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 and no city has enacted one. Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1 expressly preempts any county, city, town, or municipality from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing rent control on private residential property, except as to property in which the local government itself holds a property interest.

What Protections Alabama Tenants Do Have

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

Security Deposit

Alabama caps a security deposit at one month's periodic rent, with limited additional amounts allowed for pets, tenant-requested alterations, and increased-liability activities. Your landlord must return the deposit within 60 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

Alabama Tenant Resources

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

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