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Alabama

Alabama eviction rules

Alabama eviction cases are usually filed as Unlawful Detainer. For non-payment of rent, the statewide notice period shown here is 7 days; lease-violation notices are listed at 14 days; no-cause termination notices are listed at 30 days.

The tenant-protection picture depends on cure rights, local overlays, and whether the tenancy is covered by a special program. Alabama gives tenants a statutory opportunity to cure non-payment before the landlord can proceed. Alabama does not have a broad statewide just-cause requirement in this dataset, but local ordinances or subsidized-housing rules may add one. Self-help eviction is not allowed as the normal route in Alabama; lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal without court process can create liability. A typical uncontested case can move in roughly 30 to 60 days, but contested cases take longer.

Important: Alabama eviction timing can change quickly when a city ordinance, rent-control rule, subsidized-housing program, mobile-home law, or emergency order applies. Treat the notice periods as the statewide baseline and verify local rules before acting on an eviction notice.
Non-payment notice
7d
Lease violation notice
14d
No-cause notice
30d
Typical timeline
30–60 days
Governing statute
Ala. Code § 35-9A-421

Right to cure non-payment

Yes

Alabama gives tenants a statutory opportunity to cure non-payment before the landlord can proceed.

Self-help eviction

Illegal

Self-help eviction is not allowed as the normal route in Alabama; lockouts, utility shutoffs, and removal without court process can create liability.

Just-cause eviction

Not required

Alabama does not have a broad statewide just-cause requirement in this dataset, but local ordinances or subsidized-housing rules may add one.

Other states

Not legal advice. Local ordinances (city / county rent-control boards) frequently override the state defaults. If you've been served with an eviction notice, contact a local legal aid clinic or tenant-rights attorney immediately — the windows are short.