Alabama (AL) lease form
Alabama residential leases are governed by the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A), which took effect January 1, 2007, and applies to most private residential rentals in the state. Unlike many states, Alabama does not mandate a written lease for month-to-month or shorter tenancies, but any fixed term exceeding one year must be in writing or it is void under the state Statute of Frauds. Landlords who knowingly include a prohibited clause in a lease face liability for actual damages plus up to one month's rent and attorney fees, making lease accuracy critical from the moment the agreement is signed.
Revun generates a Alabama-ready lease with the required disclosures and clauses built in, then handles e-signature, rent, and renewals on the same platform.
For any dwelling built before 1978, landlords must disclose all known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards, attach the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home,' include a lead warning statement in the lease, and obtain signed tenant acknowledgment. Required under 42 U.S.C. § 4852d and 24 C.F.R. Part 35. Failure can trigger federal civil penalties up to $18,364 per violation.
Before or at commencement of the tenancy, landlords must disclose in writing: (1) the name and business address of the person authorized to manage the premises, and (2) the name and address of an owner or person authorized to act for the owner for purposes of service of process and receiving legal notices. This information must be kept current. A landlord or manager who fails to provide it automatically becomes an agent of all parties for service of process and for performing landlord duties under the Act.
Alabama Code § 35-9A-201 limits security deposits to one month's periodic rent for most tenancies (with allowance for additional pet deposits). Because the deposit cap and return obligations are fixed by statute, the lease should state the exact amount held, the bank or account location, and the conditions for deductions so tenants can compare lease terms against their statutory rights.
Alabama has no statutory cap on late fees; the lease controls. If a late fee is not stated in the written agreement, the landlord cannot impose one at all. Best practice is to specify the flat dollar amount or percentage, the grace period before the fee applies, and that the fee is in addition to rent owed, so the clause is enforceable under the Act's requirement that terms be disclosed in the rental agreement.
General information, not legal advice. Governing statute: Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A. Confirm current requirements or consult an attorney before finalizing a lease.
Alabama lease FAQ
Alabama mandates two disclosures at or before the start of every tenancy. First, the landlord must provide in writing the name and business address of the property manager and of any person authorized to accept legal notices on the owner's behalf (Ala. Code § 35-9A-202). Second, for any property built before 1978, federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure, distribution of the EPA 'Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home' pamphlet, a lead warning statement in the lease, and signed tenant acknowledgment. Alabama has not enacted mandatory mold, bedbug, or flood-zone disclosure statutes, so those remain best-practice addenda rather than legal requirements.
Not for short-term or month-to-month tenancies. Alabama law permits oral rental agreements for leases of one year or less. However, Alabama's Statute of Frauds renders any lease for a term longer than one year void unless it is in writing and signed. Even where a written lease is not required, it is strongly advisable because Alabama law only allows a landlord to charge a late fee if the fee is expressly stated in the rental agreement. Without a written lease, a landlord loses the ability to enforce late fees, pet restrictions, subletting bans, and other custom terms.
Alabama Code § 35-9A-163 voids four categories of lease clauses: (1) any waiver of the tenant's right to a habitable dwelling or statutory remedies; (2) confession-of-judgment clauses that allow a court judgment without a hearing; (3) clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees or collection costs; and (4) clauses that limit or eliminate the landlord's legal liability or require the tenant to indemnify the landlord for the landlord's own statutory obligations. If a landlord knowingly includes a prohibited clause and tries to enforce it, the tenant can recover actual damages plus up to one month's rent and reasonable attorney fees.
Under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, a residential security deposit generally cannot exceed one month's periodic rent. A landlord may charge an additional pet deposit on top of that cap, but the base security deposit for the unit itself is limited to one month's rent. Any amount collected above the statutory cap is effectively unenforceable. The landlord must return the deposit, with an itemized written statement of any deductions, within 60 days after the lease ends and the tenant vacates.
No. Self-help eviction is expressly prohibited under Ala. Code § 35-9A-407. A landlord who changes locks, removes doors or windows, shuts off heat, running water, hot water, electricity, gas, or other essential services to pressure a tenant out of the unit exposes themselves to a tenant remedy of up to three months' periodic rent or actual damages (whichever is greater) plus reasonable attorney fees. The only lawful path to regaining possession is through the Alabama court system via an unlawful detainer action.
