MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Driver License Division is expanding once again, opening the second new office since the Agency’s inception on Jan. 1, 2015, while simultaneously adding the third Shelby County location.
ALEA’s newest Driver License Examining Office opened at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 15, with a ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Shelby County 280 Service Center on U.S. 280, which will be considered a “one-stop” for a variety of public services in northern Shelby County.
ALEA Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Colonel Jimmy Helms said, “This is truly a remarkable day for ALEA’s Driver License Division. This new location marks another important milestone as it will be the second new office opened in ALEA’s history. As the leader of DPS, it is my top priority to execute Secretary Hal Taylor’s vision to ensure this Agency continues to focus on new initiatives and ways to enhance and better serve the citizens of our state. Employees within the Driver License Division continuously strive to provide quality service while simultaneously expanding our facilities in an effort to serve more customers with convenience at the forefront of every improvement made.”
The new Shelby County office, at 19220 U.S. 280, in Birmingham, comes approximately 15 months after ALEA opened its first new office in August of 2020 in Madison County.
Attending the ribbon cutting Monday with Colonel Helms were Shelby County Chief Operating Officer Phil Burns and Shelby County Supervisor of License Operations Bill Glass, all of whom played an integral role in turning ALEA’s Driver License Division’s vision of a new space into a reality. More than two years in the making, ALEA’s partnership with Shelby County first began in June 2019, when county officials approached ALEA’s leadership about including a new Driver License Examining Office in the county’s new one-stop service center. Not only did the county agree to provide office space designed specifically for the Driver License Division, but they also vowed to provide all the necessary equipment for four staff members. The equipment eventually will be replaced as ALEA prepares to launch its new state-of-the-art driver license system in April 2022.
ALEA Driver License Division Chief Jonathan Archer said more details on the new system will be released within the coming months, but he is eager to see the positive impact the new office will have on the public. “Our new Shelby County office will significantly reduce wait times at other nearby locations and better accommodate the needs of customers who live in the service center area,” he said.
Shelby County 280 Service Center’s Driver License location will offer knowledge tests, road skills tests, STAR ID issuance, driver license renewals and more, however, the public will need to visit a different location for CDL skills testing and driver license reinstatement. ALEA’s other two Shelby County Driver License Examining Offices are in Pelham and Columbiana.
For additional information, including office hours and addresses, as well as information on scheduling appointments, visit https://www.alea.gov/dps/driver-license.
