Alabama GDL Violations: Fines, Points and Suspension for Teens
What happens if a teen breaks a rule of an Alabama Stage II restricted license?
Breaking the Stage II curfew, passenger or handheld device limit is a traffic violation. A conviction means a fine of $150 to $350 (U.S. dollars) plus court costs, 2 points and, on a first offense, defensive driving school. The limits also last six months longer. A second offense sends the teen back to a Stage I permit for six months. A second moving violation brings an automatic 60-day suspension.
Where these Alabama rules come from
The penalties are in Code of Alabama Section 32-6-7.2 (subsections (c) to (h)). The ALEA graduated driver license page explains the stages, and the ALEA point system page lists the points. Section 32-5A-195 defines a conviction, and the Alabama Driver Manual names the help service for a suspended license. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov) before you drive.
Who must follow the Stage II limits?
The limits cover a driver who is 16, or who is 17 and has held a regular license for less than six months. Alabama law calls this a Stage II restricted license. Stage I is the learner's permit, and Stage III is the unrestricted license. The graduated rules do not apply to a resident who is 18 or older, who is 16 or older and married or head of a household, or who has been legally relieved of minority.
The three limits a teen can break
- Curfew: no driving between midnight and 6 a.m. unless an exception applies.
- Passengers: no more than one passenger. Parents, legal guardians, accompanying family members and a licensed driver who is 21 or older do not count. Try the free Stage II passenger limit question.
- Phone: no use of a handheld communication device that is nonessential to the functioning of the vehicle.
Curfew exceptions: when a night drive is not a violation
A drive between midnight and 6 a.m. is not a violation when one of these exceptions applies: the teen is with a parent or legal guardian; the teen is with a licensed driver who is 21 or older, or a parent or guardian gives consent; the teen is driving to or from work, a school-sponsored event or an event of a religious organization; the drive is for a medical, fire or law enforcement emergency; or the teen is driving to or from hunting or fishing and carries a valid hunting or fishing license for that activity. The free question on the Stage II nighttime restriction tests this rule.
Penalties for a Stage II violation
| Penalty | First offense | Second or later offense |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive driving school | Required. | First offense only. |
| Fine | $150 to $350 plus court costs. | $150 to $350 plus court costs. |
| Driving record | A conviction is a two-point violation. | A conviction is a two-point violation. |
| Stage II license | The teen keeps the license, but the limits last six months longer, or until age 18. | Stage II privileges are suspended. The teen goes back to a Stage I learner's permit for six months, then can reapply. |
| Parent or guardian | No parent fine. | A parent or guardian who knowingly allows the violation may be fined $150 to $350 plus court costs. |
When does the automatic 60-day suspension apply?
A restricted driver loses the license for 60 days when the driver is convicted of a second moving traffic violation. The same 60 days apply on a conviction for failure to give information or render aid, racing, fleeing or trying to elude a police officer, reckless driving, illegal passing, driving on the wrong side of the road, or any other offense of four or more points. If the Alabama Rules of the Road give a more serious penalty, that penalty applies instead. The limits also stay in place for six months longer, or until age 18.
Points for common tickets
| Offense | Points | Four or more points? |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding, 1 to 25 mph over the limit | 2 | No |
| Speeding, 26 or more mph over the limit | 5 | Yes |
| Passing a stopped school bus | 5 | Yes |
| Reckless driving | 6 | Yes |
| Disregarding a traffic control device (stop sign, traffic light) | 3 | No |
| All other moving violations | 2 | No |
ALEA's regular point system for all drivers
ALEA's schedule sets a 60-day suspension for any Alabama license holder with 12 to 14 points in a two-year period. The suspension grows with the points, up to 365 days at 24 points or more. After a conviction is two years old, it no longer counts toward a suspension, but it stays on the driving record. The two points from a Stage II conviction go on that same driving record.
What a teen should do after a ticket
ALEA pages that still say "no points"
The ALEA graduated driver license page and the Driver Manual summary still say that restriction violations carry no points and no criminal penalties or court costs. The law is Section 32-6-7.2(h), and it wins: it sets a fine, court costs and two points. Both ALEA texts agree with the law on the six-month extension and on the 60-day suspension. Use the law when you plan for a ticket.
How long the limits last and when Stage III starts
A first violation of the three limits does not suspend the license, but it keeps the limits in place for six more months, or until the teen turns 18. At 17, the license becomes a Stage III unrestricted license when it is six months old or older and the Department of Public Safety verifies that the driver has no moving violation conviction in the preceding six months. At 18, the graduated rules end. The Alabama Stage II restricted license rules explain each step from Stage I to Stage III.
Key takeaways
- A Stage II violation is a traffic violation: defensive driving school (first offense), a $150 to $350 fine plus court costs and 2 points.
- A second offense suspends Stage II privileges and sends the teen back to a Stage I permit for six months.
- A second moving violation, or a conviction with four or more points, means an automatic 60-day suspension.
- Each violation keeps the limits in place for six more months, or until age 18.
- Next step: practice the Stage I and Stage II rules with the free Alabama Class D learner license practice test.
Alabama GDL violations: common questions
Can one speeding ticket suspend a Stage II license in Alabama?
Yes, if the conviction is for 26 mph or more over the limit. That offense carries 5 points, and any offense of four or more points brings an automatic 60-day suspension for a restricted driver. Speeding 1 to 25 mph over carries 2 points, but it is a moving violation, so a second moving violation conviction also brings the 60 days.
How much is the fine for breaking Alabama's teen curfew?
The fine is $150 to $350 plus court costs, the same as for the passenger or phone limit. A first offense also means defensive driving school. A drive that fits an exception, such as driving to work or with a parent, is not a violation.
Can a parent be fined for a teen's violation?
Yes, on a second or later offense. A parent or legal guardian who knowingly lets the teen drive against the restrictions may be fined $150 to $350 plus court costs. This applies to a Stage I or Stage II teen.
Does a Stage II violation suspend the license?
Not on a first offense: the teen keeps the license, but the limits stay for six more months, or until 18. A second violation of the limits suspends the Stage II privileges and returns the teen to a Stage I permit for six months. A conviction for a second moving traffic violation brings an automatic 60-day suspension.
Does paying the ticket count as a conviction in Alabama?
Yes. The Alabama law on license suspensions, Section 32-5A-195, treats the payment of a fine, a guilty plea or a finding of guilt on a traffic charge as a conviction, even when the penalty is suspended. Points and the automatic 60-day suspension both follow a conviction.
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