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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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.

MORE:

Alabama minimum car insurance laws

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.

MORE:

How to replace a lost Alabama driver’s 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.

MORE:

Driving without a license: What are the penalties?

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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 by

shopping with 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 using
Jerry
. 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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FAQs

Is there a grace period for Alabama driver’s license renewal?

There is a 60-day grace period in Alabama from the date of your expiration to complete your driver’s license renewal.

Once this period ends, you will automatically lose driving privileges until you complete the renewal process. Attempting to continue driving with an expired license will result in heavy fines and possible jail time.

Can I renew my Alabama driver’s license online?

You may renew your Alabama driver’s license online once every eight years. Note that you will NOT be able to change your address, remove restrictions, or add a STAR ID to your license online, however.

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