Driving Tests

Alabama Stage II License Rules: Midnight Curfew, One Passenger and No Phone

informational·how to guide·Published September 22, 2026

What are the rules for a 16-year-old driver in Alabama?

A 16-year-old with an Alabama driver's license holds a Stage II restricted license. Three rules apply: no driving from midnight to 6 a.m. unless an exception applies, no more than one passenger (parents, legal guardians, accompanying family members and a licensed driver 21 or older do not count), and no handheld communication device that the vehicle does not need to work.

Where the Alabama Stage II rules come from

Alabama sets the Stage II rules in Code of Alabama section 32-6-7.2 and the fee rule in section 32-6-8. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) graduated driver license page sums up the stages, the DL-31 form holds the consent and 50-hour statements, and the Alabama Driver Manual gives the road test steps. Where the law and an ALEA page differ, this guide follows the law. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (alea.gov) before you drive.

What is a Stage II license in Alabama?

Alabama uses a Graduated Driver License (GDL) system with three stages. Stage I is the learner's permit. Stage II is a regular license with restrictions based on age and the date it was issued. Stage III is the unrestricted license. A person who gets a regular license at age 16, or at age 17 with a license held for less than six months, has a Stage II restricted license.

The three Stage II restrictions

The three Stage II restrictions
Restriction	What the law says	What does not count
Curfew	No driving between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.	Seven exceptions, listed below.
Passengers	No more than one passenger in the vehicle.	Parents, legal guardians, accompanying family members and a licensed driver age 21 or older do not count.
Phone	No handheld communication device that is nonessential to how the vehicle works.	A device the vehicle needs to work.

The seven curfew exceptions

A parent or legal guardian is with you.
A licensed driver who is at least 21 is with you, or a parent or legal guardian gives consent.
You are driving to or from your job.
You are driving to or from a school-sponsored event.
You are driving to or from an event sponsored by a religious organization.
You are driving for a medical, fire or law enforcement emergency.
You are driving to or from a place where you hunt or fish, and you carry a valid hunting or fishing license for that activity.

Who counts as a passenger?

Only passengers outside four groups count toward the limit of one: your parents, your legal guardians, accompanying family members and a licensed driver who is at least 21. So one friend may ride with you. A second friend breaks the rule, even when a parent or a licensed adult is also in the car, and the passenger rule has no time-of-day exception. The free practice question on the Stage II passenger limit tests this rule.

How to qualify for a Stage II license

1
Hold Stage I for six months
A person under 18 must hold a Stage I learner's license, or a comparable license from another state, for at least six months before applying for Stage II.
2
Get parent or guardian consent
If you are 16, a parent or legal guardian signs a state verification form that consents to your license. A grandparent can sign with a parent's or guardian's consent. The DL-31 form has this part.
3
Show 50 hours of practice or a driver education certificate
A 16-year-old also needs a signed statement of at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, and the DL-31 form has this part too. A parent, legal guardian, grandparent with consent, or a licensed or certified driving instructor can sign it. In place of the 50 hours, you can submit a State Department of Education certificate for an approved driver education course. That course does not need to include the 50 hours. The guide to the DL-31 form and the 50 hours explains each part.
4
Book the road skills test or walk in
You can book a road skills test appointment online up to two weeks ahead at select locations. Walk-ins are welcome at all testing sites.
5
Pass the road skills test
A 16-year-old must come with a parent or guardian. Bring proof of insurance and vehicle registration, and bring your learner license: you surrender it at the road test. Before the test starts, the examiner checks the vehicle for brake lights, left and right turn signals and a horn.

What does a Stage II license cost?

The law says a Stage II license is issued for the rest of the four-year life of the learner's license at no additional fee, and the Driver Manual says the same. ALEA's graduated driver license page, however, lists a Stage II fee of $36.25. ALEA offices do not accept checks, so bring cash or a money order for that amount in case the office charges it.

What happens if you break a Stage II rule?

You break the curfew, passenger or phone rule one time

Your license is not suspended for this alone. You must attend defensive driving school, and your restrictions last six months longer (or until you turn 18).

You break a Stage II rule a second time

Your Stage II privileges are suspended, and you return to a Stage I learner's permit for six months before you can apply for Stage II again.

You are convicted of a second moving violation, or of an offense worth four or more points, while on Stage II

Your license is automatically suspended for 60 days, and the restrictions run six months longer or until age 18.

Do Stage II violations add points in Alabama?

Yes. Under the law, a conviction goes on the driving record as a two-point violation, with a fine of $150 to $350 plus court costs. Some ALEA pages and the Driver Manual still say that no points are assessed. That is older text, and the law wins. The guide to Alabama GDL fines, points and suspensions for teens covers the full penalty list.

When does Stage II end?

Under the law, Stage II can end at 17. Once a 17-year-old's license has been issued for at least six months, it counts as a Stage III unrestricted license, provided the Department of Public Safety verifies no moving violation conviction in the last six months. ALEA lists a fee of $31.25 for a restriction-free duplicate license when you present your Stage II license.

Who the Stage II rules do not apply to

Anyone age 18 or older.
A resident age 16 or older who is married or head of a household.
A resident who has otherwise been legally relieved of minority.

Key takeaways

A Stage II license limits a young Alabama driver in three ways: no driving from midnight to 6 a.m., no more than one passenger, and no nonessential handheld device.
Seven curfew exceptions exist, from a parent or guardian in the car to a drive to or from a hunting or fishing trip with a valid license.
To qualify, hold Stage I for six months, bring parent or guardian consent, show 50 hours of practice or a driver education certificate, and pass the road skills test.
A violation means defensive driving school, a fine of $150 to $350 plus court costs, two points and six more months of restrictions. A second moving violation or an offense worth four or more points brings an automatic 60-day suspension.
Next step: practice the rules on the free Alabama Class D learner license practice test.

Alabama Stage II license: common questions

Can a 16-year-old drive at night in Alabama?

Yes, until midnight. From 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m., a Stage II driver may drive only when an exception applies: for example, a parent or guardian is in the car, a parent or guardian gives consent, or the drive is to or from work, a school-sponsored event or a religious event. A medical, fire or law enforcement emergency also counts.

Can a Stage II driver take friends home from a school event after midnight?

The curfew allows a drive to or from a school-sponsored event, but the passenger rule has no exception for the event or the hour. You may carry only one passenger outside the groups that do not count: parents, legal guardians, accompanying family members and licensed drivers age 21 or older.

Can a Stage II driver use a phone in Alabama?

Not a handheld one. The Stage II rule bars any handheld communication device that the vehicle does not need to work. A violation means defensive driving school for a first offense, a fine of $150 to $350 plus court costs, and two points on your driving record.

Can a 17-year-old drive after midnight in Alabama?

It depends on how long the license has been issued. A 17-year-old licensed for less than six months still has a Stage II license, so the midnight to 6 a.m. curfew applies. After six months, with no moving violation conviction in the last six months, the license counts as Stage III and the curfew no longer applies.

What if I turn 18 before I get a Stage II license in Alabama?

The Stage II rules do not apply at age 18 or older. You can apply for a Stage III license at once, and you need a passing score on the road skills test. ALEA lists a Stage III fee of $36.25 for a driver who did not get a Stage II license before age 18.