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Alabama Eviction Notice

Quick answer: for unpaid rent, Alabama requires 7 business days under Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b) (counted from the tenant's receipt of the notice) before an eviction case can be filed. The table and sections below cover the other grounds, the service rules, and the step-by-step process.

Before a landlord can file an eviction case in Alabama, the tenant must receive a written notice that states what is wrong and how long they have to fix it or move out. In Alabama, a landlord must generally give 7 business days' notice to pay rent or quit under Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b).

This template generates a Alabama eviction notice for nonpayment of rent, a lease violation, or the end of the tenancy. You set the notice period so the document matches the current Alabama requirement for your situation.

Create your Alabama eviction noticeRead the full Eviction Notice guide

Alabama notice periods

Alabama eviction notice periods by notice type
Notice typeMinimum noticeStatute
Nonpayment of rent (pay or quit)7 business days (counted from the tenant's receipt of the notice)Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b)
Lease violation (cure or quit)14 daysAla. Code 35-9A-421(a)
No-fault termination (month to month)30 daysAla. Code 35-9A-441(b)

Verify before you rely on it

Landlord-tenant statutes change, and cities or counties can add stricter local rules. Confirm the current Alabama requirement in the statute cited above (or with your local court's self-help resources) before serving your notice.

Alabama eviction notice requirements

Alabama requires 7 business days' written notice before a nonpayment eviction can be filed (Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b)). The document should identify the rental period, the exact amount owed, and the deadline. Also relevant here: counted from the tenant's receipt of the notice. Serving the notice too early or demanding more than the statute allows are the two mistakes that most often get these cases dismissed.

If the tenant breached another lease term (an unauthorized occupant, property damage, a prohibited pet), Alabama gives them 14 days to cure the violation or move out under Ala. Code 35-9A-421(a). Vague notices are the classic weak point here: name the clause breached and the facts, with dates.

To end a month-to-month tenancy without alleging any fault, Alabama requires 30 days' notice (Ala. Code 35-9A-441(b)). This is a different document from a pay or quit notice: it does not accuse the tenant of anything, it simply ends the periodic tenancy on the stated date.

Do not improvise the delivery. Eviction statutes list the service methods a court will accept (personal delivery, substituted service on another occupant, post and mail, or mail variants), and a notice served the wrong way can be treated as no notice at all. Verify the methods Alabama authorizes, follow one to the letter, and write down when and how you served it.

Keep in mind what the notice legally is: the mandatory first step of a court process. Once the Alabama period expires with no payment or cure, the landlord files an eviction action and a judge decides. Locking the tenant out, hauling belongings to the curb, or shutting off utilities without a judgment is the kind of self-help that turns a strong case into a liability problem.

How to complete a eviction notice in Alabama, step by step

Here is how landlords typically take an eviction notice from blank page to served document in Alabama. Each step protects the notice against the objections tenants most commonly raise in court.

  1. Confirm the ground for the notice. Identify precisely why you are serving it: unpaid rent, a specific lease violation, or a no-fault end of a month-to-month tenancy. The ground determines which Alabama notice period applies and what the notice must say, so getting this wrong invalidates everything that follows.
  2. Apply the correct notice period. Match the period to the ground using the Alabama table above. For nonpayment, that is 7 business days (Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b)). Count days carefully and, when in doubt, give more time rather than less: a short notice is defective, a generous one is not.
  3. Fill in the notice completely. Name every adult tenant on the lease, state the full rental property address including the unit, and describe the demand exactly: the amount of rent owed and the period it covers, or the violation and how to cure it. Ambiguity in this document becomes the tenant's argument in court.
  4. Serve it by an authorized method. Use a delivery method Alabama law authorizes for eviction notices and follow it exactly. If you post the notice, mail a copy too when the statute pairs the two. Never rely on a text message or an email alone unless the statute expressly allows it.
  5. Keep proof of service. Note the date, time, place, and method of delivery, and keep a copy of the signed notice. Many landlords have a third party serve it and sign a short declaration of service. This record is what you will hand the Alabama court if the tenant claims they were never notified.
  6. Wait out the period, then file if needed. If the tenant pays, cures, or moves out within the period, the matter ends there. If not, file an eviction case with the Alabama court that handles landlord-tenant matters in your county. Bring the lease, the notice, the proof of service, and your payment records.

How this template works in Alabama

Answer guided questions about the landlord, the tenant, and the amounts owed, then enter the Alabama notice period from the table above. The finished notice is ready to serve and download in Word and PDF.

The form, the live preview, and the full guide live on the main Eviction Notice page.

Alabama eviction notice FAQ

How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction in Alabama?

For unpaid rent, Alabama requires 7 business days under Ala. Code 35-9A-421(b) (counted from the tenant's receipt of the notice). Other grounds have their own periods: 14 days to cure a lease violation (Ala. Code 35-9A-421(a)), and 30 days to end a month-to-month tenancy (Ala. Code 35-9A-441(b)).

Can a landlord evict a tenant in Alabama without going to court?

No. The notice is only the mandatory first step: if the tenant does not pay, cure, or leave within the period, the landlord must file an eviction case and obtain a judgment before the tenant can be removed. Changing the locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities without a court order exposes the landlord to liability.

What happens if the tenant pays the rent after getting an eviction notice in Alabama?

Paying the full amount demanded within the notice period generally cures a nonpayment default, and the landlord cannot file an eviction case based on that notice. Partial payments are different: accepting one can restart or complicate the process depending on the statute and the lease, so decide deliberately before taking partial rent.

How long does a tenant have to fix a lease violation in Alabama?

Alabama gives the tenant 14 days under Ala. Code 35-9A-421(a). The notice must describe the violation clearly enough for the tenant to know what compliance looks like. If the violation is cured within the period, the tenancy continues.

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