Code of Alabama

Ala. Code § 32-6-1 (2026)

Required; Expiration Date; Renewal; Identification Cards for Nondrivers.

✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026

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(a) Every person, except those specifically exempted by statutory enactment, shall procure a driver’s license before driving a motor vehicle upon the highways of this state. Every new resident of the State of Alabama shall procure an Alabama driver’s license within 30 days after establishing residence in this state.

(b) Each original driver’s license issued to a person born in a year ending in an odd number shall expire on the second anniversary of the licensee’s birth date occurring in an odd-numbered calendar year after the date on which the application for the license was filed, and each original driver’s license issued to a person born in a year ending with an even number shall expire on the second anniversary of the licensee’s birth date occurring in an even-numbered calendar year after the date on which the application for the license was filed; provided, that if the license issued would expire in less than 24 months from the date on which the application for the license was filed, the expiration date of such license is hereby extended for an additional period of two years. After the expiration of an original driver’s license, all subsequent renewals shall be for a period of four years from the specified expiration date of the immediately preceding license, regardless of when the renewal shall be issued. Every driver’s license issued under this article may be renewed at the end of the license period without examination upon application and payment of the fee. For the purpose of renewal of a driver’s license, the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall mail renewal notices to each licensee 30 days after expiration date if the driver’s license has not been renewed. A grace period of 60 days after expiration date of a driver’s license shall exist for the purpose of driver’s license renewal and the driver’s license shall be valid for this time period. The applicant shall apply for a driver’s license anytime during a period beginning 180 days before the expiration date of the then current license until three years after the expiration date of the license. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces is not subject to the 180-day limit if he or she can show proof to the licensing official that he or she is unable to renew during the 180-day period due to deployment. Failure to make application for renewal within the specified time shall result in the applicant being required to take, and successfully pass, a written examination and driving test as administered by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency. If any person’s birthday is February 29, the first day of March following shall be regarded as his or her birthday for the purposes of this section.

(c) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall make available to any resident of this state who does not hold a valid Alabama driver’s license a nondriver identification card to be used for identification purposes only. The nondriver identification card shall be issued only upon application of the nondriver and shall be similar to the driver’s license; except, that it shall bear the word “nondriver” in prominent letters on the face of the identification card. Each nondriver identification card shall bear thereon a distinguishing number assigned to the nondriver and a color photograph of the nondriver, as well as the name, birth date, residence address, and a brief description of the nondriver who, for the purpose of identification, shall immediately upon receipt thereof, endorse his or her usual signature in ink upon the card in the space provided thereon, unless a facsimile of the nondriver signature appears thereon. The same degree of proof of identification required of applicants for driver’s licenses in this state shall be required of applicants for nondriver identification cards.

(Acts 1975, No. 539, p. 1192, §§2, 6; Acts 1981, No. 81-154, p. 177; Acts 1992, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 92-678, p. 59, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-554, p. 985, §1; Act 2016-336, §1.)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1979–2025 · leading case: Chiniche v. Smith, 374 So. 2d 872 (Ala. 1979).

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Chiniche v. Smith, 374 So. 2d 872 (Ala. 1979). · cites it 4× “Further, to establish negligent entrustment it is not necessary that the entruster have owned the motor vehicle.”

United States v. State of Alabama, 691 F.3d 1269 (11th Cir. 2012). · cites it 2× “§ 1373 (c), whether individuals found to be in violation of Ala.Code § 32-6-1 or § 32-6-9 are permissibly within the United States.”

Taylor v. Cox, 710 So. 2d 406 (Ala. 1998). · cites it 2× “, Ala.Code 1975, § 32-6-1 (regulating the driving of automobiles by requiring drivers to obtain licenses); § 32-5A-191 (regulating the driving of automobiles by imposing escalating punishments for driving while under the influence of alcohol); § 13A-6-4(c) (regulating the…”

United States v. Smith, 694 F. Supp. 2d 1242 (M.D. Ala. 2009). · cites it 2× “See Ala.Code § 32-6-1 (driver’s license); Ala.”

Ex Parte State Ex Rel. Johnson, 636 So. 2d 1266 (Ala. Crim. App. 1994). · cites it 2× “Code 1975, § 13A-6-22); CC-90-45 (driving without a license, Ala. Code 1975, § 32-6-1); CC-90-46 (speeding, Ala.”

Mastin v. State, 180 So. 3d 732 (Miss. Ct. App. 2015). “” Ala.Code § 32-6-1. During trial, Greggs admitted that when Mastín was charged with driving with an expired license, he was within the sixty-day grace period prescribed by section 32-6-1.”

Hal Taylor, as Sec'y of the Alabama Law Enf't Agency v. Ramona Humphries (Appeal from Montgomery Circuit Court: CV-24-900328). (Ala. Civ. App. 2025). · cites it 4× “15 CL-2024-0791 Humphries requested a declaration of her right to the issuance of a nondriver identification card under § 32-6-1(b) and Rule 760-X-1-.20. She admittedly failed to produce one of the nine primary forms of identification required for the issuance of a nondriver…”

Snavely v. City of Huntsville, 770 So. 2d 1055 (Ala. 2000). “Code 1975; driving without a license, a violation of § 32-6-1; and driving with a revoked license, a violation of § 32-6-19, Ala.”

Beamon v. Brown (M.D. Ala. 2020). · cites it 2× “See Ala. Code § 32-6-1 (a); Ala. Code § 40-12-262 .”

Barber v. State of Alabama (N.D. Ala. 2021). · cites it 2× “Drivers must present proof of insurance and official obligation under Alabama Code § 32-6-1(a) to have a valid state driver’s license.”

McDole v. Fielding (N.D. Ala. 2023). · cites it 2× “McDole was cited for violating Alabama Code § 32-5A-191(a)(2) Driving Under the Influence (Alcohol) and Alabama Code § 32-6-1(a) No Driver’s License.”

Hawkins v. State, 585 So. 2d 152 (Ala. Crim. App. 1990). “See §§ 32-6-1, 32-6-18, Code of Alabama 1975.”

— Ala. Code § 32-6-1(a) — 2 cases

Barber v. State of Alabama (N.D. Ala. 2021). “Drivers must present proof of insurance and official obligation under Alabama Code § 32-6-1(a) to have a valid state driver’s license.”

McDole v. Fielding (N.D. Ala. 2023). “McDole was cited for violating Alabama Code § 32-5A-191(a)(2) Driving Under the Influence (Alcohol) and Alabama Code § 32-6-1(a) No Driver’s License.”

— Ala. Code § 32-6-1(b) — 1 case

Hal Taylor, as Sec'y of the Alabama Law Enf't Agency v. Ramona Humphries (Appeal from Montgomery Circuit Court: CV-24-900328). (Ala. Civ. App. 2025). “15 CL-2024-0791 Humphries requested a declaration of her right to the issuance of a nondriver identification card under § 32-6-1(b) and Rule 760-X-1-.20. She admittedly failed to produce one of the nine primary forms of identification required for the issuance of a nondriver…”

— Ala. Code § 32-6-1(c) — 1 case

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