Alabama Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
Alabama rules on privacy, guests & animals for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No landlord-specific statute. General criminal laws apply: using a device to overhear or record private communications without the consent of at least one party is criminal eavesdropping (Class A misdemeanor); Ala. Code §§ 13A-11-30 to 13A-11-33, 13A-11-41, 13A-11-42; § 35-9A-303
The rules in Alabama
| Cameras & privacy | No landlord-specific statute. General criminal laws apply: using a device to overhear or record private communications without the consent of at least one party is criminal eavesdropping (Class A misdemeanor); installing an eavesdropping device in a private place without permission of the owner and any tenant is a Class C felony; secret surveillance while trespassing in a private place is a crime; and photographing or filming a person's intimate areas without consent where they expect privacy is voyeurism. A landlord may enter only as allowed by § 35-9A-303 (generally 2 days' notice, or emergency) and may not use the right of access to harass the tenant. Video of common areas open to the public is not covered by the 'private place' definition. |
|---|---|
| Guests & occupants | No statute — lease governs. Alabama law sets no guest-versus-tenant rule, state occupancy limit, or roommate right. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so they do not disturb the neighbors, and the tenant is responsible for damage guests cause. Local building and housing codes may set occupancy limits. Federal and state fair housing laws limit occupancy rules that discriminate against families with children. |
| Service & support animals (state law) | Alabama's Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act lets a landlord with a no-animals policy ask for reliable documentation, from the person's medical provider, of a disability and the disability-related need for an assistance animal, but only when these are not readily apparent or known. Documentation must be kept confidential. Misrepresenting a disability or need, making false statements to obtain documentation, creating or providing false documents, or putting a vest or sign on a pet to pass it off as an assistance or service animal is punishable by a $500 civil penalty or a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense, and a Class B misdemeanor after that. A tenant may not be charged extra for a service animal but is liable for damage it causes; the landlord may ask for proof of vaccinations. Enacted by Act 2018-235; § 21-7-9 amended by Act 2019-478. 'Assistance animal' includes an emotional support animal that qualifies as a reasonable accommodation under the federal Fair Housing Act. |
Related questions
- Can a landlord put cameras in or around a rental?
- Can a landlord limit overnight guests or roommates?
- Can a landlord deny a service or emotional support animal?
Alabama vs. neighboring states
| State | Cameras & privacy | Guests & occupants | Service & support animals (state law) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No landlord-specific statute. General criminal laws apply: using a device to overhear or record private communications without the consent of at least one party is criminal eavesdropping (Class A misdemeanor); installing an eavesdropping device in a private place without permission of the owner and any tenant is a Class C felony; secret surveillance while trespassing in a private place is a crime; and photographing or filming a person's intimate areas without consent where they expect privacy is voyeurism. Ala. Code §§ 13A-11-30 to 13A-11-33, 13A-11-41, 13A-11-42; § 35-9A-303 | No statute — lease governs. Alabama law sets no guest-versus-tenant rule, state occupancy limit, or roommate right. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so they do not disturb the neighbors, and the tenant is responsible for damage guests cause. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-301(6)-(7), 35-9A-204(f) | Alabama's Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act lets a landlord with a no-animals policy ask for reliable documentation, from the person's medical provider, of a disability and the disability-related need for an assistance animal, but only when these are not readily apparent or known. Documentation must be kept confidential. Misrepresenting a disability or need, making false statements to obtain documentation, creating or providing false documents, or putting a vest or sign on a pet to pass it off as an assistance or service animal is punishable by a $500 civil penalty or a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense, and a Class B misdemeanor after that. A tenant may not be charged extra for a service animal but is liable for damage it causes; the landlord may ask for proof of vaccinations. Ala. Code §§ 24-8A-1 to 24-8A-5; § 21-7-9(c) |
| Florida | No landlord-specific statute. Secretly recording a person dressing, undressing, or privately exposing the body where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy is the crime of digital voyeurism; intercepting oral communications without all parties' consent is generally a crime under Florida's wiretap law (audio recording). The landlord may enter only as allowed by § 83.53 and may not abuse access or use it to harass the tenant. Fla. Stat. §§ 810.145; 934.03; 83.53 | No statute — the lease governs guest limits, occupancy, and roommates. Chapter 83 defines 'transient occupancy' (temporary by intent of the parties) but does not set guest rules or a roommate right. Unauthorized occupants who are not tenants may be removed under the separate unlawful-occupant procedure in § 82.036. Fla. Stat. § 83.43(18); § 82.036 | Florida's ESA law (2020) requires housing providers, to the extent federal law requires, to allow emotional support animals as a reasonable accommodation without extra compensation. If the disability or need is not readily apparent, the provider may request reliable information (e.g., from a health care practitioner or telehealth provider with personal knowledge; out-of-state practitioners only if they provided in-person care at least once), may require proof of licensing and vaccination, and may not demand diagnosis, medical records, a specific form, or a notarized statement. Internet ESA registrations/ID cards alone are not sufficient. Tenants are liable for damage caused by the animal. Falsifying ESA documentation or misrepresenting a need is a second-degree misdemeanor plus 30 hours of community service; misrepresenting a service animal is likewise penalized. Fla. Stat. §§ 760.27; 817.265; 413.08(6), (9) |
| Georgia | No landlord-specific statute. Georgia's criminal surveillance law makes it unlawful to use a device to observe, photograph, or record activities in a private place and out of public view without the consent of all persons observed, to secretly record private conversations originating in a private place, or to go onto another's premises to eavesdrop or secretly observe. An owner or occupier may use security devices on the property or its approaches only in areas where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62(1)–(3) | No statute — the lease governs guests, occupancy, and roommates. Whether a person is a tenant or only a guest depends on the agreement and the parties' conduct (e.g., paying rent, primary residence, belongings, length of stay). Leases commonly include house rules on guests. Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), pp. 3, 9 | Georgia has no state statute specific to emotional support animals in housing (no state ESA documentation rule or ESA misrepresentation penalty identified). By statute, blind, visually or physically disabled, and deaf persons with a trained guide or service dog are entitled to full and equal access to housing and may not be charged extra for the dog, but are liable for damage it causes. Requests for ESAs and other assistance animals are handled under federal and state fair-housing reasonable-accommodation rules. O.C.G.A. § 30-4-3; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 4 |
| Mississippi | No landlord-specific statute. It is a felony to photograph, film, videotape or record someone's image with lewd, licentious or indecent intent, without permission, where they would be undressed and reasonably expect privacy, including private dwellings, bathrooms and bedrooms. The penalty for an adult is up to 5 years and/or a $5,000 fine. Recording conversations is lawful if the recorder is a party or one party consents, unless done to commit a crime or tort. Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-63; § 41-29-531(e) | No statute — the lease governs guests, occupancy limits and roommates. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so as not to disturb neighbors, and must not knowingly let others damage the premises. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-25(e)-(f); §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (checked) | A blind, mobility-impaired or hearing-impaired person, or a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, who uses a specially trained support animal is entitled to full and equal access to public conveyances, hotels, lodging places and other public accommodations. No fee or charge may be imposed for the animal. The statute does not expressly cover private rental housing. No state statute sets documentation rules or a misrepresentation penalty for assistance animals in housing. The federal Fair Housing Act governs, including reasonable accommodation for emotional support animals and no pet fees. Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-155 |
| Tennessee | No landlord-specific statute. Unlawful photography: it is an offense to knowingly photograph (including by video) a person who has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without prior effective consent, if the image would offend or embarrass an ordinary person and was taken for sexual gratification, or includes the person's unclothed intimate areas or sexual activity. Tennessee is a one-party consent state for audio interception. Tenants may not unreasonably refuse landlord entry for inspection or repairs; entry without consent is allowed in an emergency. T.C.A. § 39-13-605; § 39-13-601(b)(5); § 66-28-403 | No statute — no statewide occupancy limit or guest rule; the lease governs. The tenant must require other persons on the premises with the tenant's or other occupants' consent to act so as not to disturb neighbors, and may not let anyone damage the premises. In URLTA counties, an unauthorized occupant who refuses to leave is grounds for termination on 3 days' written notice. T.C.A. § 66-28-401(4)-(5); § 66-28-517(a) | A tenant or applicant with a disability may request an exception to a no-pet policy or pet fees for a service animal (trained dog or miniature horse) or support animal (prescribed or recommended by a health care provider, including for emotional support). If the disability is not apparent, the landlord may request reliable documentation of the disability and the disability-related need; if the disability is apparent but the need is not, only of the need. 'Reliable documentation' must come from a health care provider, licensed disability service provider, caregiver or other reliable third party with actual knowledge — not from a website whose main function is selling animal certificates or registrations. The landlord may verify documentation (but not obtain protected medical records) and may deny the request if accurate documentation is not provided. Misrepresenting a disability or need, or providing documentation falsely stating an animal is a service or support animal, is a material default allowing termination and recovery of damages and attorney's fees. Landlords are not liable for injuries caused by an animal permitted as a reasonable accommodation. T.C.A. § 66-7-111 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Alabama Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules FAQ
Can a landlord put cameras in or around a rental in Alabama?
No landlord-specific statute. General criminal laws apply: using a device to overhear or record private communications without the consent of at least one party is criminal eavesdropping (Class A misdemeanor); installing an eavesdropping device in a private place without permission of the owner and any tenant is a Class C felony; secret surveillance while trespassing in a private place is a crime; and photographing or filming a person's intimate areas without consent where they expect privacy is voyeurism. (Ala. Code §§ 13A-11-30 to 13A-11-33, 13A-11-41, 13A-11-42; § 35-9A-303)
Can a landlord limit guests or roommates in Alabama?
No statute — lease governs. Alabama law sets no guest-versus-tenant rule, state occupancy limit, or roommate right. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so they do not disturb the neighbors, and the tenant is responsible for damage guests cause. (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-301(6)-(7), 35-9A-204(f))
Can a landlord deny a service or emotional support animal in Alabama?
Alabama's Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act lets a landlord with a no-animals policy ask for reliable documentation, from the person's medical provider, of a disability and the disability-related need for an assistance animal, but only when these are not readily apparent or known. Documentation must be kept confidential. Misrepresenting a disability or need, making false statements to obtain documentation, creating or providing false documents, or putting a vest or sign on a pet to pass it off as an assistance or service animal is punishable by a $500 civil penalty or a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense, and a Class B misdemeanor after that. A tenant may not be charged extra for a service animal but is liable for damage it causes; the landlord may ask for proof of vaccinations. (Ala. Code §§ 24-8A-1 to 24-8A-5; § 21-7-9(c))
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.