Renters' Rights · Security Deposit
Security Deposit Laws in Alabama
The most a landlord can charge, how long they have to return it, and what it costs them to keep your money without cause in Alabama.
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What your landlord can hold, and when it's due back
Enter your rent for the Alabama maximum, plus the return-deadline clock.
Estimate only, based on Alabama's statutory cap. Your lease may set a lower deposit, and local ordinances can be stricter. Not legal advice.
The full rules, with the statute
Every requirement and where it comes from in the code.
Exceptions: Alabama caps a base security deposit at one month's periodic rent (Ala. Code 35-9A-201). The cap does not count three specific extras the statute lets a landlord charge on top: a deposit for pets, a deposit tied to changes the tenant makes to the unit, and a deposit for anything that increases the liability risk to the landlord or the property. Because of those carve-outs, the total a tenant pays up front can lawfully exceed one month's rent.
Penalties & recent changes
What happens if the landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully.
What Alabama renters get wrong
Alabama caps a base residential security deposit at one month's rent under the state's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code 35-9A-201). The cap comes with three notable carve-outs: a landlord may charge extra, above that one month, for a pet deposit, for changes the tenant makes to the unit, and for anything that raises the liability risk to the landlord or the property. So the total collected up front can lawfully run higher than one month's rent. After you move out and hand back the unit, the landlord has 60 days to mail your deposit or a written itemized list of what was kept and why. Miss that deadline and the landlord owes you double your original deposit. Alabama does not require interest on the deposit or a separate account, and any deposit you never claim is forfeited after 90 days.
Common questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Alabama?
The base deposit is capped at one month's rent. On top of that, a landlord may charge separate deposits for pets, for changes you make to the unit, and for anything that increases the landlord's liability risk. Those extras do not count against the one-month cap, so your total up-front cost can be more than one month's rent.
How long does an Alabama landlord have to return my security deposit?
Sixty days. After the tenancy ends and you return possession of the unit, the landlord has 60 days to mail either your full deposit or a written itemized statement of what was withheld and any balance due. Some websites say 35 days, but that number is not in the Alabama statute.
What happens if my Alabama landlord does not return my deposit on time?
If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within the 60-day period, they must pay you double the amount of your original deposit.
Does my Alabama landlord have to pay interest or use a separate account for my deposit?
No. Alabama does not require a landlord to pay interest on a security deposit or to hold it in a separate escrow account. Keep in mind that if you never claim your deposit, it is forfeited after 90 days.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.