Alabama driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and STAR ID

How to get a first Alabama driver license or learner license, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, and what Alabama's STAR ID (REAL ID) and non-driver ID cards require, based on ALEA's own pages.

Guide · Alabama · REAL ID · Driver licenses · Renewals · ID cards · updated October 29, 2026

Alabama driver licenses, learner licenses and non-driver ID cards are issued by the Driver License Division of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). First licenses, out-of-state transfers and first-time STAR IDs are handled at ALEA driver license offices. County license offices can renew and replace cards. This guide covers each case in turn. For booking a visit and the full document list, see the Alabama DMV visit guide.

Your first Alabama license

ALEA says the minimum driving age in Alabama is 16, with exceptions for learner licenses. If you have never been licensed in Alabama, or your Alabama license expired more than three years ago, you must pass the driver examination, unless you are transferring a recent out-of-state license (see below). The written test is based on the Alabama Driver Manual, which ALEA publishes on its Driver License Manuals page.

For a first license you bring identification, your Social Security card and two proofs of residence (see the visit guide). If you are under 19, you also need proof of school enrollment or graduation. ALEA lists a $5 test fee and $36.25 for the license.

Adults who take the road test need a licensed driver, proof of car insurance and a vehicle that will pass inspection.

Teen drivers: the graduated license

Alabama's graduated driver license law has three stages:

1. Stage I (learner's permit): from age 15, after passing the written exam. You may drive only with a parent, legal guardian or licensed driver aged 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor, in the front seat beside you. Fifteen-year-olds bring a certified U.S. birth certificate (no photocopies), a Social Security card, proof of school enrollment and two proofs of residence.
2. Stage II (restricted license): from age 16. If you are under 18 you must have held a Stage I license for at least six months. You need a parent's, grandparent's or guardian's permission and a passed road skills exam. You may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. except in the cases the law lists, such as with a parent or guardian, for work or for a school or religious event. You may carry no more than one passenger besides parents, guardians or family members, and you may not use a handheld communication device while driving.
3. Stage III (unrestricted license): from age 17, after holding a Stage II license for at least six months. If you are 18 or older you can apply for Stage III straight away, with a passing score on the road skills exam.

ALEA's graduated license page asks for either a form signed by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or certified driving instructor confirming at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, or a completion form for a driver education course approved by the State Department of Education. The rules do not apply if you are 18 or older. They also do not apply if you are 17 and have held a valid license for six months or more.

Moving to Alabama with a license from another state

ALEA says a new resident with a valid license from their previous state may drive for 30 days after becoming an Alabama resident without an Alabama license. If your out-of-state license has not been expired for more than one year, you do not have to pass a driver examination.

An out-of-state transfer must be done at an ALEA office. Bring:

• Your out-of-state driver license
• Your Social Security card
• One document from ALEA's primary list, such as a certified birth certificate or a U.S. passport
• Two proofs of principal residence
• Proof of school enrollment or graduation, if you are under 19

ALEA lists a $5 transfer fee and $36.25 for the license. You must surrender every license you hold before ALEA issues an Alabama one.

Renewing your license

ALEA's driver license office page links to an online renewal service ("Renew Your DL Online").

You can also renew in person. ALEA says county-operated license offices provide renewals and duplicates for licenses, ID cards and STAR IDs.

Renewal by mail uses Form DL-100. According to the form:

• It is for Alabama drivers who are temporarily out of state for military service, work, college, missionary work or medical care, and for residents who cannot visit an office.
• You must have had an Alabama license or ID with your picture and signature issued in the last four years (with some exceptions).
• You can apply up to 180 days before your license expires.
• Fees are paid by money order or cashier's check only. The form lists $36.25 to renew a Class D, Class C or ID card.
• A STAR ID cannot be added by mail.

Replacing a lost or damaged license

A duplicate can be requested by mail on Form DL-100 or in person at an ALEA office or a county license office. For a name change, ALEA's forms page says to visit a local probate or licensing office or an ALEA driver license office. Form DL-100 lists a $31.25 duplicate fee for any license class or ID card. Bring your name change documents and proof that you have updated your name with Social Security. You then get a duplicate at the normal fee.

STAR ID (REAL ID)

STAR ID is Alabama's REAL ID-compliant license or ID card. It has a gold star in the upper left corner. Since May 7, 2025, air travelers aged 18 and over need a STAR ID or another accepted document, such as a passport, for domestic flights.

A first STAR ID is issued only at an ALEA driver license examining office, not at a county probate or license commissioner's office. If you get one before your current card expires, you pay for a duplicate. ALEA asks for four documents, and it does not accept photocopies:

1. Identity and date of birth: one document, such as a valid U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate from a state vital statistics office, or a permanent resident card. If your name has changed, also bring certified proof such as a marriage certificate or court order.
2. Social Security number: a Social Security card, a DD-214, a Medicare/Medicaid card (if the number ends in "A") or a current or previous-year W-2.
3. Address: two documents, for example a utility bill under 90 days old, a lease, a mortgage contract or a current homeowners insurance policy.

ALEA also links an online tool to help you work out which documents you need. You can hold a STAR ID driver license or a STAR ID ID card, but not both. For background, see REAL ID explained and how to tell if your license is a REAL ID.

Non-driver ID cards

For an Alabama non-driver ID card you need:

• One primary document showing your name and date of birth
• Your Social Security card
• A third document, if your primary document has no photo
• Two proofs of principal residence

ALEA lists $36.25 for the card. First-time applicants pay an additional $5 document examination fee. Form DL-100 lists a $5.50 fee for a senior non-driver ID for people aged 62 and over.

To change your address without getting a new card, use the free Form DL-99. See also updating your address after a move. For vehicles, see the Alabama vehicle registration and title guide.