The smartest thing for all trans people to do is to get a passport with the correct gender marker. That is federal. It is easy to get changed. All you need is a letter from a medical physician (your HRT physician, for example), that you have been treated for Gender Dysphoria. You don't need to have had any medical surgeries for this. It only needs to say you have been/are being treated for gender dysphoria. Then always carry the passport with you.
https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...on/gender.html
You can also just get a passport card, but it can't be used for international air travel and you can only get into Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and I think the Carribean. But, it fits nice and easy in your wallet.
https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html
Driver license gender marker change depends on the state. In my state it is a simple paper that I can fill out and sign in literally 5 minutes for my clients.
I looked up North Carolina. It looks like you have to have had surgery in order to get you gender marker changed on your license. What they talk about though is what it says on your birth cert. Who carries THAT around? Fortunately, in NC, if you get surgery and get your birth cert changed, the original is sealed, which means your birth name/gender will not be on the document. I looked up Alabama, since that is what this thread is about, and your birth cert will only be amended.
So...in sum, get a passport and carry it with you. It will be good for everything.