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Alabama security deposit: 60 days to get it back

The landlord has 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession to mail the refund, or the balance together with an itemized list of amounts withheld. Mailing by first-class mail to the address the tenant gave in writing within the 60 days counts as compliance.

Double-check before you rely on this. Parts of this page come from legal-aid and other secondary summaries instead of the official statute text. Confirm the deadline and penalty in Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, and check whether a local ordinance changes the rules.

What the law requires

Itemized statement
If any part of the deposit is kept, the landlord must give the tenant an itemized list of amounts withheld within the 60 days. The deposit may be applied to unpaid rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance with the tenant's duties under § 35-9A-301. The statute sets no receipt or documentation threshold.
Forwarding address
When vacating, the tenant must give the landlord a valid forwarding address in writing. If none is given, the landlord mails the refund or accounting to the tenant's last known address or, if none, to the rental property. Deposits or checks the tenant leaves unclaimed are forfeited after 90 days.
If the landlord breaks the rules
If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or accounting within the 60 days, the landlord owes the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit. The text does not require willfulness or bad faith and does not mention attorney fees. Other damages are not barred.
Deposit cap
One month's periodic rent. A landlord may charge more only for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks to the landlord or premises. A 2023 bill to remove the cap (SB 242) was indefinitely postponed and did not become law.
Small claims limit
$6,000 in Small Claims Division of the District Court

If your landlord misses the deadline

  1. Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
  2. Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. Give a date to respond.
  3. If you still aren't paid, file in Small Claims Division of the District Court. Deposit claims up to $6,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a Alabama demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 60 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in Alabama have to return a security deposit?

The landlord has 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession to mail the refund, or the balance together with an itemized list of amounts withheld. Mailing by first-class mail to the address the tenant gave in writing within the 60 days counts as compliance.

What happens if a Alabama landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or accounting within the 60 days, the landlord owes the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit. The text does not require willfulness or bad faith and does not mention attorney fees. Other damages are not barred.

Do I have to give my Alabama landlord a forwarding address?

When vacating, the tenant must give the landlord a valid forwarding address in writing. If none is given, the landlord mails the refund or accounting to the tenant's last known address or, if none, to the rental property. Deposits or checks the tenant leaves unclaimed are forfeited after 90 days.

Where do I sue for my deposit in Alabama?

Deposit claims up to $6,000 can be filed in Small Claims Division of the District Court. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.