HB465 • 2026

Motor vehicles, license plates, issuance of "Invisible Disability" decals, authorized

Healthcare Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Hulsey
Last action: 2026-04-16
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: 2027-01-01

Plain English Breakdown

The specific rules for implementation are left to be adopted by the Department of Revenue, so detailed procedures may not yet be finalized.

HB465: Invisible Disability License Plate Decals

This law allows Alabama residents with certain medical conditions that may interfere with communicating with first responders, or their primary caretakers, to get a special license plate decal after paying fees and showing proof of diagnosis.

What This Bill Does

Authorizes the Department of Revenue to issue an 'Invisible Disability' sticker for vehicle license plates.
Requires applicants to pay standard registration fees and any extra costs if they choose distinctive license plates.
Mandates that a doctor licensed in Alabama must provide a diagnosis proving eligibility.
States clearly that this decal does not allow the holder to park in disabled parking spots unless they also have an official disability plate or placard.
Assigns Kulturecity, Incorporated to design the sticker with approval from state officials.

Who It Names or Affects

Alabama residents diagnosed with specific physical or mental conditions that may interfere with communicating with first responders.
Primary caretakers of individuals who have been diagnosed with these invisible disabilities.
The Alabama Department of Revenue, which will manage and issue the decals.
Local officials like judges of probate or license commissioners who process applications.

Terms To Know

Invisible disability: A physical or mental condition that may interfere with an individual's ability to communicate with a first responder, including communication impediments, hearing loss, blindness, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, PTSD, epilepsy, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, diabetes, heart conditions, or cognitive disabilities.
Primary caretaker: An individual who is the primary caregiver for someone diagnosed with an invisible disability.

Limits and Unknowns

This decal does not grant permission to use parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities unless the holder also has a special access plate or placard.
The validity of the decal matches the reissuance schedule of the registrant's license plate.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

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R 689

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment creates a new 'Invisible Disability' decal for Alabama drivers who have specific medical conditions that might make it hard to communicate with emergency responders.

It defines an invisible disability as physical or mental conditions like autism, diabetes, heart issues, blindness, hearing loss, and dementia.
Eligible people include those diagnosed with these conditions and their primary caregivers who live in Alabama.
To get the decal, applicants must pay standard license fees and provide a doctor's diagnosis from an Alabama-licensed physician.
The company Kulturecity will design the decal after getting approval from state officials.

This decal does not allow people to park in special handicap spots unless they also have a standard disability plate or placard.
The specific look of the decal is not described, only that it will be designed by Kulturecity.

Bill History

2026-04-16 House
Enacted
2026-04-08 House
Delivered to Governor
2026-04-08 Senate
Signature Requested
2026-04-07 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1186 (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-04-07 Senate
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-04-07 House
Enrolled
2026-04-07 House
Ready to Enroll
2026-03-11 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-03-11 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-03-03 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 690 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)
2026-03-03 House
Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 689 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)
2026-03-03 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-03-03 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-03-03 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety
2026-03-03 House
Engrossed
2026-03-03 House
Public Safety and Homeland Security Engrossed Substitute Offered
2026-02-25 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-25 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Official Summary Text

This act: (1) authorizes the Department of Revenue to issue a distinctive "Invisible Disability" license plate decal to individuals with a physical or mental condition that may interfere with communicating with first responders, and these individuals' primary caretakers, upon satisfy certain criteria, including paying fees and presenting a diagnosis of an invisible medical condition from a physician licensed in this state; and (2) provides the decal does not authorize holders to park in disabled parking spots.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB465 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB465
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By Representatives Hulsey, Faulkner, Treadaway, Crawford,
Bolton, Mooney
RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
First Read: 17-Feb-26
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HB465 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 17-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to motor vehicle registration and license
plates; to authorize the issuance of a distinctive license
plate decal to individuals who have certain medical conditions
and to the primary caregivers of those individuals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For purposes of this section, the term
"invisible disability" means a physical or mental condition
that may interfere with an individual's ability to communicate
with a first responder, including:
(1) A communication impediment;
(2) Hearing loss;
(3) Blindness or a visual impairment;
(4) Autism spectrum disorder;
(5) Traumatic brain injury;
(6) Schizophrenia;
(7) Alzheimer's disease or dementia;
(8) Post traumatic stress disorder;
(9) Epilepsy;
(10) A developmental disability;
(11) Down syndrome;
(12) Diabetes;
(13) A heart condition; or
(14) A cognitive disability.
(b) An owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of
Alabama and who has been diagnosed with an invisible
disability or an individual who is the primary caretaker of an
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HB465 Enrolled
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disability or an individual who is the primary caretaker of an
individual who has been diagnosed with an invisible disability
shall be issued a license plate of the individual's choosing
and a "Invisible Disability" license plate decal upon:
(1) Application to the judge of probate, license
commissioner, or other issuing official;
(2) Compliance with motor vehicle registration and
licensing laws;
(3) Payment of regular fees required by law for license
plates for private passenger or pleasure motor vehicles.
(4) Payment of any additional fees required by law for
distinctive license plates, should the individual seek to be
issued a distinctive license plate; and
(5) Presentation of a diagnosis from a physician
licensed to practice medicine in this state as proof of
eligibility.
(c) The validity of the "Invisible Disability" license
plate decals shall coincide with the reissuance of the
registrant's license plate as provided in Section 32-6-62,
Code of Alabama 1975.
(d) Payment of required license fees and taxes for the
years during which a new plate is not issued shall be
evidenced as provided in Section 32-6-63, Code of Alabama
1975.
(e) Kulturecity, Incorporated shall be responsible for
the design of the license plate decal subject to approval by
the Commissioner of Revenue and compliance with all laws and
rules.
(f) The "Invisible Disability" decal provided by this
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HB465 Enrolled
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(f) The "Invisible Disability" decal provided by this
section shall not qualify the individual to be parked in
special access parking as provided in Sections 40-12-300 and
32-6-231, Code of Alabama 1975, unless the individual has been
issued a disability distinctive special access plate or
placard as provided for in those sections.
(g) The Department of Revenue may adopt rules to
implement this section.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on January
1, 2027.
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1, 2027.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 03-Mar-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 07-Apr-26 Passed
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