State rules
Driver training rules in Alabama
What Alabama requires of driving schools, CDL training and school bus drivers, with every fact linked to its official source.
✓ Checked against official sources · 2026-10-18
Driver training rules in Alabama for teen and adult driver's education, CDL schools, carriers that train their own drivers and school bus drivers, each with a link to the official source. Federal ELDT rules (49 CFR Part 380) apply in every state on top of these.
| Driver education (teens) | Optional for under 18: SDE-approved driver ed can replace the 50 practice hours. Course: minimum 30 classroom hours; behind-the-wheel has no set hours (about 6 recommended).source 1 · source 2 |
|---|---|
| Supervised practice (teens) | Under 18: 50 hours behind-the-wheel practice (or SDE driver ed instead); hold learner permit 6 months. No night-hour minimum in ALEA's list.source 1 |
| New adult drivers | None stated. Graduated license rules do not apply at 18 or older.source 1 |
| Who licenses driving schools | Private car driving schools are licensed by the Private School Licensure Division of the Alabama Community College System under the general private school law (Ala. Code 16-46). The separate Driver Training School License Act (Ala. Code 32-14) was repealed in 2015.source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6 |
| CDL training: state rules beyond federal ELDT | ALEA points to federal ELDT for first-time CDL; CLP must be held 14 days before testing. No added state hours found.source 7 |
| CDL schools: state license | Yes. Private postsecondary schools need an Alabama Private School License (or a Certificate of Exemption) from the Alabama Community College System. General law; no CDL-specific school license found.source 5 |
| CDL schools: state hours or curriculum | No state hours. ALEA points to federal ELDT; the CLP must be held 14 days before the skills test.source 7 |
| CDL schools: instructor rules | No state instructor license. Licensed schools must use instructors with the education and work experience for the course (ACCS guidelines, eff. Oct. 1, 2024).source 8 |
| Carriers training their own drivers: license | Exempt: employer courses only for its own employees (Ala. Code 16-46-3, ACCS copy from 2019). The carrier must still file for a Certificate of Exemption with ACCS.source 9 · source 10 |
| Carriers: hours or curriculum | No state hours for anyone; federal ELDT only.source 7 |
| Carriers: instructor rules | No, once exempt: ACCS instructor standards apply to licensed private schools; an employer program for its own employees is exempt after filing for a Certificate of Exemption. Federal 380.605 applies.source 9 · source 8 |
| New school bus drivers | Federal ELDT for the CDL class and P/S endorsements, then the 12-hour ALSDE New School Bus Driver Certification Class taught over 3 days, a written test (80%) and an ALSDE performance test. The CLP must be held 14 days before class (ALSDE School Bus Driver Handbook, rev. Jan. 2024).source 11 |
| School bus refresher | 4-hour recertification class every calendar year; all certificates expire December 31. If no recertification class is left, the driver attends the 3-day New Driver Class (ALSDE School Bus Driver Handbook, rev. Jan. 2024).source 11 |
Driving manuals and handbooks
Official publications from Alabama, checked 2026-10-19. Read them here or download them; the state's own copy is always linked.
Teen and parent guides
Graduated Driver License Form DL-31 (Permission to Drive Without Supervision / Behind the Wheel Verification Form / Certificate of Completion)
Commercial (CDL)Alabama Commercial Driver License Manual
Open on the state siteCopyright AAMVA, so it opens on the state's site.
Commercial (CDL)Commercial Driver's License Manual Supplement for Modernized Version
Open on the state siteCopyright AAMVA, so it opens on the state's site.
Motorcycle and mopedAlabama Motorcycle Operator Manual with Supplementary Information for Three-Wheel Motorcycles
Open on the state siteCopyright Motorcycle Safety Foundation, so it opens on the state's site.
Driving schools and instructors
Traffic Safety Education Organizational Procedures (Driver and Traffic Safety Education Curriculum Manual)
Driving jobs in Alabama
36,650heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers employed (May 2025)
$52,120median yearly pay (May 2025)
4,560projected openings each year, 2024 to 2034
8.3%projected job growth, 2024 to 2034
U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Alabama, May 2025Projections CentralLong-Term Occupational Projections (2024-2034)
Rules change. Always confirm with the state agency before you rely on a rule. Something out of date? Email terry@eldt.courses.
Federal rules in every state
CDL entry-level driver training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, for a first Class A or B CDL, an upgrade to Class A or B, or a first P, S or H endorsement (49 CFR 380.609). See ELDT record keeping under 49 CFR 380.
Sources
- https://www.alea.gov/dps/driver-license/license-and-id-cards/graduated-driver-license
- https://www.alea.gov/dps/driver-license/private-high-school-driver-traffic-safety-education-program
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=32-14-20
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=32-14-22
- https://www.accs.edu/about-accs/private-school-licensure/
- https://psl.alabama.edu/external/viewapproved.aspx
- https://www.alea.gov/dps/driver-license/cdl-frequently-asked-questions
- https://www.accs.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Guidelines-for-PSL-Effective-October-1-2024.pdf
- https://www.accs.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Code-Section-16-46-3.pdf
- https://www.accs.edu/about-accs/private-school-licensure/exemptions
- https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/TRA_2024229_Bus-Driver-Handbook-2024_V1.0.pdf