Alabama Eviction Notice
Create a proper Alabama eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Alabama
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Alabama’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Alabama an eviction lawsuit is a(n) unlawful detainer (eviction action) action. — Ala. Code § 6-6-310(2) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court (or Circuit Court, per their respective jurisdictions). — Ala. Code § 35-9A-461(b) (Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) ↗
- How to serve the notice. Statute only says the landlord may 'deliver' a written notice to terminate (7 business days). For the court complaint, if personal service fails: leave with a sui juris resident, or post on the door plus first-class mail same/next business day. — Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a)-(b) and § 35-9A-461(c) ↗
- Official guidance. Alabama publishes its own instructions for the court step; read them before filing. — Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, E-Forms – Civil Forms – Unlawful Detainer (form C-59 rev. 3/27/2014) ↗
- No self-help. Ala. Code § 35-9A-407: tenant may recover possession or terminate and recover up to three months' rent or actual damages plus attorney's fees if landlord unlawfully removes/excludes tenant or interrupts essential services — Ala. Code § 35-9A-407 (Act 2006-316) ↗
Each point links to the Alabama source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Alabama notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 7 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 7 days
- End month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
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Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Alabama notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Alabama law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Alabama eviction rules before serving.
If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Alabama demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Alabama small claims court, where the limit is $6,000.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Alabama?
In Alabama, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 7 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
How do I serve the notice in Alabama?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Alabama’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Alabama.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Alabama?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court (or Circuit Court, per their respective jurisdictions) (the case is called a(n) unlawful detainer (eviction action) action). Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-461(b) (Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).
How must an eviction notice be served in Alabama?
Statute only says the landlord may 'deliver' a written notice to terminate (7 business days). For the court complaint, if personal service fails: leave with a sui juris resident, or post on the door plus first-class mail same/next business day. Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a)-(b) and § 35-9A-461(c).
How does Alabama compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Alabama compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Alabama: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 7 days — above the national median of 5 days across the 47 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Florida (3 days), Georgia (3 days), Mississippi (3 days), Tennessee (14 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 7 days — well under the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #28 of 38 states (tied with 4) — higher means more time to fix the violation.
4 other states use the same figure.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Florida (7 days), Georgia (no statutory rule), Mississippi (14 days), Tennessee (14 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Florida (30 days), Georgia (60 days), Mississippi (30 days), Tennessee (30 days).
The rest of what Alabama requires
The figures below are Alabama's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Alabama page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- 1 month's rent Ala. Code §35-9A-201 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 60 days after move-out Ala. Code §35-9A-201 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Ala. Code §35-9A-201 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $6,000 Ala. Code §12-12-31 ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Small Claims Division (Small Claims Docket) of the District Court · filing fee $35 (claims up to $1,500) / $109 ($1,500-$3,000) / $198 (over $3,000) per Ala. Code §12-19-71, plus service costs and county-specific add-ons Ala. Code §12-12-31 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Alabama URLTA ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Alabama DOR / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Ala. Code §26-1A-105 (form §26-1A-301) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Ala. Code § 10A-5A-1.02(l) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Judge of Probate (county Probate Office) · no witnesses Ala. Code § 35-4-20 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Alabama legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →