Driving Tests

Moved to Alabama? Get Your Alabama Driver License Within 30 Days

informational·how to guide·Published September 17, 2026

How long do I have to get an Alabama driver license after I move to Alabama?

You have 30 days after you establish residence in Alabama (Code of Alabama Section 32-6-1). Until then, you may drive on a valid license from your previous state. If that license has not been expired over one year, you do not take a driver examination. Go to an ALEA office with your old license and your documents. The fees are $5 to transfer and $36.25 for the license.

Where these Alabama rules come from

The 30-day rule is in Code of Alabama Section 32-6-1. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division explains the license requirements on its driver license information page and lists the transfer documents and fees on its document requirements and fees page. This post also uses Code of Alabama Sections 32-6-2 and 32-6-7.2, the ALEA license and ID cards page, the ALEA STAR ID pages and the Alabama Driver Manual. The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov) before you drive.

Does the 30-day rule apply to you?

Yes, once you live in Alabama. Every new resident must get an Alabama driver license within 30 days after establishing residence. Before the move, you were a nonresident: a nonresident age 16 or older may drive in Alabama on a valid license from his or her home state or country. That exemption ends when Alabama becomes your home, and the 30-day period starts.
Test yourself on this rule with our free practice question on the deadline for a new Alabama resident.

Who must take the Alabama driver examination

Who must take the Alabama driver examination
Your situation	Driver examination?
Your out-of-state license has not been expired over one year	No. You do not have to pass a driver examination.
Your out-of-state license has been expired over one year, and you never held an Alabama license	Yes. Applicants who have not been licensed in Alabama must pass the required driver examination. The one-year exception does not cover you.
You had an Alabama license that has been expired over three years	Yes. You must pass the required driver examination.

What to bring to the ALEA office

Your out-of-state driver license.
Your Social Security card, or another accepted proof of the number, such as a military DD 214 or a W-2 tax form.
One item from the primary list, such as a certified U.S. birth certificate or an unexpired U.S. passport.
2 proofs of principal residence, such as a current lease or rental agreement, a water, gas or electric bill less than 90 days old, or a vehicle registration with your name and address. If a bill shows the name of your spouse or parent, also bring your marriage certificate or birth certificate.
Proof of school enrollment or graduation, if you are younger than 19: Form DL-1/93, a graduation certificate or a GED certificate. The full document lists, including STAR ID documents, are in our guide to Alabama permit documents, DL-1/93 and STAR ID.

How to switch your license to Alabama

1
Gather your documents
Collect the documents in the list above. Bring every driver license that you hold.
2
Go to an ALEA office
A transfer must be done at an ALEA office. Do this within 30 days after you establish residence.
3
Surrender your old licenses
ALEA issues an Alabama license only after you surrender all the licenses you hold.
4
Pay the fees
Pay the $5 transfer fee and $36.25 for the license. ALEA does not take checks.

What an Alabama license transfer costs in 2026

What an Alabama license transfer costs in 2026
Item	Amount (U.S. dollars)
Transfer fee	$5.00
License	$36.25
Total, paid without a check	$41.25
Total with a credit card (MasterCard, Visa or Discover): 4% convenience fee on the total charge	$42.90

Where to get a STAR ID (Alabama REAL ID)

STAR ID is Alabama's name for REAL ID, and the card has a gold star in the upper left corner. Your first STAR ID must come from an ALEA Driver License examining office. County probate and license commissioner offices do not issue it. Since May 7, 2025, air travelers age 18 and over need a STAR ID or another acceptable ID for domestic flights. An Alabama license issued on or after April 25, 2022 without the star shows "Not for Federal Identification" across the top. You can hold a STAR ID driver license or a STAR ID card, but not both.

Special cases: teens and foreign licenses

You are under 19

ALEA does not issue a license to a person under 19 who does not follow Alabama Act 93-368, the school graduation or attendance law, with limited exclusions. Bring your school proof to the office.

You are under 18 and hold a learner permit from another state

Your time on that permit counts. A person under 18 may not apply for a Stage II restricted license until he or she has held a Stage I learner license, or a comparable license from another state, for at least six months.

Your license is from another country

Different rules apply. Read our guide to driving in Alabama with a foreign license.

Key takeaways

Get an Alabama driver license within 30 days after you establish residence in Alabama.
You may drive on your valid previous-state license during those 30 days.
No driver examination if your out-of-state license has not been expired over one year.
Transfer at an ALEA office, surrender all your licenses, and bring 2 proofs of residence.
The fees are $5 to transfer and $36.25 for the license, $41.25 in total (4% more on a credit card).
Next step: practice the Alabama rules on our free Alabama Class D learner license practice test. It is in English only.

Alabama new resident license: common questions

Can I drive in Alabama on my old license after I move?

Yes, for a short time. ALEA says a person with a valid license from the state of previous residence may drive without an Alabama license for 30 days after becoming a resident. Plan your visit to an ALEA office inside that period, because the law also gives a new resident 30 days to get the Alabama license.

Can I transfer my license at the county license commissioner office?

No. An out-of-state license transfer must be done at an ALEA office. A first STAR ID also comes only from an ALEA Driver License examining office. County probate and license commissioner offices handle renewals and duplicates of licenses, ID cards and STAR IDs.

Can I get an Alabama license if my license is suspended in another state?

No. ALEA does not issue an Alabama driver license to a person whose driving rights or privilege is suspended or revoked in any state. Clear the suspension in that state first. Our free practice question on a suspension in another state tests this rule.

I am in the military and stationed in Alabama. Do I need an Alabama license?

Not if your home is in another state. Military personnel from other states and their families stationed in Alabama count as nonresidents, even on a long assignment. A nonresident age 16 or older may drive on a valid driver license from his or her home state.

I moved again inside Alabama. Do I need a new license?

No new license is issued. You have 30 days after the move to tell the ALEA Driver License Division about your new address. The update to your state driver record is free. This is a different rule from the 30 days that a new resident has to get an Alabama license.