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Alabama: total loss threshold and rebuilt title rules
What Alabama’s own pages print, word for word. Kind of rule, by our sorting: Percentage.
This is a reference to quoted official text, not legal, tax, insurance or professional advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency before acting.
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When is a vehicle salvage or a total loss in Alabama, in the state’s words?
“A salvage, also known as total loss, vehicle is when a total loss occurs and an insurance company (or any other payee) makes a monetary settlement for a vehicle that is damaged greater than or equal to 75 percent of the fair retail value.”
“A salvage vehicle (total loss) occurs when an insurance company or any other person pays or makes other monetary settlement to a person when a vehicle is damaged and the damage to the vehicle is greater than or equal to 75 percent of the fair retail value of the vehicle prior to damage as set forth in a current edition of a nationally recognized compilation of retail values, including automated data bases.”
The pages we read print no section heading we could quote for this.
The pages we could read are the Alabama Department of Revenue’s own. They print no code section number, so no citation is shown.
Compare your figures with Alabama’s quoted rule
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How do you get a rebuilt title in Alabama, in the state’s words?
“If you owned the vehicle prior to salvage a Rebuilt Inspection is required to consider a previous Salvage Vehicle now a Rebuilt Vehicle.”
“If you did not own the vehicle prior to salvage you must have a master dealer regulatory license to apply for a rebuilt inspection.”
What fee does Alabama print?
“$90 inspection fee in certified funds (cashier’s check or money order)”
Read each fee sentence for what it covers: an inspection, a title, or something else.
What else do the pages say?
“A salvage vehicle cannot be registered or operated on the highways or other public places of this state until a rebuilt title has been issued for the vehicle.”
Where are Alabama’s official pages?
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Salvage and Rebuilt Vehicles
- Alabama Department of Revenue, FAQ: What is a salvage vehicle (total loss)?
Every quote above was matched word for word against its page on November 11, 2026. If one has changed, tell us.