MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency this week moved to clear up confusion about which students remain subject to restrictions on obtaining learner’s permits and driver’s licenses under a law commonly called Taylor’s Law.
Legislative proposal did not take effect
ALEA officials said public uncertainty followed action in the 2026 regular legislative session on House Bill 33, which would have reduced an age threshold in the statute governing license eligibility from 19 to 17 years. The bill passed the Alabama House of Representatives but failed to pass the Senate and therefore did not become law.
"ALEA Clarifies Driver License Eligibility Requirements Under Taylor’s Law, Enacted in 2009"
Because HB 33 did not clear the Legislature, ALEA emphasized that no changes to Section 32-6-7.4, Code of Alabama 1975 took effect on Aug. 1, 2026. The agency said it will continue to administer the statute as originally enacted by Act 2009-713.
How Taylor’s Law affects students
Under Taylor’s Law, both public and private secondary schools assign disciplinary points for specific disciplinary actions. Those points can delay when an eligible student may apply for a learner’s permit, driver’s license or other applicable operator credential under Alabama law.
- Disciplinary actions that may carry points include in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension.
- Placement in an alternative school and expulsions also factor into the point totals.
- Local school systems are responsible for maintaining records and reporting applicable disciplinary information.
ALEA’s Driver License Division relies on a certified form — the DL-193 — provided by school officials to determine an applicant’s eligibility. The agency stated it receives eligibility information only through that established process and applies the statutory requirements when deciding if a student may be issued credentials.
What parents and students should know
School administrators and parents should be aware that, despite media coverage and discussion of legislative changes, the eligibility rules remain as they were prior to the 2026 session. That means disciplinary records kept and reported by local education agencies will continue to influence the timing of when young people can secure driving credentials.
School systems and private schools are required to assess disciplinary points as set by law and certify those points on the DL-193 form submitted to the Driver License Division. The agency then determines eligibility "solely by applying the requirements established by Alabama Law," ALEA said.
Statewide implementation and oversight
The clarification highlights the interaction between local school discipline practices and a state-level licensing process. Because the system depends on accurate reporting by schools, parents concerned about disciplinary records should contact their local school system to review how points are assessed and reported.
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| Statute | Section 32-6-7.4, Code of Alabama 1975 (Taylor’s Law) |
| Recent legislative action | House Bill 33 — passed House, not passed by Senate; did not become law |
| Agency administering rules | Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Driver License Division |
| Form used | DL-193 — certified by educational authorities |
Local school officials determine disciplinary point totals and are charged with submitting the DL-193 form to ALEA. The agency then applies the existing statutory framework when determining whether an applicant may be issued a permit or license.
Questions and next steps
ALEA’s statement is meant to forestall misunderstandings that could cause students or families to expect a different eligibility age. Parents and guardians who have questions about a student’s disciplinary record or driver eligibility should:
- Contact their school’s administration to review disciplinary points and record-keeping procedures.
- Ask the school whether a DL-193 has been filed or is pending with ALEA.
- Contact the Driver License Division for clarification about how submitted records affect eligibility.
With legislative sessions ongoing in many states and frequent media coverage of proposed changes, the ALEA clarification serves as a reminder that only enacted law — not proposed bills — governs official eligibility for state-issued licenses.
Information in this report is based on the ALEA press release clarifying the status of Taylor’s Law and the effect of House Bill 33 during the 2026 legislative session.
