Alabama Tenant Rights Guide

Last updated: April 2026

Alabama has no rent control. Landlords can raise rent by any amount with proper notice. Alabama does have a Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act that gives renters baseline protections on habitability, deposits, and notice.

Alabama at a Glance

Rent control: None
Statewide rent cap: None — landlords can raise rent by any amount
Preemption: Alabama has no statewide rent control law and no city has enacted one. There is no explicit preemption statute, but the practice simply does not exist in the state.

What Protections Alabama Tenants Do Have

Even without rent control, Alabama law gives renters meaningful rights in these areas:

Security Deposit

Landlords must return your deposit within 35 days of move-out with an itemized written statement of deductions. Unjustified withholding entitles you to double the wrongfully withheld amount (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201).

Notice to Terminate

Month-to-month tenants must receive at least 30 days' written notice before the landlord terminates the tenancy (Ala. Code § 35-9A-441).

Repairs & Habitability

Landlords must maintain the premises in a habitable condition — working heat, plumbing, and weatherproofing. After written notice, if repairs aren't made within 14 days, you may be able to terminate the lease or pursue remedies (Ala. Code § 35-9A-204).

Retaliation Protection

Landlords cannot retaliate against tenants for reporting code violations, contacting housing inspectors, or exercising other legal rights by raising rent or threatening eviction (Ala. Code § 35-9A-501).

Eviction Process

A landlord must obtain a court judgment before removing a tenant. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing doors, or shutting off utilities — is prohibited (Ala. Code § 35-9A-407).

Check your address to see what tenant protections apply to your rental.

Major Cities in Alabama

Alabaster — No — Alabama has no rent control law and Alabaster has not enacted any local rent stabilization.
Albertville — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Alexander City — No rent control. Alabama Code Sec. 11-80-8.1 prohibits any Alabama city, including Alexander City, f
Anniston — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Athens — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Auburn — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Bessemer — No — Alabama has no statewide rent control and Bessemer has no local rent stabilization ordinance.
Birmingham — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Boaz — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Calera — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent cap, and no city in the state has enacted a rent cont
Center Point — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Chelsea — No rent control in Chelsea or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with prope
Clay — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 expressly prohibits any city or county — including Clay —
Cullman — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide cap and Cullman has not enacted a local ordinance. Landlor
Daphne — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Decatur — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Dothan — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Enterprise — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Eufaula — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide cap and Eufaula has no local ordinance, so landlords may r
Fairhope — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Florence — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Foley — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any Alabama city or county from enacting a rent-
Fort Payne — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any Alabama city or county from adopting a rent-
Gadsden — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Gardendale — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Gulf Shores — No rent control. Alabama law (Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1) prohibits any Alabama city, including Gulf Shor
Hartselle — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent cap and no city in the state has enacted a local ordi
Helena — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Homewood — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Hoover — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Hueytown — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent cap and Hueytown has not enacted one, so landlords ma
Huntsville — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Irondale — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide cap and Irondale has not enacted local rent limits, so lan
Jacksonville — No rent control. Alabama Code Sec. 11-80-8.1 prohibits any Alabama city or county, including Jackson
Jasper — No rent control in Jasper or anywhere in Alabama; landlords may raise rent by any amount with proper
Leeds — No rent control. Alabama preempts cities from passing rent control ordinances under Ala. Code § 11-8
Madison — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Millbrook — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide cap and no city — including Millbrook — has enacted one.
Mobile — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Montgomery — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Moody — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any Alabama city, including Moody, from enacting
Mountain Brook — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent control law and no city has enacted one, so landlords
Muscle Shoals — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 preempts cities from enacting rent control or rent stabili
Northport — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Opelika — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Oxford — No rent control. Alabama Code § 11-80-8.1 prohibits any city or county from enacting rent-control or
Ozark — No rent control in Ozark or anywhere in Alabama; landlords may raise rent by any amount with proper
Pelham — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Pell City — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Phenix City — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Pike Road — No rent control in Pike Road or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with pro
Prattville — No — Alabama has no statewide rent control and Prattville has enacted no local rent stabilization.
Prichard — No rent control in Prichard or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with prop
Rainbow City — No rent control in Rainbow City or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with
Russellville — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent control law, and Russellville has enacted no local or
Saraland — No rent control exists in Saraland or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount wi
Scottsboro — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent control law and Scottsboro has enacted no local ordin
Selma — Selma has no rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent control law and municipalities are preempte
Spanish Fort — No rent control in Spanish Fort or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with
Sylacauga — No rent control — Sylacauga and all Alabama cities lack rent control. Landlords may raise rent by an
Talladega — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Troy — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.
Trussville — No rent control. Alabama has no statewide rent control law and Trussville has enacted no local ordin
Tuscaloosa — No — Alabama has no statewide rent control law and no city has enacted one, including Tuscaloosa.
Valley — No rent control in Valley or anywhere in Alabama. Landlords may raise rent by any amount with proper
Vestavia Hills — No rent control; Alabama state protections apply.

Alabama Tenant Resources

These organizations offer free or low-cost help to Alabama renters:

Legal Services Alabama — Statewide free civil legal aid for low-income Alabamians, including eviction defense and housing cases.
Alabama Arise — Statewide advocacy organization that works on housing policy and tenant rights issues.
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service — Connects tenants with attorneys who handle landlord-tenant disputes statewide.

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