Ala. Code § 11-103-2
The county commission or municipal governing body may enter into appropriate agreements with one or more credit card issuers or other appropriate parties as needed to facilitate the acceptance of credit card payments, provided that no agreement may provide for the receipt of payments at a discount from the amount that would be owed were credit cards not accepted for the payment or withholding of administrative fees from the actual amount of the payments. Except as otherwise specifically provided, the provisions of the competitive bid law found in Section 41-16-1 et seq., shall not apply to the agreements between the county commission or municipal governing body and credit card issuers or processors. Any agreement shall provide that it may be canceled without penalty at any time by the county commission or municipal governing body upon reasonable notice. No agreement shall exceed three years as provided in Section 41-16-27.
Ala. Code § 11-103-2 (1975)