The ALEA General Release (Form SR-58) is the document the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division uses to record that one party has fully released another from liability for damages from an accident. It is handled by the Safety Responsibility Unit and is signed only when a full release has actually occurred. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF is published by ALEA at alea.gov.
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What is SR-58?
General Release (Form SR-58) is the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License Division form in which a party to a motor vehicle accident releases and forever discharges another party from all claims and causes of action arising from damages in that accident.
ALEA's driver license forms page describes it this way: if you have completely reimbursed the other party involved in the accident, this form releases you from any further liability. The form says it is to be executed only when a full release from liability has occurred, and it states that the release cannot be canceled.
By signing, the party giving the release also agrees that the release may be used by the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Unit in administering any provision of the Alabama Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act 704, of 1951. The form is returned to the Safety Responsibility Unit and identifies the accident by case number, date and county.
The release must be either notarized or properly witnessed by two people. If the notarized release comes from the claimant's insurance company, a subrogation or proof of loss must be furnished.
Do not confuse it with the Conditional Release (SR-59), which ALEA describes for people who are still making payments for damages they caused. The General Release is for a completed, full release.
Who needs to file SR-58?
The main group is the party who is giving the release: the person or insurer that has been fully compensated for accident damages and signs to discharge the other party. The other party, who has completely reimbursed the claimant, relies on the signed form to be released from further liability, as ALEA's forms page explains.
Conditions printed on the form:
- It is to be executed only when a full release from liability has occurred.
- If the notarized release is obtained from the claimant's insurance company, a subrogation or proof of loss must be furnished.
- If it is not notarized, two witnesses are needed. Each must be over eighteen and must not be one of the two parties negotiating the release, and each witness's address must be furnished.
Do not use this form if payments for the damages are still being made. ALEA points to the Conditional Release (SR-59) for people making payments to avoid suspension of a driver license. The form does not say who may sign on behalf of another person.
When to file SR-58
Sign and send Form SR-58 only after a full release from liability has occurred, meaning the other party has been completely reimbursed for the accident damages. The form prints no separate due date.
Because the form states that the release cannot be canceled, wait until the settlement is complete before anyone signs. If payments are still being made, ALEA's forms page points to a different document, the Conditional Release (SR-59), rather than this one.
Documents you need
- A subrogation or proof of loss, furnished with the release only when the notarized release is obtained from the insurance company of the claimant.
How to fill out SR-58
Enter the accident details
In the top block, write the ACCIDENT CASE NUMBER, the DATE OF ACCIDENT and the COUNTY OF ACCIDENT.
Name the party being released
In the release text, enter the name of the party who is being released and discharged from all claims and causes of action.
Describe where and when it happened
Complete the sentence that begins "an accident which occurred at" with the location, then the date it occurred "on or about" and the year.
Date the release
Next to Dated, enter the day, month and year the release is signed.
Sign as the party giving release
The party giving the release signs on the line labeled Signature of Party Giving Release. Sign only if a full release has occurred, since it cannot be canceled.
Complete the witness section
If the release is not notarized, WITNESS 1 and WITNESS 2 each enter name, address, and city, state and ZIP code. Each must be over eighteen and not one of the two parties negotiating the release.
Have a notary complete the jurat
If the release is notarized, the notary completes the Sworn to and subscribed before me section with the day and month, signs as Notary Public and enters the date My Commission Expires.
Review and download the PDF
Check the accident details, signatures and addresses, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and mail it as described under How to submit.
How to submit SR-58
Form SR-58 is returned by mail to the address printed at the top of the form: Driver License Division, Safety Responsibility Unit, PO Box 1471, Montgomery AL 36102-1471. The form names no other channel.
Before you send it, check that:
- the accident case number, date of accident and county of accident are entered;
- the party giving the release has signed and dated it;
- either a notary has completed the sworn-to-and-subscribed section, or two witnesses over eighteen, other than the two parties negotiating the release, have signed with their addresses;
- a subrogation or proof of loss is included if the notarized release was obtained from the claimant's insurance company.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channel above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the release before the other party has been completely reimbursed; the form is to be executed only when a full release from liability has occurred.
- Expecting to withdraw the release later; the form states that it cannot be canceled.
- Using Form SR-58 while payments are still being made, when ALEA points to the Conditional Release (SR-59) for that situation.
- Using a witness who is under eighteen, or who is one of the two parties negotiating the release.
- Leaving out the witnesses' addresses; the form says the address of each witness must be furnished.
- Sending a notarized release from the claimant's insurance company without a subrogation or proof of loss.
- Skipping both the notary section and the two witnesses; an unwitnessed release must be notarized.
- Mailing the release somewhere other than the Safety Responsibility Unit, PO Box 1471, Montgomery AL 36102-1471.
Frequently asked questions
What is the General Release (SR-58) used for?
Form SR-58 records a full release from liability after an accident. ALEA says that if you have completely reimbursed the other party involved, the form releases you from any further liability. It is returned to the Safety Responsibility Unit of the Driver License Division.
Does a general release have to be notarized?
No, if it is properly witnessed. The form says it need not be notarized when two persons over eighteen, other than the two parties negotiating the release, witness it and their addresses are furnished. Otherwise a notary must complete the sworn-to-and-subscribed section.
Can a general release be canceled?
No. The form states that this release cannot be canceled. For that reason it is to be executed only when a full release from liability has occurred, not while the other party is still owed payments.
Where do I mail Form SR-58?
Mail it to Driver License Division, Safety Responsibility Unit, PO Box 1471, Montgomery AL 36102-1471, the return address printed on the form. The form names no other submission channel.
What if the release comes from the claimant's insurance company?
If the notarized release is obtained from the claimant's insurance company, a subrogation or proof of loss must be furnished with it, as the form states.
What is the difference between SR-58 and SR-59?
SR-58 is the General Release, used when the other party has been completely reimbursed. SR-59 is the Conditional Release, which ALEA describes for people who are still making payments for damages from a traffic accident to avoid a driver license suspension.
Can I fill out the general release online?
Yes, you can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the release with ALEA; you mail it to the Safety Responsibility Unit yourself.
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