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How to become a truck driver in Alabama
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: a first CDL starts with a commercial learner's permit, held at least 14 days before testing for the CDL and valid 360 days; federal Entry-Level Driver Training applies to first-time Class A or B applicants; and every CDL holder self-certifies the type of commercial operation, with a DOT medical card on file for Non-Excepted Interstate drivers. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Alabama earned a median $52,120 a year in May 2025 ($25.06 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Alabama
The licensing authority is Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division. The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | Required before a first CDL or an upgrade. Bring your current driver license, Social Security card and two proofs of principal residence; testing fee $25 and $36.25 for the commercial learner license. The permit is valid 360 days and cannot be renewed (after it expires, all written tests are retaken); hold it at least 14 days before testing for the CDL. | — | CDL written (knowledge) tests | $61.25 |
| Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT, federal) | Since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B CDL applicants (and Class B holders upgrading to Class A) must complete the training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before taking the skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | Complete Entry-Level Driver Training where the federal rule applies (first-time Class A or B applicants), then the skills test, by appointment ($20), with proof of insurance; self-certify the type of commercial operation, and a Non-Excepted Interstate driver needs a medical certification on file, which the medical examiner submits to FMCSA. Class A license $66.25. | — | CDL skills test | $86.25 |
Licensing sources: ALEA: CDL frequently asked questions (retrieved 2026-09-24) · ALEA: document requirements and fees (retrieved 2026-09-24) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-24) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Driver License Division before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver in Alabama?
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: a first CDL starts with a commercial learner's permit, held at least 14 days before testing for the CDL and valid 360 days; federal Entry-Level Driver Training applies to first-time Class A or B applicants; and every CDL holder self-certifies the type of commercial operation, with a DOT medical card on file for Non-Excepted Interstate drivers.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Alabama?
The published fees in the table above run from $61.25 to $86.25 depending on the tier. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become a truck driver in Alabama?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do truck drivers make in Alabama?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Alabama earned a median $52,120 a year in May 2025, $25.06 an hour. That median is 11% below the national figure of $58,640, and Alabama ranks 43 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in Alabama?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Alabama under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 359 apprentices started, at a median $18.00 an hour across the 359 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 49 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs. Wages are in that year's dollars.
What truck drivers earn in Alabama
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Alabama earned a median $52,120 a year in May 2025, $25.06 an hour. 36,650 people held the job, 17.3 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 11% below the national figure of $58,640, and Alabama ranks 43 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Alabama
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.39 | $38,240 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $21.46 | $44,640 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $25.06 | $52,120 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $31.19 | $64,870 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $37.32 | $77,620 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $27.03 | $56,230 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Alabama
Birmingham, AL employs the most truck drivers of the 12 metro areas based in Alabama that BLS publishes, 9,170, at a median $54,460 a year. The best-paid is Dothan, AL at $61,900.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 9,170 | $54,460 | $38,370 | $77,460 |
| Mobile, AL | 3,510 | $51,010 | $37,960 | $75,980 |
| Huntsville, AL | 2,570 | $56,690 | $38,240 | $78,160 |
| Montgomery, AL | 2,540 | $54,860 | $37,340 | $81,280 |
| Dothan, AL | 1,640 | $61,900 | $38,550 | $74,820 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 1,440 | $50,190 | $38,220 | $75,350 |
| Decatur, AL | 1,420 | $59,390 | $41,920 | $80,170 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 1,090 | $49,210 | $38,830 | $78,020 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 990 | $47,560 | $36,810 | $74,350 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 830 | $48,140 | $35,680 | $71,550 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | 680 | $50,550 | $38,430 | $71,200 |
| Gadsden, AL | 540 | $54,410 | $37,350 | $73,290 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into Alabama: Columbus, GA-AL.
Alabama against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Texas | $56,290 | 209,680 |
| 41 | Missouri | $54,550 | 47,760 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $54,410 | 27,840 |
| 43 | Alabama | $52,120 | 36,650 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $51,820 | 24,160 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $51,550 | 32,220 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $51,530 | 62,400 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $52,120 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $25.06 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $38,240 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $77,620 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 36,650 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Alabama
U.S. Department of Labor records list 302 registered apprentices active in Alabama in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 359 apprentices started, at a median $18.00 an hour across the 359 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 49 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Alabama
Electricians ($55,690) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($58,670) · HVAC technicians ($48,370) · Welders ($48,490) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($92,030) · Elevator installers ($103,700) · Ironworkers ($56,640) · Sheet metal workers ($47,530) · Carpenters ($48,220) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($49,710) · Auto service technicians ($45,640) · Diesel mechanics ($50,470) · Heavy equipment operators ($47,520) · Machinists ($55,560)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Alabama.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.