Landlord guide, Alabama (AL)
Alabama eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Alabama starts with the 7-day notice to terminate the lease: 7 business days for unpaid rent (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b), (d)). Then the landlord files in the district court, where the case is called eviction (unlawful detainer); the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- 7 business days
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b), (d)
- Court
- district court
- Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350
- Time to appeal
- 7 days
- Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Alabama landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Alabama’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: the 7-day notice to terminate the lease, 7 business days (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b), (d)).
Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Another breach of the lease: the 7-day notice to terminate the lease, 7 business days (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d)).
No reason, month to month: 30 days’ notice (Ala. Code § 35-9A-441(b)).
What the statute adds, in English
The notice must state the rent and late fees owed, and the lease terminates only if the tenant does not pay them within seven business days after receipt. A tenant may cure a breach no more than twice in 12 months without the landlord's written consent.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the district court, where the case is called eviction (unlawful detainer) (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
In the statute, in English
summons served at least 6 days before the return day; eviction actions take precedence over other civil cases
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
If the court rules for you, the tenant has 7 days to appeal.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
In the statute, in English
writ of possession automatically stayed 7 days after judgment
Alabama eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- 7 business days
- Time to answer
- Not confirmed
- Hearing
- Quoted in step 3
- Time to appeal
- 7 days
- Removal
- Quoted in step 5
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Alabama bans self-help eviction (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
A landlord may not take possession except through court, abandonment or surrender, and may not cut heat, water, electricity or gas; the tenant may recover up to three months' rent or actual damages plus attorney fees.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Alabama eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Alabama in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Alabama notice with its 7 business days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
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Dardaris
The statutes
Alabama eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | 7-day notice to terminate the lease7 business daysPaying in full within the period stops itThe notice must state the rent and late fees owed, and the lease terminates only if the tenant does not pay them within seven business days after receipt. A tenant may cure a breach no more than twice in 12 months without the landlord's written consent. | Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b), (d) |
| Notice for a lease breach | 7-day notice to terminate the lease7 business daysThe tenant can fix the breach within the periodCurable if remedied within seven business days after receipt, but illegal drugs, illegal firearm use, criminal assault, a repeat of the same breach within six months, and a material misrepresentation on the application are not curable and allow termination on seven days' notice. | Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(a), (d) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 30 daysWritten notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice. | Ala. Code § 35-9A-441(b) |
| How a notice is served | No method is prescribed | Ala. Code § 35-9A-144(e) (the general notice-delivery rules expressly do not apply to a notice to terminate a tenancy, and no other section prescribes a method; periods run from receipt) |
| Court and action | district courteviction (unlawful detainer) | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350 |
| Time to answer | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Hearing | summons served at least 6 days before the return day; eviction actions take precedence over other civil cases | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350 |
| Time to appeal | 7 days | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350 |
| Removal | writ of possession automatically stayed 7 days after judgment | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350 |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedA landlord may not take possession except through court, abandonment or surrender, and may not cut heat, water, electricity or gas; the tenant may recover up to three months' rent or actual damages plus attorney fees. | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407 |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-421
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-141
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-144
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-407
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-427
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-441
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-461
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-6-332
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-6-350
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=11-80-8.1
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-201
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-202
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-303
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Alabama
How long does an eviction take in Alabama?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 7 business days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Alabama landlord serve for unpaid rent?
The 7-day notice to terminate the lease, which gives the tenant 7 business days (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b), (d)). Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Can a landlord change the locks in Alabama?
No. Alabama bans self-help eviction (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-427, 35-9A-407), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Alabama?
In the district court, where the case is called eviction (unlawful detainer) (Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-461, 6-6-330 to 6-6-337, 6-6-350).
Eviction process in Alabama without a lease: which notice applies?
A tenant with no written lease who pays monthly is usually a month-to-month tenant, and Alabama asks for 30 days’ notice to end that tenancy (Ala. Code § 35-9A-441(b)). For unpaid rent, the notice in step 1 applies all the same.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Alabama?
Yes. The tenant has 7 days after the judgment to appeal.
The eviction process in other states
- Washington State: 14 calendar days for unpaid rent
- West Virginia: no notice before filing
- Wisconsin: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Wyoming: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Alaska: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Arizona: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Arkansas: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- California: 3 court days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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