Welcome to the 21st century: Alabama now allowing driver licenses to be renewed online

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July 24, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The last time you needed to renew your driver license in Alabama how long did you wait in line? Now, many Alabamians will no longer even need to go to the court house or standalone driver license facility to be renewed, they’ll simply need to log on to a website.

“The old system was broken. It was archaic. Unfortunately, citizens were spending 6-8 hours in line,” said Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier during a press conference announcing the program Thursday.

Collier explained that in addition to saving Alabamians hours of waiting in line, the change will also save taxpayers money.

“[I]t is ultimately going to be a cost saver,” he said. “This should reduce the amount of examiners that we need, in saying that, we can’t go any lower than we already are as far as personnel.”

According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the state issues around 1.2 million licenses each year.

To renew a license or state-issued ID, replace a lost license, renew boat registration, schedule an in-person appointment at a driver license facility, or order a crash report Alabamians can visit ALRenewal.com.

Because online renewals are only valid every eight years, but licenses must be renewed every four years, Alabamians will still need to go to their local driver license facility to have a new picture taken every other time a renewal is necessary.

To renew online, an additional fee of $2.75 is added to the $36.25 it already costs for a new license. For most Alabamians, this cost is inconsequential compared to the lost productivity and travel time it may take to renew their license in person.

A printer must be connected at the time of online renewal in order to print out a temporary license, and a permanent hard-copy will be mailed to the recipient within 30 days of renewal.

Additionally, smart phone users can download a “digital license” to show as a secure form of identification that ALEA confirms will be a valid form of identification during traffic stops.