Alabama Security Deposit Law: How Many Days and What to Do
In Alabama, a landlord has 60 calendar days to return a security deposit. The clock starts after the required dates below; the landlord must return the deposit or send an itemized list (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201). Most states allow 30 days; Alabama is longer.
Last checked 2026-07-14
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Details of the return rules
| When it applies | Deadline | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit return | 60 days | after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession |
Alabama return rule: 60 calendar days. Check the dates you entered above.
Key facts
| Deadline | 60 calendar days |
|---|---|
| Deadline trigger | after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession |
| Penalty formula | landlord must pay the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit if refund or accounting is not mailed within 60 days |
| Bad faith required | No |
| Statute citation | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 |
How does Alabama's deadline compare with other states?
Alabama's return deadline is 60 days. The middle of the comparable state deadlines is ≈30 days. Use the dates and questions above to see which deadline applies to you.
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 60 days |
| Arkansas | 60 days |
| West Virginia | 60 days |
| District of Columbia | 45 days |
| Illinois | 45 days |
| Indiana | 45 days |
See all 51 jurisdictions
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Montana | 10 days |
| Alaska | 14 days |
| Arizona | 14 days |
| Hawaii | 14 days |
| Kansas | 14 days |
| Nebraska | 14 days |
| New York | 14 days |
| Vermont | 14 days |
| Florida | 15 days |
| Delaware | 20 days |
| Rhode Island | 20 days |
| California | 21 days |
| Connecticut | 21 days |
| Idaho | 21 days |
| Minnesota | 21 days |
| South Dakota | 21 days |
| Wisconsin | 21 days |
| Colorado | 30 days |
| Georgia | 30 days |
| Iowa | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 30 days |
| Maine | 30 days |
| Massachusetts | 30 days |
| Michigan | 30 days |
| Missouri | 30 days |
| Nevada | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 30 days |
| New Jersey | 30 days |
| New Mexico | 30 days |
| North Carolina | 30 days |
| North Dakota | 30 days |
| Ohio | 30 days |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days |
| South Carolina | 30 days |
| Texas | 30 days |
| Utah | 30 days |
| Washington | 30 days |
| Wyoming | 30 days |
| Oregon | 31 days |
| District of Columbia | 45 days |
| Illinois | 45 days |
| Indiana | 45 days |
| Maryland | 45 days |
| Mississippi | 45 days |
| Oklahoma | 45 days |
| Virginia | 45 days |
| Alabama | 60 days |
| Arkansas | 60 days |
| West Virginia | 60 days |
| Kentucky | No fixed return deadline |
| Tennessee | No fixed return deadline |
Source: state statute records · checked 2026-07-14 · n=48 fixed rules among 51 jurisdictions · method: first listed return deadline; calendar months plotted as ≈30 days · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?
landlord must pay the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit if refund or accounting is not mailed within 60 days The statutory amount depends on the facts and any conditions in Ala. Code § 35-9A-201; it is separate from the deposit owed.
Alabama is one of 36 states where the law sets a multiple of the deposit.
| Rule | States | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The law sets a multiple of the deposit ← Alabama | 36 | 71% |
| The law names another remedy (forfeiture, fees, damages) | 10 | 20% |
| Read the cited remedy; no multiple is set | 5 | 10% |
With a deposit of $1,007 (median county rent), a claim for the deposit plus the maximum penalty is $3,021; fits under the $6,000 small claims limit.
Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 · checked 2026-07-14 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
What do you have to do before you can claim the penalty?
Send the required information to start the clock.
Does the deadline move if it falls on a weekend or holiday?
Alabama's general rule for counting legal time periods says: If the last day is Sunday, or a legal holiday..., or a day on which the office...shall close..., the last day also must be excluded, and the next succeeding secular or working day shall be counted as the last day.
(Ala. Code § 1-1-4). Whether a court applies it to a landlord's deposit deadline depends on the case, so this page does not move the deadline for you.
To be safe: if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, treat the deadline as passed only after the next business day. Example: October 10, 2026 is a Saturday, so wait until October 12, 2026 before saying the deadline has passed.
What Alabama law requires of the landlord
The deposit return rule is 60 calendar days. The law also requires an itemized statement when deductions are made.
- Return window
- 60 calendar days
- Itemization
- Required
- Receipts threshold
- No separate threshold recorded
- Interest
Is interest owed on a deposit in Alabama?
Alabama is one of 37 states where interest is not required by state law.
| Rule | States | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Required by state law | 3 | 6% |
| Owed only in some cases | 11 | 22% |
| Not required by state law ← Alabama | 37 | 73% |
Source: Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 · checked 2026-07-14 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
Alabama security deposit deductions
FAQ
How do I confirm the Alabama deadline?
Use the questions above to match your dates to Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, and keep proof of each date.
What is the small claims limit in Alabama?
See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Alabama court guide
City data on this page currently includes Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Hoover, Auburn, Dothan.
Statute text, sources and changes
Statute says
Upon termination of the tenancy, money held by the landlord as security may be applied to the payment of accrued rent and the amount of damages that the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with Section 35-9A-301 all as itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant together with the amount due 60 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession. If the landlord does not refund the entire deposit, the landlord, within the 60-day period, shall provide the tenant an itemized list of amounts withheld. If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or accounting within the 60-day period, the landlord shall pay the tenant double the amount of the tenant's original deposit.
What this means
Sources
- https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=35-9A-201 · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://legalservicesalabama.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Alabama-Tenants-Handbook-2024-Update-1.pdf · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/docs/smguide.pdf · accessed 2026-07-14
Changes
- : Record verified against the cited statute.
Verified 2026-07-14 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6