Alabama Security Deposit Law Explained

If you rented a home or apartment in Alabama, the security deposit dispute usually comes down to a few concrete facts: what was charged, when you gave the place back, what the landlord mailed, and what proof exists.

The main rule for ordinary rentals

For most ordinary Alabama apartment and house rentals, the main security deposit rule is Ala. Code section 35-9A-201 in Alabama's landlord-tenant law.

Some rental arrangements are excluded from that law, such as certain hotel stays, employee housing, institutional housing, agricultural rentals, and a few other specific situations. For a normal residential lease, this is usually the deposit rule to start with.

How much the landlord can collect

Alabama generally caps the security deposit at one month's periodic rent.

That cap is not absolute. The statute allows extra amounts for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks to the landlord or the property.

If your landlord charged more than one month's rent, ask what the extra amount was for and whether it fits one of those listed exceptions.

The 35-day refund and accounting rule

After the tenancy ends and you deliver possession, the landlord generally has 35 days to mail the amount due.

If the landlord keeps any part of the deposit, the landlord must send an itemized list of amounts withheld within that same 35-day period.

See the deadline guide

Your forwarding address matters

When you move out, give the landlord a valid forwarding address in writing and keep proof that you sent it.

If you do not provide a forwarding address, Alabama allows the landlord to mail the refund or accounting to your last known address. If there is no last known address, the landlord may mail it to the rental property address.

First-class mail can count

Alabama allows first-class mailing within the 35-day period to satisfy the statute. That means the mailing record can be just as important as the date you actually open the envelope.

Keep the envelope, postmark, check, itemized accounting, and any returned-mail record.

The 180-day unclaimed deposit rule

Alabama also has a 180-day rule for unclaimed deposits and outstanding checks.

If a deposit or check is not claimed, or if a mailing is returned and the tenant does not claim the deposit within the statutory period, the money can be forfeited. The practical move is simple: give a written forwarding address, watch your mail, and follow up quickly if nothing arrives.

If the landlord misses the deadline

Alabama has a strong remedy if the landlord does not mail a timely refund or accounting. The statute requires the landlord to pay double the amount of the tenant's original deposit.

That is why the timeline, possession-return proof, forwarding address, and mailing records matter.

Official Sources Used

Source reviewed: April 2026.

Important: This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.