DUI and DWI Programs in Alabama

What DUI program does Alabama require, and who oversees it?

Alabama requires the Court Referral Education Program (CREP) for people convicted of DUI, with the Administrative Office of Courts deciding which programs count. Code of Alabama 32-5A-191(k) makes two steps mandatory before license reinstatement: an evaluation by a Court Referral Officer and completion of an accepted program.

Education courses and Level 3 treatment are delivered by programs certified by the Alabama Department of Mental Health or by the Joint Commission. An education course and clinical treatment are different things: education teaches about alcohol, drugs and driving, while treatment addresses a substance use disorder with counseling and, where needed, medication.

The officer’s evaluation sets the referral level. Level 1 is DUI education of at least 12 hours, Level 2 adds self-help meetings to at least 24 hours of education, and Level 3 means clinical care, which can be outpatient treatment, an intensive outpatient program or a residential stay depending on need.

Online courses count only if the judge and the Court Referral Officer handling your case accept them, so check before paying for one. Treatment after a Level 3 referral may be paid by private insurance or Alabama Medicaid, though the state has not expanded Medicaid and fewer adults qualify than in many states.

How does the Court Referral Officer evaluation decide your level in Alabama?

A Court Referral Officer evaluates each person after a DUI conviction and uses the results to refer them to Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. The evaluation looks at alcohol and drug use and related history.

A Level 3 referral means clinical care rather than a classroom course. Depending on need, that care can be outpatient treatment, an intensive outpatient program, or residential care. Some programs also offer medication for alcohol use disorder or opioid use disorder. A judge can also order treatment as part of a sentence; court-ordered rehab in Alabama covers that route.

Listed DUI and DWI providers in Alabama are split evenly between towns and rural areas, and Jasper appears more often than any other town. Nine in ten sit within 25 miles of a river, a median of 9.4 miles away. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International is the nearest major airport for half of them, and the median distance to the closest airport is 36.1 miles. People in outlying counties may need to plan for longer trips to weekly sessions.

Can you complete an Alabama DUI program online?

Whether an online or virtual course counts in Alabama is up to the court and the Court Referral Officer handling the case, so ask before you pay for one. A course that a court or referral office does not accept may not count toward reinstatement.

Treatment is a separate question from the education course. The ADMH billing manual for substance use services recognizes both audio-visual and audio-only telehealth. Some Level 3 counseling may therefore be available remotely. Telehealth listings in Alabama show which providers report it.

How do you pay for a DUI program or court-ordered treatment in Alabama?

Ask the Court Referral Officer or the program for the current course fee, because education courses are paid for differently from clinical treatment. Treatment after a Level 3 referral may be covered by private insurance or by Medicaid. In Alabama, Medicaid is run by the Alabama Medicaid Agency, and ADMH-certified providers bill it directly. Alabama has not expanded Medicaid, so fewer adults qualify than in many states.

People without coverage can look at state-funded programs supported through ADMH, or at sliding fee scales. Pregnant women have priority admission at certified providers. Women’s programs charge no admission fees to pregnant women or to women with dependent children. Providers offering Spanish-language services are also listed.

What happens after you finish, and how do you get your license back?

Completing the referred program is one of the conditions for Alabama license reinstatement after a DUI conviction. Make sure the program reports your completion to the court or referral office. Ask the court about any other conditions it sets, which can include an ignition interlock requirement, and ask the state’s driver licensing office what it needs from you.

What to bring when you contact a provider

Have your court paperwork, your evaluation results and your referral level ready, along with any deadline the court gave you. Ask the intake staff how proof of completion is sent and to whom. Also ask which payment types the program takes.

Where to get help now

Alabama’s ADMH 24/7 Helpline, 844-307-1760, is run by the peer recovery group R.O.S.S. The national treatment referral line is 1-800-662-4357, and 988 offers crisis support by call or text.

Listings draw on government treatment registers, state licensing records, accreditor listings and information that providers send in themselves. For other care types, start from the Alabama treatment page.