Getting your driver’s license is an important part of becoming independent, especially in American society! How can you prepare for the Alabama permit test and Alabama driver’s license test, and what is the process for getting your license in the Yellowhammer state?
Find out more about Alabama driving test requirements for class D licenses, such as driver education, when you read on!
Getting Your Alabama Learner License and Driver License
Since gaining the lawful ability to drive is ingrained in society and is a very important and multi-faceted aspect of life, there is a lot of information out there that you need to know! Here are the basics to get you started.
Graduated Driver License Program
In July 2010, Alabama introduced a graduated driver license program to help young drivers become more experienced and educated before being unleashed on the road. It is a three-step program and, depending on your age, you will enter it from different angles.
As part of the Private High School Driver and Traffic Safety Education program offered through Alabama’s school system, students who are aged 15 and otherwise eligible to get a Stage I learner’s permit can legally drive without a permit as part of their curriculum.
🚗 Stage I - For 15-year-olds
The first step most Alabamians take when embarking on their driving journeys is getting their learner’s permit, sometimes called a learner license. At age 15, you can apply for your learner license. You must pass a written knowledge exam.
🚗 Stage II - For 16-year-olds
This license allows you to drive unsupervised with certain restrictions in place (more information on that is below). You must pass a practical road skills examination and have a parent or guardian attest that you have had 50 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving by completing a verification form with the Department of Public Safety. Many people take a driver's education course to meet this requirement, but you are not required to take driver's ed specifically.
🚗 Stage III - For 17-year-olds and older
This is the unrestricted driver’s license aka a regular license. 17-year-olds may apply for it if they have had their Stage II license for at least 6 months without any violations. Those 18 and older may apply without any prior licenses or permits. If you don’t have a valid Stage II license, you’ll need to pass the road skills test at this time.
What Can I Do With My Learner Permit, Restricted License, and Regular License?
Each stage of the Graduated Driver License Program allows drivers different freedoms.
🚙 Stage I Restrictions
15-year-olds who hold an Alabama learner license may drive while accompanied by a parent, guardian, or licensed driver who is over the age of 21. The accompanist must be sitting in the front passenger seat. Learner’s permit-holders may also drive with a licensed or certified driving instructor as part of their driving education class.
🚙 Stage II Restrictions
16-year-olds must have written permission from their parent or guardian to obtain this type of license. With this type of license, you can drive as a normal unrestricted driver most of the time with one caveat: you cannot have more than one passenger in the vehicle unless they are family members or guardians.
You also cannot drive from midnight to 6 A.M. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or licensed driver over the age of 21. The exception to this rule is if you are going to or from an authorized event, like school, an event sponsored by your school, a religious event, work, or for an emergency, and you have your parent or guardian’s permission.
🚙 Stage III Restrictions
The only restriction for this type of license is that 17-year-olds must have held their Stage II license for at least 6 months before converting to the Stage III license.
Those over the age of 18 can get this unrestricted driver’s license right away. Additionally, 16-year-olds who are married and are the head of their household can also apply for this license without adhering to Stage I and II rules.
All drivers in Alabama must follow all the rules of the road, including not using mobile devices while driving and always having every passenger wear their safety belts.
How to Get Your License in a Nutshell
What Is the Permit Test Alabama Like?
Before you even take your learner license test in Alabama, you must make sure you have all the right documents with you when you go to an Alabama DMV (which is called the ALEA by the state government).
Bring enough documentation to prove your identity and legal residence status, as well as documents to prove you are enrolled in or have graduated from school.
You will also need to pass a vision screening before you take the knowledge test, so be sure to bring your glasses or contacts if you require them!
How Many Questions Are on the Alabama Permit Test?
The permit test (learner license test) in Alabama is a simple written test consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions. You must get at least 24 of them correct (80% score) to pass.
The questions are simple and are drawn from the Alabama Driver Manual, so if you study the manual, you should have no difficulty passing the test!
Take at least one Alabama practice permit test online to get better acquainted with the format of the questions and answers.
What Is the License Test Alabama Like?
When applying for your Stage II or Stage III driver's license, you’ll need to go to your local Driver License Office, like the DMV Montgomery Alabama (also called the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Driver License Division or ALEA). It’s often better to make an appointment in advance.
There, you’ll need to present your valid forms of ID again.
If you’re under 18, you’ll also need to present either a form from the ALEA that your parent or guardian has signed attesting that you have at least 50 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving practice or a completion form from the State Department of Education (SDE) verifying that you have successfully completed an SDE-approved driver education course.
Then, you can take the driving test Alabama.
There are several exceptions allowing people without permits or licenses to drive in Alabama, as outlined in the Alabama Driver Manual, such as United States Federal Government employees who are operating a US Federal vehicle, farm tractor drivers, and certain non-residents. Additionally, some people may be eligible for a Hardship Driver License allowing them to drive to specific approved events, like grocery shopping, work, church, school, voting, medical needs, and mandated programs.
What to Expect from the Alabama Driving Test
The road skills examination is a straightforward practical exam. You will need to be able to demonstrate safe and proper driving skills with an examiner while you drive an eligible vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle you bring with you meets all the inspection requirements like valid registration and working head and tail lights.
You can find driving test study sheets on the ALEA.gov website.
Where to Learn Driving in Alabama
While formal driver education is not a requirement for getting your license in Alabama, it can be a great idea to learn with classroom and behind-the-wheel lessons before (or even after!) you get your driver’s license. Here are all the options for learning how to drive in Alabama.
Private High School Driver & Traffic Education Program
Today, students in high school have the option to take an elective driving course for one semester at their school. This is probably the easiest option for an Alabama driving school.
The course consists of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and ideally about 40 hours of driving instruction (a total of at least 70 hours of instruction). Most of the driving instruction will be hands-on, behind-the-wheel practice with a licensed driving education teacher, but some schools also offer practice via driving simulation machines (however you must also practice in a real vehicle as part of your education).
Completing this course allows you to pursue getting your Stage II license at age 16, and you can even complete the behind-the-wheel driving portion of the course without a learner’s permit, as long as you only practice driving with your certified driving education instructor.
Alabama Traffic School Options
Outside of high school, you can also find many options for SDE-approved driving education programs through a driving academy near me. This is a great option for students with no room in their school schedule for the elective course, for teens who want a refresher lesson, or for adults who want to take driving lessons.
Make sure the program you choose, such as an Auburn driving school or traffic school Mobile AL, is certified by the SDE and the ALEF if you need that certificate of completion to get your Stage II license at age 16. It’s always a good idea to take classes with SDE-compliant traffic schools and/or instructors to make sure you’re learning the proper laws and rules applicable to Alabama, even if you don’t need the certification for your license.
Some driving schools offer the classroom portion of the course online!
If you take the Private High School Driver & Traffic Education Program course through your high school, there is no additional cost.
Most other traffic schools in Alabama cost around $400 to $500 for all the classroom and practical education hours.
Driving with Your Parents
Many people opt for the traditional method of simply learning how to drive with their parents. In Alabama, you can get your learner permit at age 15 and use it to practice driving behind the wheel with your parents, guardian, or other licensed driver who is age 21 or older.
If you practice for at least 50 hours and your parents or guardian attest to that truth, you can pursue getting your Stage II license at age 16.
Private Driving Tutors
A newer option you can consider is driving with a professional private driving instructor. Sometimes you can find this type of lesson through a driving school, but you can also find great lessons with a service like Superprof! Find a qualified tutor and learn to drive near me for driving lessons Birmingham easily when you search on Superprof!
You won’t get a certificate of completion that meets the requirements for the Stage II license, but if you only want to get some practice hours and your parents or someone over 21 aren’t available to help you, it’s a great solution. Or, if you’re an adult with a busy schedule who needs private lessons, this is a great way to get help from a personal driving instructor who can guide you through everything you need to know while attending to your personal needs, like overcoming driving anxiety.
Defensive Driving School Alabama
If you have a minor traffic violation, you may be able to prevent points from accumulating on your license and get the ticket dismissed if you successfully complete a defensive driving program.
You can find a court-approved Alabama driving school for tickets online.
Now that you know more about the process of learning to drive and getting your license in Alabama, you’re more prepared than ever to go forth and obtain your driver’s license!
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