over to your UA plate.

To see if the personalized phrase you are interested in is currently available, click here: https://services.flhsmv.gov/MVCheckPersonalPlate/. NOTE: Please be aware that although it is now available, it may not be available when you redeem your voucher and purchase your plate.