Alabama Senate Approves Digital Driver’s License

Written by Brent Wilson on March 11, 2026

The Alabama Senate voted 35-0 on Tuesday to approve HB110, a bill that would let residents obtain a digital driver’s license or nondriver identification card from the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency in addition to the physical card they already receive.

The bill would add a $15 fee for the digital version and would take effect Oct. 1, 2026. Senators adopted a committee amendment before final passage, so the bill now returns to the House for a concurrence vote on the Senate changes before it can be sent to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB110, sponsored by Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Bessemer, would require ALEA to offer the digital credential as an option alongside a physical license or ID card. A person who chooses the digital version could display it through an ALEA-approved method on a mobile device.

Under the bill, the digital license or ID would carry the same information shown on the physical card, including a barcode or similar feature. Drivers could use the digital license in place of carrying the physical card while operating a vehicle, and courts and other public officials would have to recognize it as equal to the physical version in situations covered by the law.

The bill also sets limits on how the digital credential could be used. It says a digital driver’s license or digital nondriver ID could not serve as a voter photo ID at the polls, even if the physical card would otherwise qualify.

Lawmakers also included language aimed at how the credential would be shown on a phone. Presenting a digital license would not count as giving consent for an officer or official to look through other content on the device.

ALEA would be responsible for setting up the system and applying security standards to protect both the credential and the holder’s privacy. The agency could also adopt rules to carry out the program.

The House first passed the bill on Jan. 27 with only three no votes. Reps. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, Ben Harrison, R-Athens, and Arnold Mooney, R-Birmingham, voted against it, according to the House record.

After moving to the Senate, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs. That committee approved an amendment on Feb. 4 and sent the bill to the Senate calendar, where it received a third reading and final passage on March 10.

Digital licenses have become more common in some states as motor vehicle agencies add mobile options for identification and license display. HB110 would place Alabama within that framework while keeping the physical card as the standard credential and making the digital version optional for residents who want it.

For drivers, the practical change would be the option to carry a state-issued license on a phone instead of relying only on a wallet card. For state and local agencies, the bill would create a duty to treat the digital credential the same as the physical one in covered settings, while leaving election law unchanged.

The next step is in the House, where members must decide whether to accept the Senate amendment. If the House agrees to the change, HB110 would have passed both chambers and would move to the governor for final consideration.