How much notice does Alabama require before eviction?

Where the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act governs, Ala. Code §35-9A-421(a) lets a landlord deliver a written notice to terminate for a material lease breach or nonpayment 'upon a date not less than seven business days after receipt of the notice,' and 'if the breach is not remedied within the seven business days,' the agreement terminates. A month-to-month tenancy is ended on 30 days' written notice (§35-9A-441(b)). This is general information, not advice about a specific case — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Alabama.

Can an Alabama park evict me without going to court?

No. Where the Act applies, eviction is a court action — 'eviction' is defined as 'a civil action filed as a remedy' (Ala. Code §35-9A-141(5)), and the Act bars landlord self-help. A park can't lawfully lock you out or remove your home without a court order.

Does Alabama protect a resident who owns the home and rents only the lot?

Less clearly. The Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is built around the rental of a 'dwelling unit,' which includes a manufactured home rented as a home but not plainly a bare lot rented for a resident's own home. A lot-only tenancy may therefore be governed by the written lease and general law rather than the Act's eviction protections — a gap this guide flags honestly.

Mobile home eviction rules in Alabama

Alabama has no dedicated mobile home park eviction law. Where the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A) governs the tenancy, it sets the notice and court process; where it does not reach a lot-only tenancy, the written lease and general law control. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone facing a specific notice should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Alabama.

What the statute says

Under Ala. Code §35-9A-421(a), "if there is a material noncompliance by the tenant with the rental agreement ... or a noncompliance with Section 35-9A-301 materially affecting health and safety, the landlord may deliver a written notice to terminate the lease ... specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than seven business days after receipt of the notice," and the tenancy continues if the breach is remedied within those seven business days. A month-to-month tenancy can be ended by either party "by a written notice given to the other at least 30 days before the periodic rental date" (§35-9A-441(b)), and a willful holdover exposes the tenant to "not more than three month's periodic rent or the actual damages ... whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney's fees" (§35-9A-441(c)). "Eviction" is "a civil action filed as a remedy" (§35-9A-141(5)) — the process runs through the courts.

How it works in general

Where the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act governs, a park can't simply order a resident out: it has to give a written notice that states the breach and allows at least seven business days to cure (for a lease violation or nonpayment), or 30 days' notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and then it has to go to court to evict. Self-help — locking out a resident or hauling off the home — isn't allowed. The catch in Alabama is coverage: the Act's protections are built around renting a "dwelling unit," so a resident who owns the home and rents only the lot may fall outside them, leaving the lease and general law to govern. A resident facing a notice should check both the notice and whether the Act applies.

Common scenarios

General examples Alabama park residents commonly encounter:

A resident gets a notice over a lease violation. The notice must allow at least seven business days to cure (§35-9A-421(a)).
A month-to-month tenancy is ended. It requires 30 days' written notice (§35-9A-441(b)).
A park threatens a lockout. Eviction must go through court; self-help isn't allowed (§35-9A-141(5)).

Other authorities that may apply

The Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code ch. 9A of title 35) sets the notice and court process for covered tenancies; the eviction action runs through Alabama's unlawful-detainer procedure. Where the Act does not reach a lot-only tenancy, general lease and contract law apply. Federal protections such as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Fair Housing Act can also apply.