Alabama Eviction Laws
Alabama rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)
The rules in Alabama
| Notice for unpaid rent | Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. A tenant may cure a breach no more than two times in any 12-month period without the landlord's written consent (§ 35-9A-421(d)). Last amended by Act 2018-473. Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b) |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | For a material noncompliance, the landlord gives written notice describing the breach. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after receipt unless the tenant remedies the breach first. Some acts are noncurable and allow termination on a 7-day notice: illegal drugs, illegal firearm use or discharge, criminal assault on the premises, a repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months, and intentional misrepresentation of a material fact in the application. Some county court pages (e.g., Montgomery's 2007 guidelines) still list a 14-day notice for non-rent violations. The current statute text says 7 business days. Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d) |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Self-help eviction is prohibited. A landlord may not take possession, including by interrupting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential service, except after abandonment or surrender or as the Act permits. A tenant who is unlawfully removed, excluded, or has services cut off may recover possession or terminate the lease. In either case the tenant recovers the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. |
How an eviction case works in Alabama
Eviction cases are heard in: District Court of the county where the property is located (circuit court also has jurisdiction according to its established jurisdiction).
- Landlord delivers a written notice to terminate: 7 business days for nonpayment or curable lease violations (§ 35-9A-421), or 30 days to end a month-to-month tenancy (§ 35-9A-441)
- Landlord files an unlawful detainer (eviction) complaint in district court
- Service: personal service first; otherwise delivery to an adult resident, or posting on the door plus first-class mailing by the close of the next business day
- Tenant files an answer within 7 calendar days after service (weekends and holidays count; if the last day falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day); if no answer, landlord may seek default judgment on possession
- Judgment; either party may appeal to circuit court within 7 days of entry, and the tenant must pay rent into court to stay the writ
- Writ of possession issues on landlord's application after the 7-day automatic stay
- Writ executed by the sheriff/constable
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Alabama — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Jefferson County (Birmingham, Bessemer)
- Mobile County (Mobile)
- Madison County (Huntsville)
- Montgomery County (Montgomery)
- Tuscaloosa County (Tuscaloosa)
- Lee County
- Baldwin County
- Shelby County
- Houston County
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Alabama vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b) | For a material noncompliance, the landlord gives written notice describing the breach. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after receipt unless the tenant remedies the breach first. Some acts are noncurable and allow termination on a 7-day notice: illegal drugs, illegal firearm use or discharge, criminal assault on the premises, a repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months, and intentional misrepresentation of a material fact in the application. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d) | Self-help eviction is prohibited. A landlord may not take possession, including by interrupting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential service, except after abandonment or surrender or as the Act permits. A tenant who is unlawfully removed, excluded, or has services cut off may recover possession or terminate the lease. In either case the tenant recovers the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407 |
| Florida | 3-day written notice to pay or vacate, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and court-observed legal holidays, substantially in the statutory form. Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) | Curable violations: 7-day notice to cure (repeat within 12 months allows eviction without another chance). Non-curable violations (e.g., intentional damage, continued unreasonable disturbance, and, from October 1, 2026, fraudulent entry of the unit using false identity statements, forged documents or impersonation): 7-day notice to vacate with no cure. Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2); § 817.537; ch. 2026-143, Laws of Fla. | Landlord may not interrupt utilities (water, heat, light, electricity, gas, elevator, garbage, refrigeration), change locks or use a bootlock, remove doors/windows/locks, or remove the tenant's property except after surrender, abandonment, or lawful eviction. Tenant recovers the greater of actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, plus costs and attorney's fees. Fla. Stat. § 83.67 |
| Georgia | Before filing a dispossessory affidavit for unpaid rent, late fees, utilities, or other charges, the landlord must give the tenant a notice to vacate or pay all past-due amounts within three business days. The notice must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property AND delivered by any additional method(s) agreed upon in the rental agreement. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392) | No statutory cure period. Landlord must demand possession before filing for eviction, and lease notice terms must be followed. For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the demand for possession must be posted in a sealed envelope conspicuously on the door of the property and also delivered by any additional method agreed in the lease. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(a), (d) (as amended by HB 404, 2024) | Self-help eviction is illegal: landlord cannot remove a tenant or block access without the court dispossessory process. A landlord may not knowingly and willfully suspend a tenant's utility service before the final disposition of a dispossessory case the landlord has filed against that tenant; 'utilities' means cooling, heat, light, and water service. Violation is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $500. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-14.1 (definition amended by HB 404, 2024); Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), pp. 7, 12, 17 |
| Mississippi | 3 days. The landlord may give written notice (or email/text, if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way) that the rental agreement will end if the rent is not paid within three days. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(5)(a) | 14 days to cure. The written notice must describe the breach and say the agreement will end on a date at least 14 days after the tenant receives it unless the breach is fixed within a reasonable time of no more than 14 days. If substantially the same breach happens again within 6 months, the agreement can be ended on at least 14 days' written notice with no chance to cure. No notice at all is required for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13(3), 89-8-19(4) | The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no express ban on self-help lockouts or utility shutoffs and no damages remedy for them. The Act provides a court eviction process (§§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-39), and only a sheriff or constable may remove the tenant, under a warrant of removal issued after the move-out date. Since 2025, posting the warrant on the door does not count as executing it; law enforcement must remove the occupants. New in 2026: HB 1404 (approved March 25, 2026) makes it a crime to knowingly fail to apply tenant money collected under a lease for utilities to the utility bill within 60 days of receiving the bill. Penalties run from up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine, up to 20 years or a $50,000 fine, depending on the amount, plus restitution. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-31, 89-8-39(2) (as amended by Laws 2025, ch. 460); 2026 HB 1404 (Code section not yet assigned in the sources reviewed) |
| Tennessee | 14 days. URLTA counties: written notice that the lease will end unless the rent is paid within 14 days after the tenant receives the notice. The tenant can cure by paying. Notice may be waived only by a waiver in 12-point or larger bold type in the lease, and the 5-day late-fee grace period still applies. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days' notice for rent that is due and in arrears, upon demand. The lease does not end if the tenant pays before the date in the notice. T.C.A. 66-28-505(a)(2), (b); 66-28-201(c); 66-7-109(a) | URLTA counties: (1) a breach that can be fixed by paying money or repairs: 14 days to cure, or the lease ends; (2) any other material breach: termination no less than 14 days after the tenant receives notice; (3) the same breach again within 6 months: 7 days' written notice; (4) violent acts, real and present danger, hazardous or unsanitary conditions, or an unauthorized occupant who refuses to leave: termination 3 days after the tenant receives written notice. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days for damage beyond normal wear and tear (curable) or for violent or dangerous behavior; 30 days for all other lease defaults; 3 days for violent acts, drug-related criminal activity, or dangerous behavior (except tenants who are mentally or physically disabled). T.C.A. 66-28-505(a); 66-28-517(a); 66-7-109(a), (b), (d) | URLTA counties: if a landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant, or willfully cuts essential services required by the lease, the tenant may recover possession or end the lease. In either case the tenant may recover actual damages, punitive damages when appropriate, and reasonable attorney's fees. If the lease ends, the landlord must return all prepaid rent and deposits. All counties: a person may enter and take possession of property only where the law gives a right of entry, and then only peaceably. Entering a home occupied by another and holding it by force, threats or intimidation, removing the occupant's belongings, or entering peaceably and then keeping the occupant out by force or terror is a forcible entry and detainer. Outside URLTA counties, no statute sets a specific damages remedy for a lockout or utility shutoff. T.C.A. 66-28-504; 66-28-517(d); 29-18-101 to 29-18-103 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Alabama rental law
- Alabama Security Deposit Law
- Alabama Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Alabama
- Alabama Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Alabama Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Alabama
- Squatters' Rights in Alabama
- Alabama Rental Fee Rules
- Alabama Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Alabama Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Alabama Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Alabama Landlord Selling the House
- Alabama Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Alabama Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Alabama landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Alabama
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Alabama Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Alabama?
Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b))
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Alabama?
For a material noncompliance, the landlord gives written notice describing the breach. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after receipt unless the tenant remedies the breach first. Some acts are noncurable and allow termination on a 7-day notice: illegal drugs, illegal firearm use or discharge, criminal assault on the premises, a repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months, and intentional misrepresentation of a material fact in the application. (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d))
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Alabama?
Self-help eviction is prohibited. A landlord may not take possession, including by interrupting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential service, except after abandonment or surrender or as the Act permits. A tenant who is unlawfully removed, excluded, or has services cut off may recover possession or terminate the lease. In either case the tenant recovers the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.