SUMMARY:
Before applying for a driving license you must have a temporary license or learners permit which is minimum 6 months old if your age is less than 18 years. Because without a learner’s permit you will not eligible for a regular driving license.
The minimum age for getting driving license is 16 years. If you want to get a learners permit your age should be 15 years minimum.
You will get a conditioned driving license if you apply with the age of 16 or 17 and you will keep the license maximum 6 months or less. There are 2 normal conditions on this type of temporary license. First one is, you will not be allowed to drive your car after midnight. Second one is, you will not be allowed to drive more than four passengers except your guardians or parents. But these two conditions seems to be relaxed for emergency situation.
Alabama Code, Title 32, Section 32-6-7
Who are not eligible for driving license:
List of the people mentioned below are not eligible for driving license:
a) Anyone who’s age is not 16 or more.
b) Anyone who has losted his driving right.
c) Anyone who’s driving license is cancelled.
d) Anyone who has an excessive addiction to drugs or any kind of alcoholic drinks.
e) Anyone who has a physical incompleteness or mental disorder. According to the public safety Director and the examining officer having control over the motor vehicle is compulsory for anyone.
(page-300,no-181,acts-1939, Code 1940, T. 36, §66; Acts 1945, No. 59, p. 59; Acts 1947, No. 628, p. 483; Acts 1996, No. 96-478, p. 594, §1.)
Alabama Code, Title 32, Section 32-6-7.2
Conditions in case of issuing license for driver less than 18:
A) According to section 32-6-8 a person who’s age is less than 18 are not eligible to apply for a driving license until he has a temporary license or learner’s permit which is minimum 6 months old.
B) Other requirements such as if the age of the applicant is less than 18 then the person need show the following things to the department of public safety:
1. A verification form with the signature of guardians which will be served by the department of safety where the guardians will give the permission of getting license and they will also give permission of driving with self-responsibility to applicant.
2. A verification form with the signature of guardians which will be served by the department of safety or a valid certificate from a certified trainer which ensure that the person has completed at least 30 hours of driving practice or certificate from the state department of education which ensure that the person has successfully passed the driver education course and the course must have the approval of the state department of education.
C) Driver who got his general driving license at the age of 17 after 1st October 2002 or who’s age is less than 17 need to collect the conditioned driving license. He or she will not be eligible to drive a car on any of these following conditions:
(1) Between 12am-6 am except:
a) The license is monitored by guardians
b) If the license is monitoring by a person of minimum 21 years and have a valid regular license and must have the permission of guardians.
c) If the license is going or coming from such a place where the license counted as a general license.
d) If the license coming or going to an event which is funded by school
e) If the license coming or going to a religious organization.
f) If the license is using for hospital, fire service or law enforcement related work.
(2)Carrying more than four passengers excluding guardians or parents.
If anyone disobey the subsections, his license will not be suspended but the duration of six month will be extended.
D) When a driver driving with a conditioned license with subsection (c) he must be aware about the traffic rules if he do any unauthorized work such as try to overtake the moving vehicles or fail to serve proper information or try to participate street race or try to avoid police or other law enforcement company or driving awarelessly or unauthorized overtaking or moving on the incorrect lane or any other work which is threatening for the public safety and the clear violation of ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT shall automatically suspend the license for 60 days or the Alabama rules of the road will enforce a penalty which may be more serious and the duration of the license shall be extended for six months from the date the driver would otherwise the driver will not be eligible for conditioned driving license or the person need to wait until 18.
(E) The license possessed by any citizen of this state who is 17 years of age shall be deemed an unrestricted driver's license if the license has been issued for a period of six months or longer and the Department of Public Safety verifies that the license holder has not been convicted of a moving violation of the Alabama Rules of the Road within the preceding six months.
(F) This section shall not applicable to the following:
(1) Any citizen of this state age 16 years and over who is married or who is the head of a household.
(2) Any citizen who has otherwise been legally relieved of minority.
(3) Any citizen who is age 18 or over.
(G) Every driver's license issued prior to October 1, 2002, shall be considered an unrestricted driver's license.
(H) A person who drives a motor vehicle in violation of the conditions imposed in subsection (c) shall be guilty of a traffic violation, but shall not be subject to any criminal penalties or court costs. No citation shall be issued for a traffic violation pursuant to this subsection unless the person is stopped by a law enforcement officer for a separate violation of law and issued a citation or warrant for the separate violation. Information concerning a violation pursuant to this subsection shall not be released to any party and shall not result in any points on a driver's license record.
(I) The Department of Public Safety may promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to carry out and to aid in enforcement of this section and Sections 32-6-7.3 and 32-6-8. (Act 2002-408, p. 1026, §2.)
Alabama Code, Title 32, Section 32-6-8
Temporary license and learner's permit:
A) Anyone who’s age is 16 years or more can get the temporary license but if the person has a lack of proper knowledge about motor vehicle operation, he needs to qualify to get a driving license and this article may apply for learner’s license and the judge of probate may approve and issue the license in his/her urgent possession, to control a motor car in the highways for a duration of four years but in case of motorcycle it’s not applicable, on that case the person shall be helped by a driver who has a valid driving license and who is actually occupying a seat beside the driver. When anyone apply for the license he will pay a fee of twenty dollars ($20) as probate fee and the judge of probate approve his application and give the applicant a learner’s license therefore on a form to be provided by the director of public safety. The temporary license or learner’s permit may be updated only by the order of the director of public safety and any original license shall not be updated or renewed more than one time. The judge of probate shall not issue the temporary instruction license until the applicant has participated the same examination that a person applying for a driving license is required by law to undergo, with the exception of the driving test, and produced a certificate to that effect signed by the proper examining officer.
B) Anyone who’s age not less than 15 years but less than 16 year’s may get a temporary instruction or learner license to achieve proper knowledge about how to control a motor vehicle upon application to the judge of probate of the country which the applicant resides, which license shall give the right to the person to control a motor vehicle when he or she accompanied by parents or legal guardians or a person/driver who is 21 years of age or more who has a valid license in his state as a motor vehicle driver or when accompanied by a licensed person or certified driving trainer who is actually occupying a seat beside the motor vehicle driver .When anyone apply for the license he will pay a fee of twenty dollars ($20) which is distributed as provided in section 32-6-5. The age of the applicant shall be proved by the applicant filing with the judge of probate a certified copy of his or her birth certificate. A learner's license approved under this subsection shall be in such form as the Director of Public Safety may suggest; it has a validation of maximum four years an; or when the person generally applies for and achieves a driver's license. The driving license shall be issued for the remainder of the four year life of the learner's license at no extra fee, the certificate thereof shall be main evidence that the license holder was 15 years of age or older on the date issue. The license may be cancelled or revoked in the same attitude and for the same causes as a driver's license and may also be suspended for any break of the terms and conditions on which it was issued. The judge of probate shall not approve such a license to any person until the person has participated the same examination that a person applying for a driver's license is required by law to undergo, with the exception of the driving test, and has produced a certificate to that effect signed by the proper examining officer. (Acts 1939, No. 181, p. 300; Code 1940, T. 36, §64; Acts 1951, No. 880, p. 1519; Acts 1959, No. 346, p. 935; Acts 1973, No. 1289, p. 2201; Acts 1988, 1st Sp. Sess., No. 88-729, p. 125, §1; Acts 1993, No. 93-769, p. 1538, §1; Act 2002-408, p. 1026, §3.)