Driving Tests

Driving in Alabama With a Foreign License: Students and Visitors

informational·how to guide·Published September 16, 2026

Can you drive in Alabama with a foreign license?

Yes, if you are a nonresident. Alabama law lets a nonresident who is 16 or older drive with a valid license from a home state or country in hand. ALEA also exempts a nonresident full-time student enrolled in an Alabama school. Once you become a resident, you have 30 days to get an Alabama license. In 2015, ALEA announced license exchange agreements with Taiwan, Korea and Germany.

Where these Alabama rules come from

These rules come from Code of Alabama section 32-6-2 and sections 32-6-1 and 32-6-10, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Information page, the Alabama Driver Manual, the ALEA License and ID Cards, Document Requirements and Fees, and STAR ID pages, and an ALEA news release of October 19, 2015, as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov) before you drive.

Which Alabama rule fits you?

You visit Alabama and hold a valid license from your home state or country

You are a nonresident. If you are 16 or older and keep the license in your immediate possession, you do not need an Alabama license. This also covers military personnel from other states and their families stationed in Alabama, even on a long assignment.

You are a full-time student in Alabama and hold a valid home license

You are exempt as a nonresident full-time student if you are properly enrolled and registered in a school, college, university or trade school in Alabama.

You are 16 or older and your home country does not license drivers

You may drive for not more than 90 days in any calendar year. The vehicle must be duly registered in your home country, and ALEA adds that the registration must be for the current year.

You now live in Alabama and no exemption applies to you

You need an Alabama driver license within 30 days after you establish residence.

Can an international student get an Alabama license?

Yes. Student and exchange visas are on the Driver Manual list of nonimmigrant classes that may apply for an Alabama driver license or learner license: F, J and M, among others. B-1 is not on the list. You do not need an Alabama license while the student exemption above applies to you. If you plan to make Alabama your home, ask ALEA when the 30-day rule below starts for you.

When must a new Alabama resident get an Alabama license?

Alabama law requires every new resident to get an Alabama driver license within 30 days after establishing residence. Do not mix this up with the separate grace period for people who move from another U.S. state with a license from that state; the guide to the 30-day rule for drivers from another state covers that move. No reciprocal agreement lets a person who has lived in Alabama for the past 90 days drive without a valid Alabama license. Test yourself on the new resident deadline practice question.

Documents a non-U.S. citizen brings to ALEA

A valid foreign passport with an acceptable visa, or a resident alien card.
Social Security number verification, or a letter from Social Security that says you are not eligible.
A document from the secondary list that authorizes your presence in the U.S., such as a valid I-94 arrival/departure record. Ask ALEA how much time the document must have left before your visit.
F and M visa holders also bring Form I-20. J-1 and J-2 visa holders also bring Form DS-2019 or IAP-66.
Applicants under 19 bring a current Student Enrollment/Exclusion Form (DL-1/93). Our guide to the DL-1/93 school form explains it.
Each document must be an original or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. Practice this rule with the question on an acceptable identity document.

Can I exchange my foreign license for an Alabama license?

The Director of Public Safety can make reciprocal license agreements with other states or countries. In October 2015, ALEA and Taiwan signed an agreement on the mutual recognition of driver licenses, and ALEA said Alabama had made the same agreement with Korea and Germany. Under it, you visit a driver license office, show your valid license with any necessary documents, and skip the road skills test. The agreement covers valid non-commercial licenses. Either side can annul an agreement on notice within 30 days, so ask ALEA whether your country's agreement is still in force.

How to get an Alabama license with a foreign license

1
Gather your documents
Put together the documents in the list above, each as an original or a certified copy.
2
Go to an ALEA Driver License office
Bring your valid foreign license and your documents to the office.
3
Take the tests that ALEA asks for
The written test is available in 11 foreign languages: Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. Oral exams are available for applicants who cannot read and understand the knowledge test. Under the 2015 agreements, holders of a valid license from Taiwan, Korea or Germany skip the road skills test. Ask ALEA if your country's agreement still applies.
4
Pay the fees
Non-U.S. citizens pay a $5 test or transfer fee plus the cost of the license, which is $36.25 for a driver license: $41.25 in all (U.S. dollars, as of 2026). ALEA takes no checks. MasterCard, Visa and Discover payments add a 4% convenience fee to the total charge.
5
Surrender your other licenses
ALEA issues an Alabama license only after you surrender every driver license in your possession. Ask at the counter how the office handles your foreign license.

Key takeaways

A nonresident who is 16 or older and carries a valid home state or country license may drive in Alabama without an Alabama license.
A nonresident full-time student who is properly enrolled in an Alabama school is also exempt.
A new Alabama resident needs an Alabama license within 30 days after establishing residence.
In 2015, ALEA announced exchange agreements with Taiwan, Korea and Germany that skip the road skills test. Ask ALEA if your country's agreement still applies.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Alabama Class D learner license practice test.

Alabama foreign license: common questions

Can a 15-year-old with a foreign license drive in Alabama?

Not on the foreign license. The nonresident exemption in Alabama law is for a person who is at least 16 years old and has a valid home state or country license in immediate possession. In Alabama, 15-year-olds may get a restricted learner's license to learn to drive.

Do I need an international driving permit in Alabama?

The nonresident exemption needs a valid license issued in your home state or country, in your immediate possession. ALEA lists a current international driver license/permit as a secondary document for an Alabama license application. It does not take the place of your passport, visa and Social Security documents.

What if my country has no license agreement with Alabama?

You can still drive as a nonresident visitor who is 16 or older and carries a valid home license. To get an Alabama license, plan for the general ALEA rule: an applicant who was never licensed in Alabama must pass the required driver examination. Ask ALEA which tests apply to a license from your country.

Can a visa holder get an Alabama STAR ID?

Yes, with the right documents. STAR ID is Alabama's name for a REAL ID, and ALEA first issues it only at its Driver License exam offices. One accepted document is an unexpired foreign passport with a valid, unexpired U.S. visa and the approved I-94 form for your most recent admission to the United States.