The Alabama Department of Public Safety (DPS) notes that the following persons may drive a motor vehicle upon the streets or highways in Alabama without an Alabama driver license:
- Any person in the employ or service of the United States Federal Government while driving or operating a motor vehicle owned or leased by the United States Federal Government.
- Any person while driving any farm tractor or implement of husbandry temporarily operated or moved on the highway.
- A non-resident at least 16 years old who has in his immediate possession a valid driver license issued to him in his home state or country. This includes military personnel from other states and their families stationed in Alabama, even though their assignment in Alabama may be of long duration.
- A non-resident at least 16 years old whose home country does not require licensing of drivers may operate a motor vehicle as a driver of not more than 90 days in any calendar year, if the vehicle operated is duly registered for the current year in the home country of the non-resident.
- A non resident who has a valid driver license from the state of previous residence may drive without an Alabama license for 30 days after becoming a resident of the state.
- Any non-resident full time student, properly enrolled and registered in a school, college, university, or trade school in this state, which holds a valid license from his home state or country.
As you can see from number 3 listed above AL recognized a valid driver's license from a foreign country. So you would need to have a valid driver's license and not just an International Drivers License (IDL) or International Driving Permit (IDP). These types of documents are beneficial to keep with your valid foreign driver's license though since either the IDL or IDP would translate your license into English which would help law enforcement and others that may need to see your driver's license from your home country.
In 1949 UN countries signed an agreement (Convention on International Road Traffic) and in this the international driver’s document was described as a paper document that has to be renewed every year. So an IDP or IDL would need to be renewed after a year. You would need to have this done in your home country since that is where you should have first been issued your IDL. The agency that you obtained the international license from should be able to tell you the renewal procedure. To the best of our knowledge IDLs and IDPs can be renewed.
If you are not just visiting the state of Alabama but staying for a lengthy amount of time you should check with the AL DPS to see how long your foreign license is valid before they require you to exchange it for a State driver's license. You may want to contact them now in fact to get more information about how to legally drive in AL with your foreign license, if getting an IDL or IDP to carry with your foreign license is required, etc.
If you stay in Alabama and get licensed there it will make it easier to purchase and insure a vehicle with the US license. You can get instant car insurance quotes for AL here with us.
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