Alabama Code Title 33. Navigation and Watercourses § 33-5-13

(a) Every certificate and license as provided for in this article is to be issued on a yearly basis and said certificate and license shall be valid for one issuing year only.

(b) The registration of vessels shall be on a staggered basis. To implement this article, the registration of vessels may be for periods of less than or greater than 12 months during the conversion year only.

(c) The staggered system for registration of vessels shall be implemented thusly:  The first letter of an individual's last name shall determine the month in which a vessel owner shall register his vessel(s), as indicated below:

After the conversion period all owners of vessels shall continue to register their vessels during the month assigned to the first initial of their last name. All registrations issued on a staggered basis shall expire on the last day of the month which precedes the month assigned for the purchase or renewal of registration. All registrations issued to vessels for which registration is due in October and November shall expire on September 30.