After you pass in Alabama: restrictions and your licence

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the three Stage II restrictions.
• You can name every exception to the midnight to 6 a.m. rule.
• You can explain how restriction violations are enforced.
• You can plan when you will qualify for Stage III and what it costs.
• You can use a parent-teen driving agreement to set extra house rules.

What you need to know and understand

• Stage II applies to 16 year olds and to 17 year olds who have held a license for under six months.
• You may carry only one non-family passenger, not counting a parent, guardian or supervising licensed driver aged 21 or older.
• You may not drive between midnight and 6 a.m. unless an exception applies.
• You may not use any handheld communication device while driving.
• Stage III is available from 17 after six months on Stage II. The fee is $31.25 for a restriction-free duplicate.
• The GDL rules end at 18 whatever stage you are at.

The night rule and its exceptions

Between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. you may drive only if one of these applies:

• You are with a parent or legal guardian.
• You are with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, with your parent's consent.
• You are going to or from your regular workplace.
• You are going to or from a school-sponsored or religious event.
• You are driving because of a medical, fire or law enforcement emergency.

How the rules are enforced

Breaking a Stage II restriction is a traffic violation, but it carries no points, no criminal penalty and no court costs. You can only be cited for it if police stop you for a separate offense. Even so, the cost is real: your restricted period is extended by six months or until you turn 18. If you are convicted of a second moving violation, or an offense worth four or more points such as reckless driving, racing, fleeing police or illegal passing, your license is automatically suspended for 60 days.

Moving up to Stage III

1. Turn 17 and hold your Stage II license for at least six months.
2. Keep a clean record with no violations of the restrictions.
3. Visit ALEA and pay $31.25 for a restriction-free duplicate license. If you turn 18 without having held Stage II, the fee is $36.25.
4. Remember that teens aged 16 or older who are married and head of a household, or legally freed from minority status, are not covered by the GDL rules.

House rules on top of the law

ALEA's manual includes a parent-teen driving agreement. It suggests extra rules such as no passengers at first, keeping parents informed of where you are, reporting any ticket or warning, and no phone use at all. Agreeing on these early can build trust and earn you more freedom sooner. Our Alabama GDL guide covers passenger and curfew questions in more depth.

Common mistakes

• Giving three friends a ride home after school. Only one non-family passenger is allowed.
• Driving home from a friend's house after midnight because you are close. A social visit is not an exception.
• Believing GDL violations do not matter because they carry no points. They delay your full license.
• Assuming Stage III is automatic at 17. You must apply and pay the fee.

Test yourself: After you pass in Alabama: restrictions and your licence

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Alabama GDL Law
• Alabama 50 Hours Driving
• Alabama Hands-Free Law and Point System