In Alabama you can get a restricted learner license at age 15. The knowledge test is taken from the Alabama Driver Manual, and the fee listed in the manual is $5 per test. Rules and fees change, so as of 2026 treat this guide as a starting point and confirm everything on the official site. The official source is the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division and its Alabama Driver Manual.
Age and test format
The minimum age for a learner license is 15, and the minimum age for a regular driver license is 16. The questions come from the Alabama Driver Manual, so study that book and not a manual from another state. Check with ALEA for the current number of questions and the passing score, because they are not listed in the manual.
Supervision and time with the learner license
- Your license carries a Y restriction. At 15 you must drive with a licensed Alabama driver who is 21 or older in the seat beside you, or with a licensed or certified driving instructor.
- After your 16th birthday, any licensed driver in the seat beside you will do.
- To move to a regular license before 18, you must hold the learner license for six months with no violations of its restrictions. Applicants under 19 also need the school enrollment form.
Keep a simple driving log anyway. It is much easier to write down each drive than to remember months later.
Rules you should know
- School buses: stop at least 20 feet from a bus with flashing red lights. Flashing amber lights are a warning that it is about to stop.
- Blood alcohol limits: 0.08 for most drivers, 0.04 for commercial drivers and 0.02 for drivers under 21.
- Parking: stay 15 feet from a fire hydrant and 20 feet from a crosswalk at an uncontrolled intersection.
- Move-over law: on roads with four or more lanes, leave the lane next to a stopped emergency vehicle or wrecker. If you cannot, slow to 15 mph below the limit.
- Leave at least three feet when passing a person on a bicycle.
- Alabama's hands-free law took effect in June 2024, and texting while driving is also banned.
Alabama's hydrant distance is 15 feet, while some other states use 10. If you study for more than one state, label your notes with the state.
Graduated license limits for teens
Drivers who are 16, or 17 with a license under six months, may carry no more than one non-family passenger besides a parent, guardian or supervising driver 21 or older. They may not drive between midnight and 6 a.m. unless a parent or guardian is along, with exceptions such as work, school or religious events and emergencies. Using a handheld device is also not allowed. Breaking these rules extends the restricted period by six months or until age 18.
Why details matter
Test writers like numbers: distances, ages, speed limits and fines. When you read the manual, highlight every number and make a one-page summary. Review it before each practice test.
A simple study plan
- Read the Alabama Driver Manual in short sessions, one chapter at a time.
- Learn road signs by shape and color, then by meaning.
- Take practice tests and explain every wrong answer out loud.
- Repeat your weak topics, such as right of way or parking distances.
- Sleep well the night before and bring your documents.
Confirm current fees, documents and testing locations with ALEA at alea.gov.
Tips for parents and guardians
Parents can make a big difference without taking over. Sit down with your teen once a week and ask them to explain a rule in their own words. If they can teach it back to you, they probably know it.
The manual includes a Parent/Teen Driving Agreement you can use as a starting point. Plan a mix of daytime, night and bad weather drives, and keep the first drives in quiet places such as empty parking lots or calm neighborhood streets. Stay patient. Everyone is nervous at the start.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Studying only signs and skipping the numbers and rules.
- Using a manual from a different state.
- Waiting until the night before to study.
- Rushing through questions without reading every answer.
- Forgetting to check the document list for your AL visit.
On test day
Arrive early, bring everything on the official list, and take a few slow breaths before you begin. Read each question twice. If a question is confusing, move on to the next one if the test allows it and come back later. Staying calm is part of passing.
DMVZone practice questions are for study only. They are not the real test questions, but they help you practice the kinds of topics the test covers.