Driving Tests

Alabama Learner's Permit at 15: Stage I Rules and Who Can Drive With You

informational·how to guide·Published September 26, 2026

How do you get a learner's permit at 15 in Alabama, and who can ride with you?

You can apply for an Alabama Stage I learner's permit at age 15. Pass the written knowledge test, bring proof of age, school enrollment and residence plus your Social Security card, and pay $5 for the exam and $36.25 for the license. At 15, a parent, legal guardian, licensed Alabama driver 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor must sit beside you.

Where the Alabama Stage I rules come from

Alabama sets the Stage I rules in Code of Alabama Section 32-6-8. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) explains the steps on its Graduated Driver License page and lists the papers you bring on its document requirements and fees page. Code of Alabama Sections 32-6-7.2 and 32-6-7.4, the Alabama Driver Manual, the ALEA driver license information page and the ALEA driver education program page add the test, school, Stage II and driver education details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov) before you drive.

What a Stage I learner's permit is

Alabama uses a Graduated Driver License (GDL) system with three stages, and Stage I is the learner's permit. ALEA also calls it a restricted Learner's License. It is a Class D license with a Y restriction, and you get it after you pass the knowledge test.
The minimum driving age in Alabama is 16, and the permit at 15 is one of the exceptions. Any person who is at least 15 and under 16 can apply to the ALEA Driver License Division for a Stage I license. If you first apply at 16 or older, you get a learner license with a stricter supervisor rule.

Who can sit beside a Stage I driver

Who can sit beside a Stage I driver
Your age	Who must sit beside you	Where they sit
15 (under 16)	Your parent, your legal guardian, a person 21 or older who is licensed in Alabama, or a licensed or certified driving instructor	In the front seat, beside you
16 or older, still on the learner license	A licensed driver who is at least 21	In the seat beside you

What the Y restriction means

The Y on your license is the supervision restriction: you may drive only with a qualified supervisor in the seat beside you, as the table above shows. Test yourself with a free practice question on Stage I supervisors.
Carry your license every time you drive. In Alabama, a driver must have the license or learner permit with them while driving.

Which supervisor rule applies to you

You are 15 and your parent or guardian rides with you

This is allowed. A parent or legal guardian may sit in the front seat beside you.

You are 15 and your supervisor is an 18-year-old sibling or friend

This does not count. The supervisor must be a parent, a legal guardian, an Alabama-licensed driver who is 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.

You turned 16 and still hold the learner license

Ride with a licensed driver who is 21 or older. Section 32-6-8 requires a licensed driver who is at least 21 in the seat beside a learner who is 16 or older.

You are in an approved driver education course

In a course approved by the Director of Public Safety, you may drive a driver education car with a certified driver education instructor during the regular school day, even without a learner license.

How to get your Stage I learner's permit at 15

1
Check the age and school rules
You must be 15 or older. If you are under 19, Alabama Act 93-368 also requires you to attend school now or to have graduated from secondary school, with limited exclusions. Under Taylor's Law (Section 32-6-7.4), each school discipline point adds one week to the age at which you can get a permit, up to one year from your first application.
2
Study the Alabama Driver Manual
The written exam is based on the Alabama Driver Manual, which you can download from the ALEA website. It has questions on Alabama traffic laws, road signs and rules of safe driving.
3
Collect your papers
Bring a certified U.S. birth certificate (no photocopies), acceptable proof of school enrollment or graduation, 2 proofs of principal residence and your Social Security card. Form DL-1/93 is one accepted school enrollment document. See our guide to DL-1/93 and permit documents.
4
Take the knowledge test at a driver license office
Go to a local ALEA driver license office. Automated testing is available to all applicants. If you pass, the examiner issues your learner license after you pay the fee.
5
Pay the fees
As of 2026, ALEA lists a $5 exam fee and a $36.25 Stage I license fee. Checks are not accepted, so bring cash or a money order. Fees may be slightly higher in counties where local law allows it.

How long Stage I lasts and how to renew it

The Stage I license is valid for four years. It ends sooner when you get a Stage II or Stage III license. You can renew it once, and only by order of the Director of Public Safety: the original license may not be renewed or extended more than once.

When you can move to Stage II

If you are under 18, you may not apply for Stage II until you have held a Stage I license, or a comparable license from another state, for at least six months. ALEA says Stage II needs age 16 or older. Check this rule with the free practice question on the six-month Stage I period.
After a second or later violation of the Stage II restrictions, a Stage II driver goes back to a Stage I learner's permit for six months before reapplying. Read the full list of limits in our Stage II restricted license guide.

Key Takeaways

You can apply for the Alabama Stage I learner's permit at 15, after you pass the written knowledge test.
At 15, your supervisor is a parent, legal guardian, licensed Alabama driver 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor, in the seat beside you.
After your 16th birthday on the learner license, use a supervisor who is 21 or older.
As of 2026, ALEA lists a $5 exam fee and a $36.25 license fee, and it does not accept checks.
The permit is valid for four years and can be renewed once. Under 18, you hold it at least six months before Stage II.
Next step: practice on the free Alabama Class D learner license practice test.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drive alone with an Alabama learner's permit at 15?

No. A Stage I holder drives with a supervisor beside them: a parent, legal guardian, licensed Alabama driver who is 21 or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor. The Y restriction on the license shows this limit. Keep the license with you whenever you drive.

Do I need to take a road test for the Stage I learner's permit?

No. Section 32-6-8 requires the same examination as for a Stage II or Stage III license, except the driving test. For Stage I you take only the written knowledge test. The road skills test comes later: you must pass it to get a Stage II license at 16 or older.

How long is an Alabama learner's permit valid?

Four years. It also ends when you get a Stage II or Stage III license. You can renew it once, and only by order of the Director of Public Safety. The original license may not be renewed or extended more than once.

Can my learner's permit be taken away?

Yes. The permit can be suspended or revoked for the same reasons as a driver's license, and it can also be revoked if you break the terms on which it was issued. After a second or later offense, a parent or legal guardian who knowingly lets a Stage I or Stage II teen break the license restrictions may be fined $150 to $350 plus court costs.