Alabama Permit Restrictions: Driving Alone, Night & Passenger Rules (2026)
State permit restrictions
Alabama permit rules at a glance
August 5, 2026
Alabama learner permit and provisional license restrictions were organized from official state licensing sources.
Alabama learner license drivers must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, driving instructor, or licensed driver age 21 or older seated beside them. After the learner stage, new drivers should still check Alabama night, passenger, and phone restrictions before driving alone.
At a glance
Alabama learner and provisional restriction snapshot
State-specific notes
Alabama rules that are easy to miss
- Practice or driver trainingAlabama's restricted-license path can be satisfied with 30 hours of driving practice or an approved driver training path.
- Midnight-to-6 a.m. restrictionThe restricted-license curfew is stricter than states that start at 1 a.m. or later.
- Passenger rule focuses on non-familyAlabama's passenger restriction is commonly framed around non-family passengers, so family exceptions matter.
Try the tool
Check a Alabama permit driving situation
Use this quick checker when a learner or provisional driver wants to know whether a trip looks allowed. It checks age, permit stage, supervision, time of day, passengers, highway or freeway driving, phone use, and trip purpose against the Alabama data we have reviewed.
This tool is a planning aid, not a replacement for official Alabama DMV or licensing rules. If the result mentions an exception or says to check the state rule, open the official source before driving.
Interactive checker Use this tool for Alabama learner permit and provisional-license situations. It is designed for quick planning, then points you back to official sources for final wording. Answer a few questions about your permit stage, supervision, time of day, passengers, and trip purpose. The checker returns a practical result with a reason, next step, and official state source link. This checker is locked to Alabama so the page stays focused on one state instead of repeating every supported state summary. Some restrictions depend on region, exact age in months, passenger relationship, documentation, or official exceptions. For those cases, the checker points you back to the state source instead of guessing. Official-source check This page shows only the source snapshot for Alabama. To compare all supported states, use the permit restrictions hub.Check a Alabama driving situation
Alabama page mode
Why some results say Check state rule
Alabama source used by this tool
Can a learner permit driver drive alone in Alabama?
Alabama learner license drivers must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, driving instructor, or licensed driver age 21 or older seated beside them. In Alabama, do not treat a learner permit as solo-driving permission; use the linked state source if an exception seems to apply.
Alabama learner night driving
Alabama learner driving is supervised; midnight-to-6 a.m. limits are most visible at the restricted license stage.
Alabama provisional night restriction
Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. unless a listed exception or required supervision applies.
Alabama passenger restriction
Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not have more than one non-family passenger other than a parent, guardian, or supervising adult unless an exception applies.
Phone and device rules
Alabama teen drivers should verify current ALEA and state distracted-driving wording before any phone/device use. Alabama teen drivers should verify current device restrictions before using a phone while driving.
Before you drive
What to verify in Alabama
- Age path: Alabama: Alabama learner license eligibility begins at age 15.
- Holding period: Alabama: Alabama teens generally hold the learner license for at least 6 months before restricted license eligibility.
- Supervisor rule: Alabama learner license drivers must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, driving instructor, or licensed driver age 21 or older seated beside them.
- Night rule: Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. unless a listed exception or required supervision applies.
- Passenger rule: Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not have more than one non-family passenger other than a parent, guardian, or supervising adult unless an exception applies.
- Phone rule: Alabama teen drivers should verify current device restrictions before using a phone while driving.
- Alabama documents and fees: bring accepted DMV documents, then confirm the current Alabama fee on the official payment page or your appointment confirmation.
Nearby comparison
Compare Alabama with nearby permit rules
Families who study, move, or practice near a state line should compare the issuing state’s permit rules with neighboring state guidance before driving across state lines.
| State | Learner age | Holding period | New-driver night rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Georgia Class CP instructional permit path begins at age 15. | Class D applicants generally must hold the instructional permit for 1 year and 1 day. | Georgia Class D drivers may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.; DDS states no exceptions. |
| Florida | Florida learner's license path begins at age 15. | Florida teen learners generally hold the learner's license for 12 months or until age 18, whichever comes first, with no traffic convictions. | At age 16, Florida drivers may generally drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. unless driving to/from work or accompanied by a licensed driver 21+. At age 17, the listed night limit changes to 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Mississippi | Mississippi regular learner's permit eligibility begins at age 15. | Mississippi has a 12-month minimum learner-permit holding period for many teen applicants before regular Class R license eligibility. | For 6 months after licensure or until age 17, Mississippi newly licensed teen drivers should not drive unsupervised from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday, unless an official exception applies. |
| Tennessee | Tennessee learner permit applicants in the teen GDL path must be at least 15 years old. | Tennessee learner permit holders must hold the learner permit for 180 days before moving to Intermediate Restricted License. | Tennessee Intermediate Restricted License drivers may not drive between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. |
Official resources
Alabama permit restriction source links
US Permit Prep is independent and not a government agency. Use these links to verify final rules before driving or scheduling.
- Alabama ALEA – Driver License Informationlicense office and driver license context
- Alabama Driver Manuallearner license and restricted license review
- Alabama Graduated Driver License LawGDL restrictions, stage rules
Alabama permit restriction FAQs
Can you drive alone with a learner permit in Alabama?
Usually no. Alabama learner license drivers must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, driving instructor, or licensed driver age 21 or older seated beside them. Open Alabama ALEA – Driver License Information before relying on any exception.
Can you drive at night with a permit in Alabama?
Alabama learner driving is supervised; midnight-to-6 a.m. limits are most visible at the restricted license stage.
What are the provisional license night rules in Alabama?
Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. unless a listed exception or required supervision applies.
What are the passenger restrictions for new drivers in Alabama?
Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not have more than one non-family passenger other than a parent, guardian, or supervising adult unless an exception applies.
Are these Alabama permit restriction rules official?
US Permit Prep is independent and not a government agency. This Alabama page summarizes source research and links to Alabama ALEA – Driver License Information so you can verify final wording before driving.
How old do you have to be for an Alabama learner license?
Alabama learner license eligibility begins at age 15.
What is Alabama's restricted license curfew?
Alabama restricted license drivers generally may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. unless a listed exception or supervision applies.
