Jefferson County Driver’s License: Documents, Tests, and Fees

To get a driver’s license in Jefferson County, you’ll apply in person at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) office in Birmingham, bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Jefferson County address, pass a vision screening along with any required tests, and pay a $36.25 fee for the card. First-time applicants also take a written knowledge test and a road skills test; people transferring a valid license from another state skip both.

Where to Go

ALEA’s Jefferson County driver license office is at 908 Bankhead Highway West in Birmingham. It’s open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but no tests are given after 4:00 p.m.¹ If you’re coming in for a written or road test, arrive well before that cutoff or you’ll be sent home.

Book an appointment online before you go. Walk-ins are accepted for some services but the Birmingham office serves Alabama’s most populated county, and the wait reflects that.² Road tests require an appointment; there is no walk-in option for the skills test.³ Bring your confirmation.

Documents to Bring

Every applicant brings originals in three categories. Photocopies are not accepted.

Proof of identity: a certified U.S. birth certificate from a state vital records office, or a valid, unexpired U.S. passport.
Social Security verification: your original Social Security card, whether or not you want the number printed on the license.
Two separate proofs of your current Jefferson County address: a utility bill (water, gas, or electric) less than 90 days old, a current lease or rental agreement, a voter registration card, vehicle registration, homeowner’s insurance policy, or a mortgage contract.³

If a utility bill or lease is in your spouse’s or parent’s name, bring a marriage certificate or birth certificate to connect you to that person. And if your current name doesn’t match your identity document because of marriage, divorce, or a court order, you’ll need certified documentation of every name change along the way. A gap in that paper trail is one of the most common reasons applicants get turned away at the counter.

Tests You’ll Take

A vision screening happens at check-in for everyone. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them; a corrective-lens restriction will be added to your license.

First-time applicants then take a written knowledge test and a road skills test.

Written Knowledge Test

The written exam has 30 questions on Alabama traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving. You need 24 correct (80%) to pass, and there’s a $5 testing fee each attempt.³ Most questions come directly from the Alabama Driver Manual, which ALEA publishes online.

Road Skills Test

The road test is by appointment only and costs $20. You bring the vehicle, and it has to pass a safety check before the examiner will start: working headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, horn, windshield wipers, muffler, rearview mirror, two separate braking methods, and a valid license plate. Proof of liability insurance and your learner’s permit must be in the car.³ Because you’re driving on a permit, a licensed driver aged 21 or older has to come with you. If the vehicle fails inspection, the test doesn’t happen and you reschedule.

Fees and Payment

The license card is $36.25 for a new issuance or an out-of-state transfer, and $41.25 for a renewal. Add $5 for the written test and $20 for the road test if you’re taking them. Personal checks are not accepted for any driver license transaction; pay with a credit or debit card, cash, or money order.³

After payment, you’ll get a temporary paper permit good for driving while the plastic card is produced. The card arrives by mail, typically within 30 days.

Transferring an Out-of-State License

If you’re moving to Jefferson County with a valid license from another state, you skip both the written and road tests. Only the vision screening is required. Bring your current out-of-state license (must be unexpired), your original Social Security card, your primary identity document, and two proofs of your new Alabama address.⁴ A $5 transfer fee is added to the $36.25 card fee, for $41.25 total. Your out-of-state license is surrendered and returned to the issuing state. Let your previous license lapse before you get here and you may be treated as a new applicant, with both tests back on the table.³

STAR ID: A Choice You Should Make Now

A standard Alabama driver’s license without a gold star in the upper-right corner is no longer accepted at TSA checkpoints. Since May 7, 2025, you need a STAR ID, a valid U.S. passport, or another federally approved document to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal buildings.⁵

STAR ID uses the same documents as a regular license, held to a stricter federal standard, and the identity document has to come from a specific federal list: birth certificate, U.S. passport, permanent resident card, naturalization certificate, or consular report of birth abroad.⁶ There is no extra fee for the star, so if you have the documents with you, there’s little reason to leave with the non-compliant card.

Renewals

Alabama licenses are valid for four years after the initial issuance period. You can renew up to 180 days before expiration, and there’s a 60-day grace period after expiration during which the license is still valid for driving. Wait more than three years past expiration and you’ll have to retake both the written and road tests as a new applicant.⁷

Standard renewals can be done online through alabamainteractive.org, including for STAR IDs, for the $41.25 fee.³ Active-duty military members stationed outside Alabama who can’t renew on time because of deployment aren’t penalized for the delay.

Teen Drivers

Alabama uses a three-stage graduated license system: learner’s permit, restricted license, then unrestricted license. Applicants under 19 have to provide proof of school enrollment or graduation in addition to the standard documents.⁴

Drivers who are 16 or 17 with less than six months of licensing history hold a restricted license. They can’t carry more than one non-family passenger unless a parent or licensed adult over 21 is in the car, and they can’t drive between midnight and 6:00 a.m. except for work, school events, religious events, medical emergencies, or hunting and fishing with proper licenses. Handheld phone use while driving is also prohibited. Violations can extend the restricted period or trigger a suspension.⁸

Non-Citizen Applicants

Non-U.S. citizens can get an Alabama license but need extra documentation proving authorized presence. Along with a valid foreign passport and an acceptable visa or permanent resident card, you’ll need Social Security verification, or, if you’re ineligible for an SSN, a letter from the Social Security Administration confirming that ineligibility.⁴

Secondary documents showing authorized presence for more than 160 days are also required. Acceptable items include an employment authorization document with a valid Social Security card, a valid I-94 arrival/departure record, or an approved I-797 notice of action from the Department of Homeland Security. Licenses issued on temporary authorized status expire with that status, so expect to renew more often than a citizen would.

1
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Jefferson County
2
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Online Services
3
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements And Fees
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. License and ID Cards
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. STAR ID Document List
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Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 Motor Vehicles and Traffic Section 32-6-1
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Alabama Department of Public Health. Graduated Drivers License