How to Renew Your Driver's License in Alabama
You can renew your license in Alabama online, by mail, or in person. A standard renewal costs $36.25 and takes around 30 days to process.
In
Alabama,
you can renew your driver’s license online, by mail, or in person depending on your circumstances. You can expect to pay $36.25 for a standard license renewal—the process will usually take about 30 days. Renewing your license is an inevitable task for every driver. While the renewal process may seem tedious, it’s important to get it taken care of in a timely fashion. Failing to do so puts you at risk of driving with an expired license, which can lead to some serious fines and possible jail time!
If you’ve noticed your Alabama license renewal is coming up and you’re not sure what to do—this guide is for you. Here
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takes you through everything you’ll need to do to get your license renewed in sweet home Alabama and how to save on Alabama insurance costs
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When to renew your driver’s license in Alabama
When you’re looking at your driver’s license, the expiration date is listed just below your class to the right of your date of birth.
You are eligible to begin the renewal process 180 days prior to the expiration date listed. In Alabama, you will need to renew your license every four years.
Note that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver’s License Department does not send a notice to remind you to renew—you will need to keep track of this deadline yourself.
How to renew your driver’s license in Alabama
You can renew your license in Alabama online, by mail, or in person, but the options to process your renewal online or by mail will depend on your situation.
Renew your license online
ALEA allows drivers to renew their licenses online every eight years. In other words, you can only complete the renewal process online every other renewal.
To do so, head to ALEA’s
online portal
and complete the steps as prompted. You will need to have a valid credit card on hand to pay the $36.25 renewal transaction—extra processing fees will be collected depending on your county. You will also need a printer to print out your 30-day temporary license until your permanent license arrives in the mail.
Be aware that you will NOT be able to renew your license online if you need to:
- Change your address
- Remove a restriction or endorsement
- Add a STAR ID to your license
These conditions can only be dealt with in person at a local DMV office. Additionally, if you have recently moved, the post office will not be able to forward a renewed license.
Renew your license by mail
In Alabama, you may only renew your license by mail if you are currently out of state for one of the reasons listed below:
- You are a full-time, out-of-state student
- You are a deployed military service member or dependent
- You are employed out of state
- You are a missionary serving out of state
- You are receiving or giving medical care out of state
- You are physically unable to visit an issuing office in person
You will need to enclose documents supporting your eligibility with your in-mail renewal. Depending on your circumstance, this may include:
- Full-time student enrollment verification
- Copy of military picture ID and military orders
- Letter from your employer (on letterhead) verifying out of state employment
- Letter from the church (on letterhead) verifying out of state assignment
- Letter from a doctor (on letterhead or notepad) verifying medical treatment or verifying your status as a primary caregiver
If any of these circumstances apply to you and you have obtained an AL license with a photo and signature within the last four years, you can fill out
ALEA’s License Renewal form
and send it to the listed address. You will need to include the $36.25 renewal fee by money order or cashier check only. You can also register to vote using this form if you so choose. Note that you cannot add a STAR ID to your license by mail.
Renew your license in person
If you’ve recently renewed your license online and you’re not eligible to renew by mail, you will need to head to your
local DMV driver’s license office
to renew your license in person. To complete the process, you must have with you:
- Your current driver’s license
- Two forms of identification
- Proof of state residency
- Renewal fee in cash or by money order
The Driver’s License Office will issue you a temporary 30-day printed license upon completion of your renewal—your permanent license will arrive in the mail within those 30 days.
How long does it take to renew an Alabama driver’s license?
In most cases, you will receive your renewed license in the mail within 30 days of the renewal transaction. ALEA will issue you a temporary 30-day license to cover you during that time.
On the chance that your temporary license is about to expire and you still haven’t received your permanent license, call the driver’s license department at 334-242-4400 to check the status of your renewal.
How to save money on car insurance in Alabama
Once you’ve gotten your license renewal squared away, you can save some extra cash on car insurance with help from
Jerry
. The app is free to use and instantly compares custom quotes from over 50 top insurance companies to track down the lowest rates for your coverage needs. As a
licensed broker
, Jerry can then help cancel your old policy for you and handle all the transition paperwork. Even after you’ve settled on a plan, Jerry continues to cross-analyze quotes to ensure you are never overpaying your premium. The average user ends up saving $887 a year on car insurance so it’s definitely worth a look!
“I’ve shaved off at least $50 a month usingJerry. For now, I chose only to pay for Alabama state minimums, but I am confident that with Jerry, I can upgrade or change my coverage at any time. The AI-integrated process is really intuitive, too!” —Fred D.
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