For Alabama drivers
Updated September 28, 2026
In Alabama, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) runs CDL testing. You start with a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) and hold it at least 14 days. You also finish entry-level driver training. Then you book a skills test with ALEA and buy your Class A license.
Your CLP is good for 360 days and cannot be renewed, so plan your training inside that window.
Everything here comes from ALEA’s own CDL pages and manual, checked September 28, 2026. Where a rule is federal, we say so and link the regulation.
What to Bring to ALEA
ALEA’s list for CDL and CDL learner applicants:
- Your current driver license
- Your Social Security card
- Two proofs of where you live (ALEA calls them proofs of principal residence)
- If you are transferring from another state, one document from ALEA’s primary list, such as a U.S. passport or certified birth certificate
- Proof of insurance
- Payment for fees, and no checks for the testing fee
Not a U.S. citizen? ALEA says you must be in permanent status in the United States and live in Alabama. For a hazmat endorsement, you also need a TSA background check.
Step by Step: Your Alabama CDL
- Get a DOT physicalOnly an FMCSA-certified medical examiner can give it. Your regular doctor may not be one.
- Pass the knowledge testsTake them at an ALEA office and get your CLP.
- Hold the CLP at least 14 daysALEA requires this for first-time CDLs and upgrades.
- Finish entry-level trainingFederal rules require it for anyone getting a CDL for the first time. ALEA points to FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
- Book and pass the skills testSkills tests are by appointment only.
- Buy your licensePay for your Class A at ALEA.
For the federal rules behind these steps, see our guide on how long it takes to get a CDL.
The 360-Day Permit Clock
ALEA’s CLP is valid for 360 days and is not renewable. If it expires, you retake every written test and get a new CLP.
Your 360-day CLP window, to scale
- First 14 daysThe hold. No skills test yet.
- Next 346 daysFinish training, pass the skills test, buy your license.
- After 360 daysThe CLP expires. You retake the written tests.
That clock matters. Your training, your 14-day wait, and your skills test all have to fit inside it. Before you take the knowledge tests, pick a school and know when classes start.
What an Alabama CDL Costs
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Testing fee | $25.00 |
| Commercial learner license (CLP) | $36.25 |
| Skills test | $20.00 |
| Class A license | $66.25 |
| Total, each paid once | $147.50 |
ALEA also lists $56.25 for a Class B and $36.25 for a Class C. The total above adds ALEA’s listed fees for a first Class A, paid once each. Retests, endorsements, and school tuition are extra.
Your Medical Card and Self-Certification
Every Alabama CDL holder must tell ALEA what kind of driving they do. This is called self-certification, and you do it online at alabamadl.alea.gov. If you drive across state lines under the full federal rules, you pick non-excepted interstate and need a DOT medical card on file.
- You do not turn in the card. Your medical examiner sends it to FMCSA, and ALEA gets it electronically.
- Check your record online. If it is missing or wrong, call your examiner, not ALEA.
- Mind the 45 days. If ALEA sends a notice and gets nothing within 45 days, it removes your CDL privileges.
- Getting them back is free. Once ALEA receives a valid medical card, it reinstates your license at no charge.
Our DOT physical guide explains the exam.
Tests, the Manual, and Where to Go
The manual. ALEA posts its Commercial Driver License Manual and a supplement for the modernized test on its Driver License Manuals page. Study it before you book.
Offices. The manual lists ALEA’s commercial license offices by city, including Montgomery, Mobile, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa. To book knowledge or skills testing, go to alea.gov and use Schedule DL Appointment. ALEA’s office page has current addresses and CDL phone lines.
Classes. ALEA defines Class A as a combination of 26,001 pounds or more, towing a unit over 10,000 pounds. That is the class a car hauler needs.
An old CDL. If your Alabama CDL has been expired more than three years, ALEA requires you to test again.
Military Skills Waiver
Did you drive trucks in the military? If you hold a license and served in a military transportation unit within the past 12 months, you may qualify. You still take the knowledge tests, but ALEA waives the skills test. Ask for the waiver form at an ALEA CDL testing office when you take your knowledge tests.
Already have 3 years of CDL-A and a year of 9-car time? Talk to our recruiters.
Car Hauling at Vance
Vance is home to the Mercedes-Benz U.S. assembly plant, and Accelerated runs new-vehicle lanes from it. It is OEM plant freight: repeating work where you know the customer before you turn a wheel.
Plant freight needs experienced hands. To drive with us, you need 3 years of CDL-A driving and 1 year of verifiable 9-car experience. A new CDL gets you started. Our guide on how to become a car hauler covers the next steps.
Haul New Mercedes-Benz Vehicles From Vance
See the freight, equipment, and requirements at our Vance terminal. When you have the experience, the application takes a few minutes on your phone.
Have 3 years of CDL-A and 1 year of verifiable 9-car time? Apply to drive with Accelerated.
Alabama CDL FAQs
How long is an Alabama CDL permit good for?
ALEA’s commercial learner’s permit is valid for 360 days and cannot be renewed. If it expires, you retake all the written tests and get a new CLP.
How much does it cost to get a CDL in Alabama?
ALEA lists a $25 testing fee, $36.25 for the CLP, a $20 skills test, and $66.25 for a Class A license, as of September 28, 2026. Paid once each, that is $147.50. Training costs are separate.
Do I need entry-level driver training in Alabama?
Yes, if this is your first CDL. ALEA follows the federal rule and points to FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry for approved schools.
What happens if ALEA does not get my medical card?
ALEA sends a notice. If your medical information is not received within 45 days, it removes your CDL privileges. Once a valid card arrives from your examiner, ALEA reinstates them at no charge.
My Alabama CDL expired. Do I have to test again?
Only if it has been expired more than three years. Then ALEA requires you to take the tests again.
Sources
Last checked September 28, 2026. Fees and rules change. Confirm each step with ALEA before you apply. This guide is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.