Alabama: Do you need an ID to vote?
Alabama requires photo ID; without it, a voter votes provisionally and must show ID by Friday, unless two poll officials identify them.
Accepted IDs include an Alabama driver's license or nondriver ID, a free Alabama photo voter ID card, a U.S. passport, government or college employee and student IDs, and military or tribal IDs. A voter who has no photo ID and is not identified by two election officials casts a provisional ballot, which counts only if photo ID reaches the board of registrars by 5 p.m. on the Friday after the election. Since October 1, 2026, a digital driver's license or nondriver ID cannot be used in place of the physical card as voter ID.
Conditions
- Physical photo ID, or positive identification by two election officials who sign a sworn affidavit
- Without either: provisional ballot, with photo ID due by 5 p.m. the Friday after the election
- Digital driver's licenses and nondriver IDs not accepted as voter ID from Oct. 1, 2026
What the law says
Each elector shall provide valid photo identification to an appropriate election official prior to voting. ... (f) In addition, an individual who does not have valid photo identification in his or her possession at the polls shall be permitted to vote if the individual is positively identified by two election officials as a voter on the poll list who is eligible to vote and the election officials sign a sworn affidavit so stating.
Sources
- Code of Alabama § 17-9-30 (Secretary of State reproduction) Official · sos.alabama.gov
- Alabama Photo Voter ID Guide 2026 (Secretary of State, Sept. 2025) Official · sos.alabama.gov
- HB 110 (2026 Regular Session), enrolled: digital licenses not valid as voter ID Official · alison.legislature.state.al.us
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Alabama Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Phone
- 334-242-7210
- Website
- sos.alabama.gov
How bordering states compare
- Florida Photo ID requestedFlorida asks for photo ID; a voter without it votes provisionally, and the ballot counts without further steps if the voter is eligible.
- Georgia Photo ID requiredGeorgia requires photo ID; a voter without it casts a provisional ballot that counts only if ID is shown within three days.
- Mississippi Photo ID requiredMississippi requires photo ID at the polls. A voter without one votes an affidavit ballot and has five business days to show ID.
- Tennessee Photo ID requiredTennessee requires a government photo ID to vote in person; without one, the vote counts only if ID is shown within two business days.