The Alabama timeline, with dates
Here is the order of events when rent due on the 1st goes unpaid, using Alabama's numbers and an example notice served on the 5th.
- The 1stRent is due (the example due date used throughout this page).
- Late feeNo statewide statute caps late fees or requires a grace period; a late fee should be written into the lease and reasonable.
- The 5th (example)You serve the notice: 7-business-day written notice to pay rent (and any late fees owed) or the rental agreement terminates (Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)).
- Not before the 12thThe 7 business days run out — later than the 12th whenever a weekend or holiday falls inside the period, so count on a calendar.
- Earliest filingIf rent is still unpaid once the notice period has fully run, you can file an eviction case.
The dates are the earliest the numbers allow, not a promise: how days are counted, weekends, and the way the notice is delivered can all push them later. Read Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b) before you serve anything.
The notice for unpaid rent
7-business-day written notice to pay rent (and any late fees owed) or the rental agreement terminates. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)
Among the 31 states we have verified, 16 require less notice (3 of them none at all), 3 others use the same 7 days as Alabama, and 11 require a longer one. Among states that require a notice, the median is 7 days.
Late fees and the grace period
No statewide statute caps late fees or requires a grace period; a late fee should be written into the lease and reasonable. Azibo 50-state table
Alabama has no statutory dollar or percentage cap. 12 of the 31 verified states cap late fees by statute, and 10 set a grace period before one can be charged.
What else to know in Alabama
Notes from our review: Nolo (2026) and a Justia 2025 excerpt agree on 7 business days after receipt; official Alabama code site (ALISON) not readable by script.
Cities and counties can add their own rules on top of the state’s. At “covered properties” under the federal CARES Act — generally those with a federally backed mortgage or federal subsidies — a 30-day notice to vacate for nonpayment is required in every state.
Alabama and its neighbors
| State | Notice | Grace period | Late-fee cap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 business days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Unverified |
| Florida | 3 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Verified |
| Georgia | 3 business days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Verified |
| Mississippi | 3 days | None statewide | No statutory cap | Unverified |
| Tennessee | 14 days | 5 days | 10% of rent | Under review |
Notice periods across the 31 verified states
| Notice before filing | States |
|---|---|
| No pre-filing notice | 3 |
| 3 days | 10 |
| 5 days | 3 |
| 7 days | 3 |
| 10 days | 5 |
| 14 days | 6 |
| No fixed number | 1 |
Sources
- Notice for unpaid rent: Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)
- Late fees and grace period: Azibo 50-state table
- Status: secondary sources only — the statute text itself has not been read yet.