Eviction notice rules in Alabama
Nonpayment notice
7-day written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate if rent is not paid within 7 days (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)). Notice should list rent owed (late fees only if the lease defines them as rent); paying in full within 7 days reinstates the lease.
Lease-violation notice
14-day notice for material noncompliance; the notice must give the tenant the right to cure (pay delinquent rent or correct the violation) — per Alabama court guidance on § 35-9A-421(a).
Unconditional quit (no second chance)
7-day termination with NO right to cure for noncurable defaults: illegal drugs on the premises, illegal firearm use/possession (beyond self-defense), criminal assault on the premises, or a repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(d)). A tenant may not cure more than twice in any 12-month period without the landlord's express written consent.
No-cause / end-of-tenancy notice
Unverified — needs attorney review (month-to-month termination notice period not confirmed from a citable source in this research).
How the notice must be served
Pre-suit notice: personal delivery to the tenant, leaving it at the rental unit, or mailing (certified mail recommended for proof) — per AURLTA practice summaries of § 35-9A-421. The court complaint must first be served personally; if impossible, by posting on the premises PLUS first-class mailing (Ala. Code § 6-6-332).
Your right to fix it (cure)
Nonpayment: full payment within 7 days reinstates the lease. Material violations: cure within 14 days keeps the tenancy. Capped at 2 cures per 12 months.
How days are counted
Reported as '7 business days after receipt' in secondary sources — unverified, needs attorney review.
After the notice expires
Landlord must file eviction lawsuit; tenant need not leave until court order
Court timeline
Unlawful detainer action in district or circuit court (concurrent jurisdiction); complaint must be served at least 6 days before the hearing (Ala. Code § 6-6-332(b)); tenant answers within 7 days. No statute fixes the hearing date, but eviction cases are prioritized; uncontested cases often resolve in ~3-5 weeks. Writ of possession issues on the landlord's application with a 7-day automatic stay; tenant may appeal within 7 days (§ 6-6-350).
Retaliation & defenses
Retaliatory conduct prohibited — landlord may not discriminatorily raise rent, cut services, or file for possession because of tenant code complaints or tenant organizing; the tenant has a defense in any retaliatory possession action (§ 35-9A-501). Federal Fair Housing Act discrimination defense. Defective notice and acceptance of rent after notice (waiver, § 35-9A-424) are defenses.
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