Eviction Laws in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is Alabama’s only saltwater port city and the fourth most populous city in the state, with a diverse rental market ranging from downtown apartments and midtown homes to suburban properties in West Mobile. The port drives a significant portion of the local economy alongside shipbuilding, aerospace manufacturing, and healthcare. Mobile County District Court processes a steady volume of Unlawful Detainer actions. Landlords should be aware that hurricane season (June through November) can impact court schedules and tenant situations.
Alabama landlords operate under the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AURLTA), Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-101 through 35-9A-603. Nonpayment of rent requires a 7-business-day Notice to Pay or Quit. Curable lease violations require a 7-business-day Notice to Cure or Quit. Non-curable violations (illegal drugs, firearms offenses, application fraud, or repeat violations within 6 months) require a 7-day Unconditional Notice to Quit. Month-to-month tenancies without cause require a 30-day notice. No breach may be cured more than twice in any 12-month period without the landlord’s written consent. Self-help evictions are illegal in Alabama — landlords who change locks, shut off utilities, or remove belongings without a court order face damages of up to three months’ rent plus attorney’s fees.
Mobile — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
Filing Fee. The filing fee in Mobile County is approximately $256 for the initial Unlawful Detainer complaint. Default judgment filings cost an additional ~$50.
Hurricane Season. Mobile is on the Gulf Coast and vulnerable to hurricanes from June through November. Court schedules can be disrupted during storm events. Landlords should maintain current contact information for the court and plan eviction timelines accordingly.
No Local Rent Control. Alabama does not permit local rent control ordinances. Mobile landlords set market-rate rents without municipal caps.
Cash-for-Keys. Some Mobile landlords find it quicker and more cost-effective to offer a cash-for-keys arrangement rather than pursuing a full eviction through the courts, especially in cases where the tenant is willing to leave but needs financial assistance to relocate.
Mobile County District Court — Where Landlords File
Mobile landlords file Unlawful Detainer actions at Mobile County District Court, located at 205 Government St, Mobile, AL 36602, phone (251) 574-8400, open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. Pay the filing fee at the clerk’s window (~$256+ depending on service method and whether unpaid rent is also claimed). The court schedules a hearing after the tenant’s 7-day answer period. After a judgment in the landlord’s favor, a 7-day automatic stay applies before a Writ of Possession can issue. The tenant has 7 days to appeal to Circuit Court. After the stay period, the landlord requests a Writ of Possession — the sheriff schedules a lockout, typically 7-10 days after the writ issues. Self-help eviction is illegal in Alabama.
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