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 the SealForms editorial team · 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) ↗
- 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.
Live preview · updates as you type
Notice to Pay or Quit / Vacate
State of Alabama
Date: __________. To: __________ ("Tenant"), and all occupants of __________ (the "Premises").
You are hereby notified that you are in violation of your tenancy for the following reason: __________ . Amount due, if applicable: $______.
You are required, within ____ days as required by Alabama law, on or before__________, to cure the violation (or pay the amount due) OR to vacate and surrender the Premises. If you fail to do so, the landlord may begin eviction proceedings in court.
This notice is given under the landlord-tenant laws of the State of Alabama. Nothing here waives the landlord’s rights.
Generated with SealFormsReflects Alabama law · verified 2026
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.
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.
Is an eviction notice the same as eviction?
No. The notice is the required first step — it gives the tenant a chance to pay, fix the problem, or move out by a deadline. If they don’t, you then file an eviction (unlawful detainer) case in court. You cannot lock out or remove a tenant yourself; only a court and law enforcement can carry out an eviction.
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).
Eviction notice in other states
More Alabama legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →