How to Get a Learner’s Permit in Alabama: Documents, Test, and Fees

To get a learner’s permit in Alabama, you need to be at least 15, bring the right documents to an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License office, pass a vision screening and a 30-question written test on the Alabama Driver Manual, and pay $41.25. The permit is valid for four years and carries a “Y” restriction, meaning you can only drive with a qualified adult in the front passenger seat.¹²

Who Can Apply

The minimum age is 15. There’s no upper limit, and adults who never held a license follow the same steps.¹

If you’re under 19 and applying for the first time, you’ll need proof that you’re currently enrolled in school or have already graduated. Applicants 19 and older skip that requirement.²

Vision matters too. ALEA screens you at the office, and you’ll need at least 20/60 visual acuity. Glasses or contacts are fine as long as you meet that threshold with them on — bring them to the appointment.

Documents to Bring

Show up with everything, because a missing item means starting over on another day. You’ll need at least two forms of identification, with at least one from the “primary” list and one bearing a photo. Primary documents include a certified U.S. birth certificate issued by a state or federal authority, or an unexpired U.S. passport. You also need your original Social Security card. Photocopies and laminated versions won’t be accepted.³

On top of identity, bring two separate documents proving your Alabama address. Any of these work:³

A utility bill (water, gas, or electric) less than 90 days old
A voter registration card
A residential mortgage contract or current lease agreement
A vehicle registration showing your name and address

If you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian generally needs to come with you to give consent. Fifteen-year-old applicants also have to file a certified birth certificate with the department as part of the application.⁴

The Written Test

Everything on the exam comes from the Alabama Driver Manual, which is a free PDF on the ALEA website. It’s 30 multiple-choice questions covering traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices, and you need at least 24 correct answers — 80% — to pass.²

Fail the first time and you can retest after one day. After three failures, ALEA imposes a 90-day waiting period before your next attempt. The $5 testing fee applies each time, so retakes aren’t free.

Fees and Payment

The total is $41.25, split into two charges at the office:

Testing fee: $5
Permit fee: $36.25

ALEA offices do not accept personal checks. You can pay in cash or by MasterCard, Visa, or Discover, though card payments add a convenience fee.³

Scheduling the Visit

ALEA strongly recommends booking an appointment before you go. You can schedule one at alabamadl.alea.gov.⁵ Most offices take walk-ins, but wait times can run several hours on busy days. Use the county search tool on the ALEA Driver License Offices page to find the nearest location.⁶

Once you clear the vision screening and written test, ALEA issues the permit on the spot.

Rules for Driving on a Permit

You cannot drive alone. A qualified adult has to occupy the front passenger seat every time you’re behind the wheel, and someone licensed sitting in the back seat doesn’t count.

Who qualifies depends on your age. If you’re 15, your supervisor must be a parent or legal guardian holding a valid Alabama license, any licensed driver aged 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.⁴ If you’re 16 or older, ALEA requires that you be accompanied by a person at least 21 years old who is duly licensed in Alabama, or by a licensed or certified driving instructor.²

Alabama’s texting-while-driving ban applies to permit holders like any other driver. Writing, sending, or reading text messages while operating a vehicle is illegal, with fines starting at $25 for a first offense and rising to $75 for a third.⁷

The permit is valid for four years, or until you upgrade to a regular license, whichever comes first.⁴

Insurance to Sort Out First

Alabama requires every vehicle on its roads to carry minimum liability insurance of $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. This applies whether the driver holds a full license or a learner’s permit.⁸

Most teen permit holders fall under a parent’s or guardian’s existing auto policy, but you should tell your insurer that a new driver is practicing in the household. Not disclosing a student driver can give the insurer grounds to deny a claim or cancel the policy if there’s an accident. If the permit holder doesn’t live with an insured parent, or is an adult applying on their own, a separate policy may be necessary.

What Comes After the Permit

The learner’s permit is Stage I of Alabama’s Graduated Driver License program. If you’re under 18, you have to hold it for at least six months before you can apply for a Stage II restricted license, and moving up requires signed parental (or grandparent, with parental consent) consent, a passed road skills test, and either 50 hours of certified supervised driving or a completion certificate from a state-approved driver education course.⁹¹

Alabama doesn’t require you to document practice hours for the permit itself, but those 50 hours are coming. Log them during the six-month holding period so you’re not stuck waiting a second time when you’re ready to upgrade.

1
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Graduated Driver License
2
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Driver License Information
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees
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Justia Law. Alabama Code Title 32 Chapter 6 32-6-8 – Temporary Instruction and Learners Licenses
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Schedule a Driver License Appointment
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. ALEA Driver License Offices
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Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 Motor Vehicles and Traffic 32-5A-350
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Alabama Department of Revenue. What Are the Insurance Requirements
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Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 Motor Vehicles and Traffic 32-6-7.2