SR22 State

How to get your license reinstated in Alabama

Checked against official Alabama sources · Last reviewed October 5, 2026

Getting a suspended or revoked Alabama license back means clearing the items ALEA lists for you, paying the reinstatement fee, and, in some cases, having an SR-22 filed. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division handles reinstatement and can tell you exactly which steps apply to you. [1]

SR-22 required?
Yes
Base reinstatement fee
$100
Keep SR-22 for
3 years

Step by step

  1. Ask ALEA what you need to reinstate

    Send form DI-46a, Request for Reinstatement Requirements, to the Driver License Division, P.O. Box 1471, Montgomery, AL 36102-1471. ALEA checks off only the items that apply to you, such as your eligibility date, the fee, an SR-22, tickets to clear, a hearing, or a release on a crash judgment. [1]

    Request for Reinstatement Requirements ↗

  2. Clear tickets and hearings first

    If ALEA says you must clear citations or apply for a hearing, do that first. ALEA says not to send the fee or the SR-22 until all tickets are settled and any required hearing is done. The form can also list a suspension in another state that you must clear. [1]

  3. Have your insurer file an SR-22, if required

    Alabama law says that if your license was suspended or revoked because of a conviction or a forfeited bail, you must file proof of insurance before it is reinstated. ALEA's DI-46a form shows whether an SR-22 is required in your case. Proof is also needed to end a suspension for an unpaid crash judgment. ALEA's letter shows the date you must keep the SR-22 until, and the law lets it be cancelled after 3 years only if no new suspendable conviction is on record. [1][2][3]

  4. Pay the reinstatement fee

    The fee is $100 for a suspended or cancelled license, $175 for a revoked license, and $275 for an alcohol- or drug-related suspension or revocation. Not surrendering your license within 30 days adds $50. You can reinstate online, or pay by money order, cashier's check, cash, or credit card, but not a personal check. [4]

    Driver Records, Crash Reports, and Driver License Reinstatements ↗

  5. Ask about a hardship license, if you qualify

    A hardship license may be possible if your license is suspended or revoked and you can't get reasonable transportation. People convicted of DUI can't get one. You can apply by email, fax, mail, or online, and once approved you have 60 days to visit an ALEA Driver License Office. [5]

    Hardship Driver License ↗

  6. Keep your insurance in force

    Your insurer must tell the state before a certified policy ends. If your proof no longer meets the requirement, the state must suspend your license and registration until you file new proof. [6]

After a DUI arrest or conviction

  1. Request a hearing within 10 days, if you want one

    Alabama law gives you 10 days from the notice of intended suspension to ask for an administrative hearing. The request must be in writing, delivered by hand or mailed to the ALEA Driver License Division in Montgomery. [7]

  2. Install an ignition interlock if the court orders it

    After a DUI conviction, the court sends ALEA an order. You install an approved device, give ALEA proof of installation, and pay a $150 fee for the interlock-restricted license. A first conviction with a BAC of 0.15 or more requires 1 year, and the device comes off only after the court confirms you finished all requirements. [8]

    Ignition Interlock Laws ↗

  3. Expect the higher alcohol-related fee

    An alcohol- or drug-related suspension or revocation costs $275 to reinstate, and a drug-related case adds $25. The $150 interlock fee is separate. [4]

Not legal advice. Rules change; confirm your own requirements with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division before you drive.

SR-22 rules in Alabama · If your SR-22 lapses · Reinstatement in other states

Sources

  1. ALEA Driver License Division - Request for Reinstatement Requirements (Form DI-46a, rev. 06/15) (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  2. Ala. Code 32-7-18 - Proof of financial responsibility required upon certain convictions (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  3. Ala. Code 32-7-31 - Duration of proof; when proof may be cancelled or returned (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  4. ALEA - Driver Records, Crash Reports, and Driver License Reinstatements (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  5. ALEA - Hardship Driver License (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  6. Ala. Code 32-7-30 - Additional proof may be required (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
  7. Ala. Code 32-5A-307 - Administrative hearing; request (Onecle mirror) (statute, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
  8. ALEA - Ignition Interlock Laws (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)

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