Alabama landlord-tenant law.

Security deposits

Deposit limit. 1 month's rent max, except a landlord may charge more for a pet, alterations to the premises, or increased liability risk (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(a))

Getting it back. Landlord must mail the deposit, or a written itemized list of amounts withheld for accrued rent and damages, within 60 days after termination and the tenant's delivery of possession; a landlord who misses this deadline owes the tenant double the original deposit (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201)

Late fees and rent

No statutory dollar or percentage cap; the fee must be reasonable, tied to actual costs, and stated in the written lease, or it risks being struck as an unenforceable penalty. No grace period is mandated by statute; any grace period comes only from the lease itself.

Ending a tenancy

Nonpayment of rent. Written notice must specify the rent and late fees owed, with the lease terminating not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice if unpaid (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b))

Month-to-month termination. Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the next periodic rental date; a week-to-week tenancy needs only 7 days' notice (Ala. Code § 35-9A-441(a),(b))

Landlord entry

At least 2 days' notice of intent to enter is required (a note posted on the entry door qualifies), and entry is allowed only at reasonable times; no notice is needed in an emergency or under court order (Ala. Code § 35-9A-303)

Required disclosures

• Name and business address of the person authorized to manage the premises and of the owner or the owner's agent for service of process, disclosed in writing at or before tenancy start (Ala. Code § 35-9A-202)
• Federal lead-based paint disclosure and EPA pamphlet for any unit built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. § 4852d)
• No separate Alabama statute mandates mold, bed bug, flood, or move-in-checklist disclosures; these are best practice, not a legal requirement, under state law

Lease clauses that do not hold up

• Waiver of the tenant's statutory rights or remedies, including the landlord's maintenance duty and the security deposit rules (Ala. Code § 35-9A-163)
• Confession of judgment clauses (Ala. Code § 35-9A-163)
• Clauses making the tenant pay the landlord's attorney's fees or collection costs (Ala. Code § 35-9A-163)
• Exculpatory clauses limiting the landlord's liability or requiring the tenant to indemnify the landlord for it (Ala. Code § 35-9A-163)

Notes for landlords

Alabama's law is the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A); it caps the security deposit but not rent increases or late fees, so leases should state the late fee and any grace period explicitly. A tenant harmed by a landlord enforcing a prohibited clause can recover actual damages plus up to one month's rent and attorney's fees.

Sources

• https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-35-property/al-code-sect-35-9a-201/
• https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-35-property/al-code-sect-35-9a-421/
• https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-35-property/al-code-sect-35-9a-441/
• https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-35-property/al-code-sect-35-9a-303/
• https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-35/chapter-9a/article-2/section-35-9a-202/
• https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2021/title-35/chapter-9a/article-1/division-4/section-35-9a-163/
• https://www.nolo.com/landlord-tenant/landlord-tenant-laws-alabama.html