Getting the Deposit Back
Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 — no more than one month's rent, back within 60 days, or double the deposit
A landlord may not demand or take a security deposit of more than one month's periodic rent, except for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks.
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- At the end of the tenancy, the landlord may apply the deposit to unpaid rent and to damage from the tenant's failure to keep up the unit, itemized in a written notice.
- The refund, the itemized list of amounts withheld, or both, go out within 60 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered.
- Mailing them first class within the 60 days to the address the tenant gave in writing is enough.
A forwarding address, in writing. On moving out, the tenant gives the landlord a valid forwarding address in writing. Without one, the landlord mails to the tenant's last known address or the rental itself, and a deposit or check left unclaimed for 90 days is forfeited.
A landlord who does not mail a timely refund or accounting within the 60 days pays the tenant double the amount of the original deposit.
Sources for this section (1)
- Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 — Security Deposits; Prepaid Rent
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alabama attorney.