An Alabama driver’s license renewal costs $36.25 for a standard Class D license and can be done online through the ALEA portal or in person at a Driver License office or county probate office. You can renew up to 180 days before the date printed on your card, and a 60-day grace period after expiration keeps the license valid for renewal purposes. If you want a card that works for domestic flights, confirm it carries the STAR ID gold star before you start.
When You Can Renew and What Happens If You Wait
The renewal window opens 180 days before your expiration date. Alabama runs licenses on a four-year cycle, and each renewal runs forward from your previous expiration date rather than from the day you pay, so renewing early doesn’t shorten the new term.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-6-1 – Licenses Required for Drivers of Motor Vehicles
After the printed date passes, state law gives you a 60-day grace period during which the license remains valid for renewal purposes. You can still legally drive during that window. Once it closes, driving on the expired card becomes a misdemeanor.
Waiting much longer gets costly in a different way. If your license has been expired for more than three years, ALEA treats you like a new applicant and requires both the written exam and the road test before issuing a renewal. The same rule applies to commercial licenses.
Online or In Person
Online renewal through alabamadl.alea.gov is the faster option when nothing about your record is changing. You enter your current license number and date of birth, confirm your information, pay electronically, and immediately print a 30-day temporary license. The permanent card arrives by mail, usually within 30 days. Keep a printer ready before you start the transaction.
One restriction catches people off guard: online renewal is available only once every eight years. Because the license cycle is four years, you can renew online one cycle and must come in person the next for a new photo and document check.
Plan on an in-person visit if any of the following apply: you need a STAR ID added, your name has changed, you need to update endorsements or restrictions, or you renewed online last time. ALEA’s website lists Driver License offices and participating county probate offices statewide, and you can schedule an appointment to avoid a long wait.2Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Driver License Offices A new photo and a vision screening are part of every in-person renewal. You’ll leave with a 30-day paper receipt that serves as your valid license until the card arrives by mail, typically in 7 to 30 days.
Documents and Fees
For a routine renewal with no name or address changes, bring your current license and your Social Security number for electronic verification. If the system can’t confirm your identity digitally, ALEA may ask for a physical Social Security card or a certified W-2.3Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees
If you’ve moved, bring two documents showing your new residential address from different sources. Utility bills, mortgage statements, lease agreements, and bank statements all qualify. During the visit you’ll also confirm height, weight, and eye color, and you can add or update an organ donor designation. A veteran designation is available at no extra charge.4Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Driver License Information
The standard Class D renewal fee is $36.25.3Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees ALEA accepts Mastercard, Visa, and Discover, with a 4% convenience fee added to credit card payments.5Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. License and ID Cards In-person offices generally take cash as well. Checks are not accepted.
STAR ID at Renewal
Since May 7, 2025, the federal government has required a REAL ID-compliant license or another accepted credential such as a valid passport to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.6Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Alabama’s compliant card is the STAR ID, identified by a gold star in the corner.
A standard renewal will not add that star. If your current license doesn’t have one and you want it, go in person and bring the full STAR ID document set:
- Proof of identity: a certified birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, certificate of naturalization, or permanent resident card.
- Social Security number, verified electronically; if verification fails, bring your Social Security card, a W-2, or a 1099.
- Two proofs of Alabama residency from different sources, such as a utility bill and a bank statement. P.O. boxes don’t count.
- For non-citizens, valid immigration documents proving authorized stay.
If you already hold a STAR ID, a routine renewal keeps that status in place.
Name Changes
A name change can’t be handled online. Visit an ALEA office with a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court-ordered name change document, plus proof that the Social Security Administration already has your updated name on file.7Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Driver License Forms Update your name with SSA first, then bring your new Social Security card to ALEA. Doing these out of order is the most common reason people leave the office empty-handed.
Vision Screening
Alabama requires at least 20/60 vision in one eye for a standard operator’s license.8Cornell Law Institute. Alabama Administrative Code 760-X-20-.14 – Conditions Affecting Sensory and Motor Functions Bring your glasses or contacts if you use them. A restriction code goes on the card when corrective lenses are needed to meet the standard. If you don’t pass the screening, ALEA will ask for a vision specialist’s report before issuing the renewal.
Military Members
Active-duty service members get more flexibility. The 180-day advance limit doesn’t apply when deployment prevents renewing on schedule, and National Guard or Armed Forces members deployed outside the United States can keep driving on an expired license as long as they carry a copy of valid military orders.9Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-6-1.1 ALEA also allows mail-in renewal when a photo is already on file and permits renewal up to one year before expiration for those with deployment orders.
Commercial Driver’s License Renewals
CDL holders have an added step. All Class A, B, and C commercial license holders must self-certify to ALEA the type of commercial operation they perform, choosing among interstate non-excepted, interstate excepted, intrastate non-excepted, and intrastate excepted.10Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. CDL Frequently Asked Questions Interstate non-excepted drivers must carry a valid DOT medical card, and the medical examiner submits the certification to FMCSA electronically.
ALEA checks the FMCSA database at renewal. A missing or expired medical certification stops the renewal until it’s resolved. If ALEA sends a notice about missing medical information and you don’t respond within 45 days, your CDL privileges get removed from your license entirely. A CDL expired more than three years requires full re-examination, the same rule that applies to standard licenses.