Security deposit return deadline in Alabama
An Alabama landlord has 60 days after the tenancy ends to return a security deposit or send a written list of what was kept.
- Deadline
- 60 days
- What the landlord must send
- If any part is kept, the landlord must give an itemized list of the amounts withheld within the same 60 days.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- If the landlord misses the 60-day deadline, the landlord must pay the tenant double the original deposit.
- Deposit limit
- 1 month’s rent (extra deposits allowed for pets, changes to the unit, or added liability risk)
The 60 days run from the end of the tenancy and the tenant’s return of possession.
The law
Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. Read the statute.
Checked in October 2026 against a published copy of the statute, because the official code site was unavailable. Laws change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
What to do next
If the deadline has passed, or the landlord kept money without a proper list, put your request in writing. Ask for the deposit back by a specific date, and keep a copy. The free first letter in the Deposit Demand Letters kit does this for Alabama, and the deadline calculator works out your exact date from your move-out day.
Other states
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information about Alabama law, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deposit Demand Letters is a self-help template kit from Kits For That.