By Angel Campa, Founder · Updated March 2026
Alabama is a landlord-friendly commercial leasing state with minimal statutory intervention in commercial lease relationships. Commercial tenancies are excluded from the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A), which applies only to residential dwellings. Commercial lease relationships in Alabama are governed by common law, general property statutes under Ala. Code Title 35, and the negotiated lease document. Alabama courts strongly enforce commercial lease terms as written, with limited equitable intervention.
Alabama does not permit commercial self-help evictions. Landlords must use the Unlawful Detainer process under Ala. Code Title 6, Chapter 6, Article 3 to recover possession of commercial premises through the court system. The state does not impose a commercial rent tax. Alabama is notable for its statutory landlord lien on tenant crops and personal property, a holdover from the state's agricultural legal heritage that has some application to commercial tenancies, particularly in rural and mixed-use properties.
Alabama's primary commercial landlord-tenant statute governing lease relationships, notice requirements, tenant obligations, and landlord remedies for commercial properties.
View statute →Establishes the judicial eviction process for commercial landlords to recover possession of commercial premises, requiring written notice and a District Court filing.
View statute →Grants commercial landlords a lien on tenant personal property on the premises for unpaid rent, providing an additional enforcement remedy beyond the eviction process.
View statute →| Type | Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpayment of Rent | 7 days | Under Ala. Code Section 35-9-6, a commercial landlord must serve a 7-day written notice to pay rent or vacate before filing an Unlawful Detainer action for nonpayment of commercial rent. |
| Lease Violation (Non-Monetary) | 7 days | For material non-monetary lease violations, Alabama requires a 7-day notice to cure or vacate before the landlord may commence Unlawful Detainer proceedings. |
| Month-to-Month Termination | 30 days | To terminate a month-to-month commercial tenancy in Alabama, either party must provide at least 30 days' prior written notice before the end of the rental period. |
No statutory audit rights; governed entirely by negotiated lease terms.
Alabama provides no statutory right for commercial tenants to audit landlord operating expenses or CAM charges. All audit rights — including look-back period, auditor qualifications, cost allocation, and record retention obligations — must be expressly negotiated and documented in the lease. Alabama courts apply strict contractual interpretation principles, and in the absence of an express audit clause, tenants have limited remedies for challenging expense reconciliation statements.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about commercial landlord-tenant law in Alabama. It is not legal advice. Laws change frequently and local ordinances may impose additional requirements. Consult a licensed attorney in Alabama for guidance specific to your situation.
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