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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB45 • 2026

Driver licenses; certain classes of driver licenses invalidated

Driver licenses; certain classes of driver licenses invalidated

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Elliott
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Indefinitely Postponed in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text states it becomes effective on October 1, 2026, but metadata indicates a status of 'Indefinitely Postponed,' creating uncertainty about whether it will actually take effect.

SB45: Rules for Certain Driver Licenses in Alabama

This bill makes certain out-of-state driver licenses invalid in Alabama if they show the holder did not provide proof of lawful presence, and it stops those people from using their home license as an exemption.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes a driver license invalid in Alabama if it explicitly states the person did not exercise the option to provide proof of lawful presence when getting it.
  • Stops nonresidents with these specific licenses from being exempt from needing an Alabama driver license.
  • Requires police officers to issue citations for driving without a valid license to people caught using these invalid licenses.
  • Orders the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to post information about this rule on its website and design road signs at state borders.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Nonresidents who drive in Alabama with out-of-state or foreign driver licenses that explicitly indicate no proof of lawful presence was provided.
  • Law enforcement officers who stop drivers for traffic violations.
  • The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency and the State Department of Transportation, which must create signs and website notices.

Terms To Know

Proof of lawful presence
Documents that show a person is legally allowed to be in the United States.
Exemption
A rule that lets someone skip a requirement, such as not needing an Alabama license if they have a valid one from home.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to licenses that explicitly state the holder did not exercise the option of providing proof of lawful presence.
  • This law does not take effect until October 1, 2026.
  • Although passed by the legislature, the last recorded action is 'Indefinitely Postponed,' so it may not become active.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

MSQ6C11-1

State Governmental Affairs

State Governmental Affairs 1st Amendment

Plain English: This amendment clarifies that even if certain driver licenses are invalidated by the bill, they can still be used to meet car insurance requirements.

  • The change adds a rule stating this section does not stop an invalid license from counting for auto insurance purposes.
  • The text only shows one specific sentence being added, so it is unclear what other parts of the bill might invalidate licenses.
  • It is unknown which types of driver licenses are affected by this rule without reading the full original bill.
TBRZ715-1

State Governmental Affairs

State Governmental Affairs 2nd Amendment

Plain English: This amendment changes the rule so that a driver's license is only invalid if the person does not have other documents proving they are legally in the United States.

  • The bill now says a specific type of driver's license will be considered invalid unless the holder has proof of lawful presence.
  • The text only shows one small section being replaced, so it is unclear what other parts of the original law say or how this change affects people who already have licenses.
  • It does not explain exactly which types of documents count as 'proof of lawful presence'.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Currently Indefinitely Postponed

  2. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  3. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  4. 2026-01-21 Senate

    State Governmental Affairs 2nd Amendment

  5. 2026-01-21 Senate

    State Governmental Affairs 1st Amendment

  6. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  7. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs

Official Summary Text

Driver licenses; certain classes of driver licenses invalidated

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB45 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB45
ZQSCDKR-1
By Senator Elliott
RFD: State Governmental Affairs
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 09-Jan-26
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ZQSCDKR-1 09/08/2025 THR (L)THR 2025-2644
Page 1
PFD: 09-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, individuals are required to
obtain a driver license before driving a motor vehicle
in this state, and new residents are required to obtain
an Alabama driver license within 30 days after
establishing residence in this state.
A nonresident with a driver license issued in
his or her home state or country may be exempt from the
Alabama driver license requirement under certain
circumstances.
This bill would invalidate the use of any driver
license that explicitly indicates it was issued to an
individual who did not exercise the option of providing
proof of lawful presence in the United States when
obtaining the license.
This bill would also prevent a nonresident from
qualifying for an exemption to the Alabama driver
license requirement if the nonresident's license
explicitly indicates that it was issued to an
individual who did not exercise the option of providing
proof of lawful presence in the United States when
obtaining the license.
A BILL
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SB45 INTRODUCED
Page 2
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to driver licenses; to invalidate the use of
certain classes of driver licenses; to amend Section 32-6-2,
Code of Alabama 1975; to prevent certain individuals from
qualifying for certain driver license exemptions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) A driver license of a class issued
exclusively to individuals who did not exercise the option of
providing proof of lawful presence in the United States when
obtaining the license is not valid in this state and does not
authorize the holder to operate a motor vehicle in this state.
(b) A law enforcement officer who stops an individual
driving with a license as described in subsection (a) shall
issue a citation to the individual for driving without a
license pursuant to Section 32-6-18, Code of Alabama 1975.
(c) To facilitate the enforcement of this section and
to aid in providing notice to visitors and the general public
concerning invalid driver licenses, the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency shall do both of the following:
(1) Maintain on its website a statement summarizing
this section.
(2) Design road signage to give notice to drivers
regarding the provisions of this section.
(d) The State Department of Transportation shall
install the signage designed pursuant to subsection (c) in
each location that features a sign welcoming drivers to this
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SB45 INTRODUCED
Page 3
each location that features a sign welcoming drivers to this
state.
Section 2. Section 32-6-2, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§32-6-2
The following persons individuals, when driving a motor
vehicle under the following conditions , are exempt from a the
requirement to obtain a driver license hereunder :
(1) Any person individual in the service of the federal
government while driving an official motor vehicle in such
service ;.
(2) Any person individual while driving any road
machine, farm tractor, or implement of husbandry temporarily
driven or moved on a highway ;.
(3) A nonresident who is at least 16 years of age and
who has in his or her immediate possession a valid driver's
driver license issued in his or her home state or country ;.
This exemption shall not apply if the nonresident's license is
invalid pursuant to Section 1 of the act amending this
section.
(4) Any nonresident who is at least 16 years of age
whose home state or country does not require the licensing of
drivers for a period of not more than 90 days in any calendar
year, if the motor vehicle so driven is duly registered in the
home state or country of such nonresident. "
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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