Photo: Formulanone, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Before an Alabama teen under 18 can get a Stage II license, they need one of two things. Either a parent or another approved adult certifies at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice on ALEA form DL-31, or the teen completes a driver education course approved by the Alabama State Department of Education (SDE). This checklist explains both routes, who can sign, and how to plan the hours.
Key facts
- Requirement: at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, or an SDE-approved driver education course.
- Applies to: applicants under 18 (the GDL law does not apply at 18 or older).
- Form: ALEA Graduated Driver License Form DL-31 (Rev 09/21), required by section 32-6-7.2 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
- Who can verify the hours (ALEA GDL page): a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or certified driving instructor.
- The minimum learner period still applies: 6 months on a learner license before the road test.
Option 1: the 50-hour verification on form DL-31
Form DL-31 has three parts on one page:
| Section | What it says | Who signs |
|---|---|---|
| Permission to drive without supervision | Consent to the teen’s license and permission to drive unsupervised | Parent or legal guardian |
| Behind the wheel verification | The applicant has completed at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice | Parent or legal guardian |
| Certificate of completion | Box to tick if the applicant completed an Alabama Department of Education approved driver education course | Used instead of the 50-hour section |
Note: the form’s signature lines say “Parent or Legal Guardian”. The GDL page says a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or certified driving instructor can verify the hours. If a grandparent or instructor will sign, confirm with your ALEA office first.
Checklist for the 50-hour route
- Learner license held for at least 6 months
- 50 or more hours driven with a qualifying supervisor beside you (at 15: a parent, guardian or licensed driver 21+, or a licensed or certified instructor; from 16: any licensed driver)
- Download DL-31 from ALEA’s driver license forms page
- Permission and 50-hour sections signed
- Bring the signed form to the road skills test
The form asks only for a signature, not a log, and ALEA does not require a night-driving minimum. Keeping your own log is still the easiest way to be sure the 50 hours are real.
A simple 6-month plan for 50 hours
| Months | Hours | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | About 8 | Parking lot: controls, smooth stops, backing about 50 feet in a straight line |
| 2 | About 8 | Quiet streets: stop signs, turns with signals 100 feet ahead, approach to corners |
| 3 | About 8 | Traffic lights, lane changes with blind-spot checks, two-second following |
| 4 | About 9 | Three-point turns, parking on hills, parallel parking |
| 5 | About 9 | Highways and freeways, night driving, rain |
| 6 | About 8 | Mock road tests using the Alabama road skills test checklist |
That is roughly 2 hours a week. The month-by-month split is a suggested plan, not an ALEA rule.
Option 2: an SDE-approved driver education course
Instead of the 50-hour verification, submit a completion form from the State Department of Education showing you completed an SDE-approved driver education course. ALEA’s page on the private high school Driver and Traffic Safety Education program describes how one approved program works:
- At least 70 clock hours or one semester, offered as an elective mainly for tenth-grade students aged 15 or older who are eligible for a learner license.
- At least 30 hours of classroom instruction, then behind-the-wheel driving with a certified driver education teacher in a dual-control car.
- No fixed behind-the-wheel hours; about 6 hours per student is recommended for planning.
- During the regular school day, a student may drive the driver education car with a certified instructor even without a learner license.
- Where the school system offers it, Third-Party Testing lets approved driver education teachers give the driving part of the license exam.
Public school and commercial courses may be set up differently. Ask the school or provider whether its course is SDE-approved and what completion form it issues.
Which route should you choose?
| 50 hours (DL-31) | Driver education | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Fuel and time | Depends on the school or provider |
| Who teaches | Family and other licensed drivers | Certified driver education teacher |
| Road test | At an ALEA office | At an ALEA office, or through Third-Party Testing where offered |
| Best for | Families with time to supervise | Teens whose school offers the course |
Many families do both: the course for structure, plus extra supervised hours.
Common questions
Do I need 50 hours of driving in Alabama if I am 18?
No. The 50-hour or driver education requirement is part of the GDL law, which does not apply at 18 or older.
Do I have to submit a driving log?
Form DL-31 is a signed certification, not a log. Check with ALEA if your office asks for more.
Are night hours required in Alabama?
No night minimum appears in the ALEA GDL page, the manual or form DL-31.
Can a grandparent sign?
ALEA’s GDL page lists grandparents as allowed to verify the 50 hours, but the DL-31 signature lines say parent or legal guardian. Ask your ALEA office.
Does driver ed let me skip the 6-month learner period?
No. Under 18, you must still hold the learner license for at least 6 months before the road test.
See also: learning to drive in Alabama, Alabama GDL rules for 16 and 17 year olds and supervised driving hours by state.
Sources
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Graduated Driver License Form DL-31” (alea.gov)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Graduated Driver License” (alea.gov)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Private High School Driver & Traffic Safety Education Program” (alea.gov)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Alabama Driver Manual” (November 2024) (alea.gov)