How many practice hours do you need in Alabama?
In Alabama, a learner driver must log 50 hours of supervised driving practice before applying for a license.
Alabama learner permit requirements
- Minimum permit age: 15
- Supervised practice required: 50 hours total, no night minimum set
- Permit hold period: 6 months
- License eligibility age: 16
- How hours are certified: Form DL-31 behind-the-wheel verification, signed by a parent, legal guardian, grandparent with parental consent, or a licensed driving instructor.
Alabama requires a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice before the Stage II restricted license, certified by a parent, guardian, grandparent, or licensed driving instructor. An ALEA-approved driver education course can be submitted instead. Neither ALEA nor Ala. Code § 32-6-7.2 sets a night-hours subset — the midnight-to-6 a.m. rule is a Stage II driving curfew, not a practice requirement.
Requirements change and have exceptions. Always confirm the current rules with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) before applying.
Alabama's graduated licensing stages
Drive only with a licensed adult 21+; log 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, or complete an approved driver education course.
Issued after 6 months with the permit; night and passenger limits apply.
Restrictions lift at 17 after 6 months of Stage II driving.
Driving restrictions for new Alabama drivers
Stage II drivers can't drive between midnight and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian, or driving to or from work, school, church, or a medical emergency.
Stage II drivers may carry no more than one non-family passenger besides the supervising licensed adult.
Drivers under 18 who have held an intermediate license fewer than six months may not use a handheld device while driving.
Log every Alabama practice hour automatically
DriveMint tracks each supervised drive, separates day and night hours, and generates a PDF you can print or show at the DMV. Prove all 50 hours without a paper logbook falling apart in the glove box.
Alabama driving practice FAQs
How many driving hours do you need in Alabama?+
Alabama requires 50 hours of supervised driving practice before a teen can apply for a license. Alabama does not set a night-hours minimum within that total.
How many hours do you need to drive in Alabama?+
A minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, certified by a parent, guardian, grandparent, or licensed driving instructor. ALEA does not require a set number of those hours to be at night, and completing an approved driver education course can be submitted in place of the 50-hour certification.
When can an Alabama teen get an unrestricted license?+
At 17, after holding the Stage II restricted license for at least six months without a disqualifying violation.
Requirements in other states
Compare practice hours in all 50 states side by side, or read what actually counts as a night driving hour.