Alabama Landlord Guide — Get Your Action Plan in 60 Seconds

Tenant behind on rent? Damage beyond wear and tear? Holding over after the lease ended? Describe the situation in your own words and get a plain-English breakdown, severity rating, step-by-step next steps, and ready-to-send notices — specific to Alabama law.

Alabama landlord law, at a glance

• Security deposit: you must return it within 60 days of move-out, with an itemized statement for deductions.
• Tenant entry: Landlords must generally give 48-hour notice before entering, except in emergencies.
• Eviction: you must go through the courts. Self-help eviction is illegal.

Under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, landlords have 60 days after termination of tenancy and delivery of possession to return the deposit with an itemized list of deductions; a missed deadline exposes the landlord to up to double the amount wrongfully withheld. Alabama has no statutory minimum entry-notice number — the statute requires only 'reasonable' notice, which courts and practice universally treat as 48 hours. There is no statutory rent grace period, so late fees can be assessed from the due date, though the landlord must give 7 business days' written notice to pay before filing for nonpayment. Self-help eviction (lockouts, utility shutoffs) is illegal under § 35-9A-407, which can yield up to three months' rent or actual damages plus attorney's fees.

Free legal help in Alabama

• Legal Services Alabama — (866) 456-4995 — Statewide free civil legal aid — eviction, foreclosure, housing discrimination, repairs.
• LawHelp Alabama — State legal-aid directory with eviction, fair-housing, and landlord-tenant topics.
• Call or text 211 for free local referrals.

Common questions