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Alabama

Alabama Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for Alabama.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in Alabama

Sources last checked July 2026

Alabama caps security deposits at one month's rent, though a landlord may add separate deposits for pets or activities that raise the landlord's liability risk, under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. A landlord who misses the 60-day deadline to return the deposit owes double the original amount. Nonpayment or lease-violation eviction requires 7 business days' written notice, with no tenant allowed to cure the same breach more than twice in a 12-month period, and Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1 bars any Alabama city or county from enacting rent control.

  • 7 business-day notice required before eviction for nonpayment of rent
  • 30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
  • No rent control — no statutory cap on rent increases
  • 30-day advance written notice required for rent increases
  • Security deposits capped at 1.0× monthly rent
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Security Deposit Limits

Security Deposit Limits

What is the security deposit limit in Alabama?

A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit exceeding one month's periodic rent. Additional deposits for pets, tenant alterations to the premises, or activities creating increased liability risks to the landlord are permitted beyond the one-month cap. The landlord must return the deposit with an itemized written statement within 60 days after the tenancy ends and possession is returned. Failure to comply within 60 days entitles the tenant to double the original deposit amount.

Ala. Code § 35-9A-201

Eviction Notice Requirements

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in Alabama?

For nonpayment of rent, a landlord must provide written notice specifying the rent owed and that the tenancy will terminate in not less than 7 business days if not remedied. For material lease violations or noncompliance affecting health and safety, written notice must specify the breach and state the tenancy will terminate in not less than 7 days; if the breach is curable, the tenant may remedy it within 7 days. For uncurable breaches such as criminal activity (drug manufacturing, weapon discharge, assault on the property), the landlord may issue a 7-day unconditional notice to vacate. No tenant may cure the same breach more than twice in any 12-month period. A 30-day notice is required to terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause.

Ala. Code § 35-9A-421

Rent Increase Notice Periods

Rent Increase Notice Periods

How much notice is required for rent increases in Alabama?

Alabama does not prescribe a specific statutory notice period for rent increases under its Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; a rent increase is treated as a modification of the rental agreement. For month-to-month tenancies the applicable standard is the 30 days written notice required to terminate under Ala. Code § 35-9A-441(b) ("at least 30 days before the periodic rental date"), so 30 days is the effective notice period before an increase takes effect. Rent may not be increased during a fixed-term lease. Ala. Code § 35-9A-501 separately prohibits a landlord from retaliating against a tenant — including by a discriminatory rent increase — because the tenant complained to a government agency, complained to the landlord of a violation, or joined a tenant organization; the statute sets no fixed time window for that protection.

Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-441(b), 35-9A-501

Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Is there rent control in Alabama?

Alabama has no statewide rent control law and expressly prohibits any local governmental unit — including counties, cities, and towns — from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance or resolution that controls the amount of rent charged for leasing private property. This statewide preemption is codified at Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1. Landlords may raise rent to any amount, provided proper notice is given and the increase is not retaliatory or discriminatory.

Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1

Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

What is the move-out notice requirement in Alabama?

Either a landlord or a tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by giving written notice to the other party at least 30 days before the next periodic rental date specified in the notice. For week-to-week tenancies, at least 7 days written notice is required. Fixed-term leases expire at the end of the lease period without requiring additional notice unless the lease provides otherwise. No additional move-out notice is required beyond the eviction notice if the landlord initiates a for-cause termination.

Ala. Code § 35-9A-441

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