You can get an Alabama driver’s permit starting at age 15 by applying in person at an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) examiner office, bringing proof of identity and residency, and passing a written knowledge test.1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses The permit is valid for four years, and you must hold it at least six months before advancing to a restricted license.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 – Restrictions on Issuance to Persons Under 18 Years of Age Here’s what to prepare, what the day of your visit looks like, and the rules that apply once the permit is in your pocket.
Who Can Apply
The minimum age is 15 under Alabama Code Section 32-6-8.1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses You can also apply at 16 or older if you’ve never held a license; the supervision rules shift slightly between the two age brackets, which matters more after you have the permit than at the application counter.
You need to be an Alabama resident, and you need a certified copy of your birth certificate on file with ALEA to prove your age.1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses Residency is verified through the documents you present at your visit, so bring something that shows your Alabama address.
If you’re under 19, there’s a school requirement that trips up a lot of first-time applicants. ALEA will not issue a permit unless you’re enrolled in school, have graduated, hold a GED, or qualify for one of a few exceptions such as being gainfully employed or in a job training program.3Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Enrollment/Exclusion Form Your school’s attendance officer confirms this on form DL-1/93, and ALEA will reject outdated versions, so pull the current form from the ALEA website before handing it to the school. Without that signed form, your application won’t be processed.
Documents to Bring
ALEA uses a point-style combination of primary and secondary documents, plus your Social Security card. If any of your ID documents include a photo, bring one primary and one secondary document. If none have a photo, bring one primary and two secondary documents.4Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 760-X-1-.20 – Proof of Identity, Authorized Presence
A certified U.S. birth certificate is the most common primary document, and if you were born in Alabama you can order one from the Alabama Department of Public Health. Secondary documents include items such as school records and utility bills. ALEA’s website lists exactly which documents fit each category.5Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees
Your Social Security card is required even if you don’t want the number printed on the permit. ALEA checks the number electronically through the Social Security Administration during your visit, so the name on your card has to match the name on your other documents exactly.4Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 760-X-1-.20 – Proof of Identity, Authorized Presence Mismatches from a middle name, a hyphen, or a typo on a utility bill are a common reason people get sent home.
If you’re under 19, add the completed DL-1/93 enrollment form to the stack.3Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Enrollment/Exclusion Form
The Written Knowledge Test
ALEA requires the same written examination used for a full driver’s license, with the road test skipped at this stage.1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses It’s 30 multiple-choice questions, and you need 24 correct to pass, an 80 percent threshold.
Every question comes from the Alabama Driver Manual, which ALEA posts free online. It covers road signs, right-of-way rules, speed limits, and Alabama-specific safe driving practices. Read the manual straight through before you take the test. Jumping to online practice quizzes without the manual is where most first-attempt failures come from.
If you fail, you can retake the test after a short waiting period, and you’ll owe the testing fee each time.
At the Examiner Office
The permit is issued in person at an ALEA driver license examiner office. Some locations accept walk-ins, but scheduling an appointment online through ALEA’s site cuts wait time considerably, especially in summer and the weeks around the start of a school year.6Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Schedule a Driver License Appointment
At the counter, an examiner checks your documents, runs your Social Security number through the federal database, and conducts a vision screening. The visual acuity standard is 20/60, tested on site. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them. You’re allowed to test with corrective lenses, and a restriction gets added to the permit noting that you need them to drive.
Fees are $5 for the written test and $36.25 for permit issuance. Personal checks are not accepted for either. Most offices take cash, money orders, and credit or debit cards, with a small convenience fee possible on cards.5Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees After you pass and pay, the examiner takes your photo. You’ll usually walk out with a temporary paper permit the same day, and the permanent card arrives by mail.
Who Has to Be in the Car With You
A permit is permission to practice, not permission to drive solo. The supervision rules depend on your age.
If You’re 15
You can only drive when one of the following people is in the seat beside you:1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses
- A parent or legal guardian
- Any licensed driver age 21 or older holding a valid Alabama license
- A licensed or certified driving instructor
“Seat beside you” means the front passenger seat in most vehicles. A supervisor in the back seat doesn’t satisfy the law; the person has to be close enough to grab the wheel if something goes wrong.
If You’re 16 or Older
The supervision rule opens up. Any licensed driver in the seat beside you qualifies as a supervisor, with no age-21 minimum. On a motorcycle, the accompanying rider must be licensed.1Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses
At any age, carry the permit on you every time you drive. Driving without a qualified supervisor, or without the permit itself in your possession, can lead to a ticket and can set back your path to a full license. ALEA can suspend or revoke a permit for the same reasons it would suspend a regular license, plus any violation of the permit’s own conditions.
Moving Up From the Permit
The permit is Stage I of Alabama’s graduated system. To advance to a Stage II restricted license, which lets you drive without a supervisor in most situations, you need to meet every requirement in Alabama Code Section 32-6-7.2.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 – Restrictions on Issuance to Persons Under 18 Years of Age The core requirements:
- Hold your permit at least six months with no moving traffic violations during that period.
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Complete 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, verified by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or certified driving instructor who signs an ALEA verification form, or complete an approved driver education course through the State Department of Education and submit the completion certificate in place of the 50-hour log.7Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Graduated Driver License
- Submit a parental consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian, or by a grandparent with parental consent, agreeing to your licensure.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 – Restrictions on Issuance to Persons Under 18 Years of Age
The 50 hours is the piece most families underestimate. Start tracking from the day the permit is issued. There’s no state-provided log sheet, so a notebook or spreadsheet with dates, times, and the supervising driver’s name is enough. When it’s time to apply for Stage II, that supervisor signs the ALEA verification form confirming you reached 50 hours.
Adding a STAR ID at the Same Visit
When you apply, ALEA will offer you the option of a STAR ID, Alabama’s version of a federally compliant REAL ID. REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025, so a standard permit or license without the STAR designation will not get you through airport security for domestic flights or into federal facilities.8Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Star ID9Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID The STAR ID requires extra documentation, including proof of your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and two documents proving Alabama residency. ALEA’s website has an interactive tool that tells you exactly what to bring. Since you’re already gathering documents for the permit, bringing the STAR ID paperwork at the same visit saves you a second trip later.