Alabama Registration and Tags for My TaoTao Roman 150 150cc (technically 149cc) Scooter – Part 1

First, let me say that I am loving my new TaoTao Roman 150 gas scooter. I didn’t have any significant problems getting it setup and running. Now I’m trying to get it registered and get a license plate so I can drive it on the road. That is turning out to be more challenging than the prep work.

I live in Jefferson County in Alabama. Every state in the US has different rules and regulations for tags, titles, and licenses relating to scooters. I have had a very challenging time finding clear information about what the rules are at the moment.

I found a few places with helpful (although not official government approved) information. AAA has a digest page of state rules and regulations for motorcycles and mopeds. I found a similar resource on the Modern Vespa website. I also discovered a forum called Bama Rides that has a number of scooter owners active on the site. They have a detailed listing of the motorcycle laws in Alabama.

My hope was to find an official government website that listed the rules and regulations for scooters and told me what kind of licensing I needed and the steps and paperwork required to get it. There are bits of this information scattered across multiple websites, but I never found any definitive information about what registration is required for a scooter like mine and what steps are required to obtain the correct operator’s license. One helpful resource is the Motorcycle Operator Manual PDF on the Alabama Department of Public Safety website.

During my research I learned that a legislative rewrite of the vehicle registration and licensing laws in Alabama a while back left a loophole in the law regarding motorcycles. Technically, adults with a valid state drivers license do not need a motorcycle endorsement to legally operate a motorcycle. Attempts to fix the law have (as best I can discover) failed so far. The state has adopted a sort of ‘don’t-ask-don’t-tell’ policy about the loophole. If you ask about a license they will administer a written test and charge you for a motorcycle endorsement, but not tell you that you don’t technically need it.

Because of this policy, some of the information on the various websites is a bit vague. I plan to get the endorsement anyway.

While I found some useful information about operator licensing requirements, registration and license plate tag details for scooters is not easy to find.

My First Attempt To Get Tags For My TaoTao Roman 150

My first attempt title and tag my scooter failed. I’m still not 100% certain what I need to do get it street legal, but I’ll share what I’ve learned so far and write more once I actually get the process completed to detail the exact steps involved. (If you have insights into the process or resources to share, please leave a comment.)

Here is what I did so far.

The company I bought the scooter from does not send the registration paperwork with the scooter. Once the scooter arrives at your home, you get the VIN number off the scooter and request the paperwork on their website. A few days later the Certificate of Origin arrives in the mail. In the case of my scooter the engine size is listed as 149cc’s and not 150cc’s (which is a more common engine size.) This 1cc difference becomes important later on.

The DMV here in Alabama requires a Title, Bill of Sale, and Proof of Insurance and the Drivers License for everyone listed as a Purchaser when you register a privately purchased car (at least that’s what I needed last time I did it.) Since I had such a hard time finding detailed info online about requirements for registering a scooter in Alabama, I decided to get together the documents that made sense and head to the courthouse to see what happened.

I went to Progressive.com and purchased insurance for the scooter. I printed out the Proof of Insurance card, the Bill of Sale from the purchase, and collected the Certificate of Origin and jumped in the car to head to the county courthouse.

After spending an hour or so in line, I got to the counter and handed over the paperwork and my drivers license. The woman working at the counter was not sure what to do. Seems a scooter with an engine the size of mine does not require a state vehicle title, but should have a license plate. The problem is, they only issue plates for a vehicle 150cc’s and larger. My official paperwork lists the engine as 149cc’s.

So, I need to bring the scooter in to be inspected before they will issue a tag. No big deal, except the courthouse is 12.4 miles away and my normal route includes a divided highway with lots of truck traffic and a posted speed that is at the top end of the scooter’s capacity. I don’t have a trailer, or truck that I can use to haul the scooter, so I’ve got to drive it in.

Needless to say, I did not return the same day to have the scooter inspected. I do not intend to use the scooter to drive very far from home. This is a major trip in my book that will be at the far edge of my comfort zone.

I’ve found a driving route to the courthouse that avoids the divided highway, but now I need to take time off of work to return to the DMV (on the scooter) wait in line again, and get it inspected. Hopefully they will approve the scooter and give me the tags I need to legally ride on the road.

What Did I Learn?

The major things I discovered so far are that 150cc’s is the bottom limit for getting tags at the DMV without an inspection. I’m not sure how and where you can legally drive a scooter with a smaller engine. Also, the state of Alabama does not issue Titles for a 150cc Scooter. I’m not clear what the dividing line is for when you do get/need a title, but 150cc’s is not enough.

The folks at the DMV were very nice, but it is clear that they do not deal with scooters very often and most of the people working at the windows don’t know exactly what to do. I’m sure the process would be a lot more straight forward if I purchased a conventional brand through a dealer. But, dealing with a Chinese scooter involves a bit more hands-on effort.

After I make my next attempt at registration, I’ll post my results. When I figure out the entire process I’ll post a more straightforward tutorial for other Alabama residents who are interested in purchasing a street-legal Chinese scooter like my TaoTao Roman 150.

If you have insights or experience with the scooter registration process here in Alabama, please leave a comment. I’d love to figure out the ‘right way’ to do things.