Alabama · AL · updated 2026
In Alabama, a landlord must return a security deposit within 60 calendar days
Quick answer
A Alabama landlord has 60 calendar days after the tenancy ends to return your deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Miss it in bad faith and the landlord can end up owing you more than the deposit itself.
Under Alabama security deposit law, a Alabama landlord has 60 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, the deposit is capped at 1 month's rent. If the landlord misses the deadline or keeps money you are owed, you can push back in writing and, if needed, in small claims court.
- Return deadline
- 60 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- 1 month's rent
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Alabama deadline
Enter your move-out date to see the exact calendar date the deadline lands on. It runs on your device, so nothing you type is uploaded.
What a Alabama landlord can deduct
- Unpaid rent and unpaid utilities you owe under the lease
- Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (not normal aging, fading, or minor marks)
- An itemized written statement of every deduction (Alabama requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Landlord who fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within the 60-day period must pay the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(f)).
How to get your deposit back in Alabama
- Document the unit's condition at move-out with dated photos of every room (a move-in / move-out checklist keeps it organized).
- Confirm your exact return deadline with the deadline calculator.
- If the deadline passes, send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed.
- If it is still ignored, you can file in small claims court.
Common Alabama deposit disputes
- The deadline passed and you have heard nothing
- Send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed. Keep proof you sent it.
- You got money back but disagree with the deductions
- Alabama requires an itemized statement, so ask for it in writing first, then dispute anything charged as ordinary wear and tear.
- You are still deciding whether the case is worth it
- Confirm the exact deadline below, gather your dated move-out photos, and read the penalty your state allows before you commit.
Frequently asked
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Alabama?
- In Alabama, a landlord must return a security deposit within 60 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Alabama?
- Alabama caps the security deposit at 1 month's rent.
- Can my Alabama landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Alabama requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Alabama landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Alabama does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Alabama landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Landlord who fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within the 60-day period must pay the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(f)).
Statute text (unchanged since 2014 amendment) confirmed via 2021 Wayback snapshot of the official alisondb page; the current site is a JS-rendered SPA, not directly fetchable. 1-month cap has exceptions for pets, premises changes, added liability risk. No interest requirement.