If You Get a Ticket in Alabama
Please note that your state and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regularly update these CDL requirements. Please visit the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License website and the FMCSA website for the most authoritative and up-to-date information regarding CDL requirements and processes.
In Alabama, traffic violations committed in your personal vehicle may also affect your CDL driving record. If your license is revoked or suspended for any reason while driving your personal vehicle, your CDL will also be suspended. The length of time of the suspension will depend on the severity of the violation. Excessive speeding violations result in a suspension of 60-120 days, and alcohol violations result in a suspension of one year. Regardless of the type of traffic violation you are charged with, whether in your commercial or personal vehicle, you are required by law to report it to your employer within 30 days.
Your commercial driver’s license can be suspended for varying lengths of time based on the number of points you accumulate on your record within a 2-year period. The more points a driver accumulates within a 2-year period, the longer the suspension. Current Alabama suspension times are:
- 0-day suspension for 12-14 points
- 90-day suspension for 15-17 points
- 120-day suspension for 18-20 points
- 180-day suspension for 21-23 points
- 1-year suspension for 24 points or more
Traffic convictions that are over two years old lose their point count toward suspensions but remain on your driving record.
Remember, the most important thing to remember when you receive a ticket is that you should never just pay the ticket or the court fees without first talking to a legal representative who understands trucking laws. While you want to maintain a clean driving record, unforeseen violations can happen. When they do, you need expert legal protection. Drivers Legal Plan, the Nation's Leading CDL Defense Law Firm, is ready to defend your rights and your career.