Alabama Driving Record
Under the laws of Alabama, every person (with some exceptions) must be licensed to operate a motor vehicle upon public streets and roadways. The Alabama Department of Public Safety issues driver licenses.
Alabama License Requirements
Every Alabama resident who operates any motor vehicle (except a farm tractor or implement of husbandry temporarily upon any street or highway) must have a driver license. All applicants who have not been licensed in Alabama or whose Alabama license has been expired for over three years must pass the required drivers examination. A holder of an out of state license which has not been expired over one year does not have to pass a driver examination.
Alabama License Suspension
A driver license may be suspended if a driver is convicted of certain offenses or is judged incompetent to operate a motor vehicle. After the period of suspension, the driver license will be reinstated unless it expired during the period of the suspension, or unless all the requirements of the suspension were not met.
Your driver license may be suspended if you:
- Have been convicted with such frequency of serious offenses against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles to indicate disrespect for traffic laws, and a disregard for the safety of other persons on the highways.
- Are a habitually reckless or negligent driver of a motor vehicle as established by a record of accidents or other evidence.
- Are incompetent to drive a motor vehicle.
- Have permitted an unlawful or fraudulent use of your license or mutilated such license.
- Have committed an offense in another state which, if committed in this state, would be grounds for suspension or revocation.
- Are convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.
- Are convicted of racing on the highways.
- Fail to answer a traffic court summons on time or fail to pay.
- Are ages 15 through 18 and withdraw from school under certain conditions prior to graduation.
- Fail to maintain SR-22 insurance when required.
- Have non-payment of Child Support.
- Have medical reasons.
- Have 4 or more points accrued on driving record or 2 or more moving traffic violations on a GDL (Graduated Driver License).
Alabama Driver License Points
The point system has been instituted in Alabama as a means of identifying the problem driver (one who continually disobeys the motor vehicle laws).
| Points | Violation |
|---|
| 6 | Any conviction which resulted from a charge that involved the drinking of alcoholic beverages and the driving of a motor vehicle but did not require mandatory revocation of the driver license |
| 6 | Reckless Driving |
| 5 | Speeding In Excess 85 MPH (86 or above) |
| 5 | Failure to Yield Right of Way |
| 5 | Passing Stopped School Bus |
| 4 | Wrong Side of Road |
| 4 | Illegal Passing |
| 3 | Following Too Closely |
| 3 | Disregarding Traffic Control Device (stop sign, traffic light) |
| 2 | Speeding in Excess of Posted Limits |
| 2 | All Other Moving Violations |
The following schedule is used to determine the length of a suspension period:
| Condition | Suspension Length |
|---|
| 12-14 Points in a 2-year period | 60 days |
| 15-17 Points in a 2-year period | 90 days |
| 18-20 Points in a 2-year period | 120 days |
| 21-23 Points in a 2-year period | 180 days |
| 24 and above points in a 2-year period | 365 days |
Alabama's Safety Belt and Child Restraint Laws
Alabamas safety belt law requires that all front-seat occupants, regardless of age, be restrained.
Alabamas child restraint law requires that children through age 14 must be restrained when riding in motor vehicles in Alabama. The law applies to occupants of front and back seats of passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans (with seating capacity of 10 or fewer), minivans and sport utility vehicles. Violators will have points assessed against their driver record, in addition to incurring a fine of $25.
The law requires the following size appropriate restraint systems:
- Infant-only seat or convertible seat used in the rear-facing position until an infant is at least 1 year of age or 20 pounds.
- Convertible seat in the forward position or forward-facing seat until a child is at least 5 years of age or 40 pounds.
- Booster seat until a child is 6 years of age.
- Seat belt until a child is 15 years of age.
Additional Alabama Resources
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