Ala. Code § 45-39-200.16
The commissioner shall charge and collect a reasonable fee which is adequate to cover the necessary handling, packaging, and mailing expenses for each motor vehicle tag issued by mail, in addition to all other fees prescribed by law. The additional fees shall be paid by the owner of the motor vehicle with his or her mailed request for license tags and the fees collected by the commissioner shall be paid into the general fund of the county. The actual expense of mailing application forms to the owners of motor vehicles and of mailing tags as hereinabove provided, shall be paid from the general fund of the county upon warrants signed by the commissioner and approved by the county governing body. The procedure authorized by this part for the payment of ad valorem tax and motor vehicle license tax and the issuance of license tags shall be an optional alternative to the procedure now provided by law. Each owner of a motor vehicle shall continue to have the right to pay taxes and to receive a tag in person without the payment of an additional fee.
Ala. Code § 45-39-200.16 (1975)