What Do I Need to Renew My License in Alabama?

To renew your Alabama driver’s license, you need your current license, your Social Security number, and $36.25. If you’re upgrading to a STAR ID at the same time, add a certified birth certificate or valid U.S. passport, your Social Security card (or an acceptable substitute), and two documents proving your Alabama address. You can start as early as 180 days before your expiration date.¹

What You Need for a Standard Renewal

If your name, address, and license class haven’t changed, the paperwork is short: your current Alabama driver’s license and your Social Security number.² That covers most people.

The fee is $36.25 whether you renew online, in person, or by mail.² Credit and debit card payments add a 4% convenience fee, roughly $1.45 on a standard renewal. Cash or a personal check at an in-person office avoids that surcharge.³

At any in-person visit, staff will take a new photograph and digital signature and have you confirm personal details like height, weight, and organ donor preference.⁴ ALEA can decline to issue a license to anyone with a physical or mental condition that, in the examining officer’s judgment, prevents safe vehicle operation, so be prepared for questions if you have a condition that could affect your driving.⁵

What You Need for a STAR ID Upgrade

Alabama’s STAR ID is the state’s REAL ID-compliant credential. Since May 2025, TSA requires a REAL ID-compliant license, or an acceptable alternative like a passport, to pass through airport security for domestic flights.⁶ If there’s no gold star in the upper corner of your current license, your next renewal is a good time to upgrade. The cost is still $36.25.

A first-time STAR ID has to be done in person so an examiner can inspect your originals. Photocopies aren’t accepted. You’ll need to bring documents from four categories:⁷

One document proving identity and date of birth: a certified birth certificate from a state office of vital statistics, an unexpired U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or a permanent resident card.
One document proving your Social Security number: a Social Security card, a W-2 from the current or prior year, a DD-214, or a Medicare card showing your full SSN followed by the letter “A.”
Two documents proving your Alabama address: a utility bill under 90 days old, a current lease, a mortgage contract, a voter registration card, a vehicle registration, a homeowner’s insurance policy, or similar official correspondence mailed to you.
Certified proof of any name change since your identity document was issued, through marriage, divorce, or court order.⁸

Once you have a STAR ID, later renewals follow the standard process.

If You’ve Moved or Changed Your Name

Moved since your last renewal? Bring two documents proving your new Alabama address. A utility bill less than 90 days old, a current lease or rental agreement, a mortgage contract, a vehicle registration, a voter registration card, or a prior-year tax return all qualify.² Address changes can’t be handled online.

For a name change through marriage or divorce, bring a certified marriage certificate or divorce record from the vital statistics office in the state that issued it.⁸ You can handle this at the same appointment as your renewal at any examining office. Updating your name outside a renewal cycle costs $36.25 for a duplicate license with the new information.

If You’re Not a U.S. Citizen

ALEA has to verify your immigration status before processing any renewal. Bring:³

A valid foreign passport with an acceptable visa or resident alien card.
Social Security number verification, or a letter from the Social Security Administration confirming you aren’t eligible for one.
A document from ALEA’s secondary list showing you’re authorized to be in the U.S. for more than 160 days. Acceptable items include an employment authorization document with a valid Social Security card, a valid visa with supporting documents, an I-94 arrival/departure record, or an I-797 notice of action from the Department of Homeland Security.

Your license expiration date will match the end date of your authorized stay rather than the standard four-year cycle. Federal verification can take time, so build in a cushion.

How You Can Renew

Alabama offers three methods, but not everyone qualifies for each.

Online

Use the ALEA online driver services portal, confirm your information, and pay with a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card. You’ll get a printable temporary license valid for 30 days while your permanent card is manufactured and mailed.⁴

One restriction catches a lot of people: ALEA requires a fresh photo and signature at least once every eight years. Since licenses last four years, you can only skip the in-person visit every other renewal. If you renewed online last time, plan to go in person this time. Online renewal also won’t work if you need to change your address, add or remove endorsements, or upgrade to a STAR ID for the first time.

In Person

Visit any ALEA driver license examining office or county probate office that processes renewals. Bring your documents, sit for a new photo, and pay on the spot. Most offices accept cash, personal checks, and major credit cards.³ You’ll leave with a temporary receipt that serves as your legal license for 30 days, and the permanent card typically arrives by mail within 7 to 10 days.

By Mail

Mail renewal is limited to active-duty military members, their dependents, and Alabama residents temporarily living out of state. You must have received an Alabama license with your photo and signature within the previous four years to qualify.⁹ Send the completed application, photocopies of your supporting documents (military orders and a military photo ID for service members), and payment to the ALEA Driver License Division in Montgomery.

When to Renew and What Happens if You’re Late

Alabama licenses are valid for four years, and the renewal window opens 180 days before the expiration date.¹ Miss the deadline and the state still gives you up to three years after expiration to renew without retaking the written and road tests. That cushion is administrative only; it doesn’t make it legal to drive on an expired card, and the next four-year term runs from your original expiration date, not from the day you finally renew.

If more than three years have passed, a simple renewal is off the table. You’ll take the full driver’s examination (written knowledge test and road test) as if applying for the first time, and surrender any expired licenses in your possession before ALEA will issue a new one.⁵ The testing fee is $5, plus $36.25 for the new card.²

CDL Renewals

Commercial driver’s license holders have an extra federal requirement on top of the standard renewal. You must submit a Self-Certification Affidavit declaring which type of commercial driving you do.¹⁰ The category you select determines whether you also need a current DOT Medical Examiner’s Certificate on file with ALEA.

Drivers in non-excepted interstate commerce need both the affidavit and a valid medical certificate. Drivers operating exclusively in excepted interstate, non-excepted intrastate with a K restriction, or excepted intrastate categories submit only the affidavit. Mail the paperwork to ALEA at least 10 days before renewing so nothing holds you up at the counter.

Non-U.S. citizens applying for a CDL must hold permanent resident status and be domiciled in Alabama. Temporary visa holders aren’t eligible.²

Replacing a Lost or Stolen License

You don’t have to wait for your renewal date to replace a missing license. Go to any ALEA examining office or county location that handles renewals, bring two forms of original acceptable identification (photocopies won’t work), and pay $36.25.² If your card is close to expiring anyway, renewing at the same time usually makes more sense than paying for a duplicate and then renewing again a few months later. Some replacements can also be handled online if you’re otherwise eligible.

1
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-6-1 – Required; Expiration Date; Renewal
2
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Requirements and Fees
3
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. License and ID Cards
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Application for Renewal or Duplicate of Alabama Driver License or ID Card
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Driver License Information
6
Department of Homeland Security. TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. STAR ID Document List
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Document Help
9
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Application for Renewal or Duplicate of Alabama Driver License or ID Card – Renewal by Mail
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Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. CDL Self-Certification Affidavit