Alabama Security Deposit Law: Limits, Deadlines, and Penalties
What Alabama landlords can charge, when deposits must be returned, and what it costs to get it wrong. Last reviewed 2026-08-12.
How much can a landlord charge in Alabama?
Alabama caps security deposits at one month's periodic rent. Landlords may charge additional deposit amounts above the cap for pets, tenant changes to the premises, or activities that increase liability risk to the landlord or the property. Service and assistance animals cannot trigger the extra pet deposit.
Pet deposits are an express exception to the one-month cap — landlords may charge an additional pet deposit, but not for service animals or emotional support animals.
When must the deposit be returned?
The 60-day clock starts when the tenancy ends and the tenant surrenders possession. Mailing the refund and any itemized accounting by first-class mail to the tenant's provided address within 60 days satisfies the statute; there is no provision that extends the deadline.
If the landlord withholds any portion of the deposit, they must provide an itemized list of amounts withheld within the same 60-day window. There is no statutory receipt or repair-invoice threshold.
What happens if a landlord misses the deadline?
A landlord who fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within 60 days owes the tenant double the amount of the original deposit. The tenant can also pursue any other damages available under the lease or other law.
Interest and holding requirements
Alabama does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits, and no Alabama city imposes its own deposit-interest requirement.
No statutory requirement. Alabama landlords are not required to hold deposits in a separate account, escrow, or bond.
What Alabama landlords get wrong
Tenants should give the landlord a forwarding address in writing; if they do not, the landlord may mail the refund to the last known address, and a refund or refund check left unclaimed for 90 days is forfeited to the landlord. Alabama has no move-in or move-out inspection requirement and no walkthrough right, so photographing condition at both ends of the tenancy is the landlord's main protection in a deduction dispute. Alabama's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies statewide with no local ordinance layers on deposits.
The law itself
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Alabama?
Alabama law caps security deposits at one month's rent. On a $1,200 monthly rental, the base deposit cannot exceed $1,200. Landlords can lawfully charge more than one month only for specific extras: a pet deposit, tenant alterations to the premises, or activities that increase the landlord's liability risk. Nonrefundable cleaning or pet fees are separate and not restricted by the cap.
How long does an Alabama landlord have to return a security deposit?
Sixty days after the tenancy ends and you surrender possession. Within that window the landlord must mail either your full deposit or the remaining balance plus an itemized list of deductions. Mailing by first-class mail to the address you provided in writing counts as compliance, so give your landlord a forwarding address before you move out.
What happens if a landlord doesn't return the deposit in Alabama?
If the landlord fails to mail your refund or an itemized accounting within 60 days, they owe you double your original deposit. You can sue in Alabama small claims court for amounts up to $6,000. Keep proof of your move-out date and the forwarding address you provided, since the 60-day deadline and mailing address are usually the disputed facts.
Can a landlord charge a pet deposit in Alabama?
Yes. Pet deposits are one of the express exceptions to Alabama's one-month deposit cap, so a landlord can collect an additional pet deposit on top of the standard security deposit. The exception does not apply to service animals or emotional support animals — landlords cannot charge a pet deposit for those. Nonrefundable pet fees are also permitted and are not part of the deposit.
Keep reading
Deposit deadlines are easy to miss — until they cost you triple.
Vantric tracks your leases, deposits, and move-out dates in one place, built for landlords with 1–10 units.
Start Free TrialThis page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes change — verify against the official text linked above or consult a local attorney before acting.