**Acquiring a Driver's License in Alabama**

*Tracy Wilson*

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**Required State Driver's Tests for First-Time Applicants:**

**Written Test**

1. The written test is given to first-time license applicants Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., with lunch from 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. The testing fee is $50.00 each time you test. You will be required to show two forms of identification before testing. Birth certificates and Social Security cards are acceptable forms of identification.

2. The questions on the test are multiple choice and are derived from the state driver’s manual. You should read the manual thoroughly before attempting the written test. The questions at the end of each section in the manual are similar to those on the test. You will be asked specific questions concerning traffic laws, road signs, traffic signals, and road markings. Please be advised that if you are seeking an endorsement for classifications other than passenger cars and trucks, you will be required to take a supplemental test for each classification. This includes licenses to operate motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, motor homes, or boats. A score of 75% must be achieved on the written test before applicants will be eligible to attempt the road test.

**Road Test**

3. The road test will allow potential licensees to demonstrate driving ability in their personal vehicle on a route assigned by the test examiner at that time. The license plates, registration, and insurance on the vehicle must be current. Vehicles not meeting this requirement will not be permitted for use on the road test. The vehicle must be driven to the test site by a licensed driver.

4. Documentation must be provided from a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist, or vision specialist stating that the applicant’s visual acuity is at least 20/40 with or without corrective lenses. Applicants with visual acuity between 21/40 and 20/70 may be restricted to drive during daylight hours only.

5. All traffic laws must be obeyed during the duration of the route in order to earn a passing score. Additionally, you will be asked to demonstrate the correct use of all operational and safety features on the vehicle, including the following: rear-view mirrors, side mirrors, emergency flashers, and parking brakes.

6. Applicants must earn a passing score of 75% on both the written test and road test in order to be issued a driver's license.

7. For further information on the State Driving Tests, you may contact the Office of Public Safety at 1-800-677-9000 extension 109.

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**Question**

Which statement best summarizes the passage?

**Responses**

A. You will need to know how to use the vehicle's safety features during the road test.

B. Licenses to operate motorcycles, motor homes, and all-terrain vehicles require supplemental tests.

C. You should obey all traffic laws when you operate a vehicle.

D. Driver's licenses are not a right; they are a privilege.

E. To acquire a driver's license, you must have adequate vision and pass a written test and a road test.