🏠 ALABAMA · SECURITY DEPOSIT LAW
Security deposits in Alabama
In Alabama, Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 gives your landlord 60 days after the tenancy ends to return your security deposit or send you an itemized statement of what was withheld. The deposit itself is capped at 1 month's rent. Miss that deadline and the consequence is specific: 2x.
The Alabama statute
VERIFIED PRIMARY SOURCE
§ Ala. Code § 35-9A-201
Landlord must return the deposit within 60 days after the tenancy terminates and possession is delivered — one of the longest windows in the country. Deposit capped at one month’s rent (excluding pet deposits for non-service animals, and deposits for tenant alterations or increased liability risk). Wrongful retention exposes the landlord to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. Verified against primary statute text (Justia and FindLaw, current 2025 code; corroborated by Nolo) 2026-05-17.
Read the Alabama source text →Alabama deadlines at a glance
| Rule | What Alabama requires |
|---|---|
| Deadline to return or itemize | 60 days after the tenancy ends |
| Maximum deposit | 1 month's rent |
| If the landlord misses the deadline | 2x |
| Governing statute | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 |
WORKED EXAMPLE OF WHY VERIFICATION IS MANDATORY. The DepositHawk aggregator lists 35 days. That is the PRE-2014 figure — Act 2014-279 amended the deadline to 60 days. Quick-sourced legal tables were citing a version of the statute dead for 10+ years. Every figure here was read from the Alabama statute text, not a secondary summary. Verified against the primary source →
What security deposits law covers in Alabama
The 60 days clock in AlabamaAla. Code § 35-9A-201 sets Alabama's deadline at 60 days from the end of the tenancy. WORKED EXAMPLE OF WHY VERIFICATION IS MANDATORY. The DepositHawk aggregator lists 35 days. That is the PRE-2014 figure — Act 2014-279 amended the deadline to 60 days. Quick-sourced legal tables were citing a version of the statute dead for 10+ years.
Alabama caps the deposit at 1 month's rentA Alabama landlord may not demand more than 1 month's rent as a security deposit under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. A deposit collected above the cap is recoverable even if you agreed to it in the lease.
Itemization is the condition of keeping anythingWithholding any part of the deposit in Alabama requires a written, itemized statement within the 60 days window. A lump-sum "cleaning and repairs" line is the kind of entry that fails the statute — and ordinary wear and tear is not deductible.
What missing the deadline costs in Alabama2x — that is the remedy Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 attaches to a late or missing statement, which is why the date you moved out and the date you gave a forwarding address both matter.
What to do in Alabama, in order
- Write down the date the tenancy ended and you handed back possession — in Alabama the 60 days clock runs from that date.
- Document the unit on move-out day: video every room, appliance, and wall, and keep the file timestamped.
- Send your forwarding address in writing and keep proof — several statutes start or extend the clock from it.
- If 60 days pass with no deposit and no itemized statement, send a demand letter citing Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 and the penalty it carries.
- If the landlord still doesn't pay, Alabama small claims court handles deposit cases cheaply — and the statutory penalty (2x) is what you ask the court to award.
Common questions about security deposits in Alabama
How long does my landlord have to return my security deposit in Alabama?
Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 gives your landlord 60 days after the tenancy ends to return your security deposit or send you an itemized statement of what was withheld. WORKED EXAMPLE OF WHY VERIFICATION IS MANDATORY. The DepositHawk aggregator lists 35 days. That is the PRE-2014 figure — Act 2014-279 amended the deadline to 60 days. Quick-sourced legal tables were citing a version of the statute dead for 10+ years.
What happens if my Alabama landlord misses the deadline?
2x. That remedy is written into Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 — you generally have to claim it, and small claims court is where deposit cases of this size are decided.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Alabama?
Alabama caps it at 1 month's rent under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. A lease term purporting to charge more does not make the excess lawful.
Can my Alabama landlord keep the deposit for cleaning?
Only to return the unit to its move-in cleanliness, and any deduction must appear in the itemized statement due within 60 days. Routine turnover cleaning and ordinary wear — faded paint, traffic-worn carpet — are generally the landlord's cost, not yours.
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Run the Lease Analyzer — free →This page is general legal information, not legal advice, and doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Statutes change and have exceptions; the linked primary source controls. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.