Rental Property Rules in Birmingham, AL (2026)
8 verified rental property rules for Birmingham, Alabama, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Alabama §11-80-11.5, enacted in 2024, bars Birmingham and every other Alabama municipality from adopting rent control, rent stabilization, or any cap on private residential lease rates. Pre-existing local proposals were nullified.
Rent Control Banned Statewide
Few RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Birmingham has no just-cause eviction ordinance. Landlords follow the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AL §35-9A-101 et seq.), which permits no-fault termination of month-to-month leases with 30 days' notice.
No Just-Cause Eviction Rule
Few RestrictionsRental Registration
Birmingham does not maintain a citywide rental-registration or proactive-rental-inspection program. Most enforcement is complaint-based through Title 6 housing-code provisions and the city's Code Enforcement division.
No Rental Registration
Few RestrictionsSecurity Deposit Rules
Alabama URLTA §35-9A-201 caps residential security deposits at one month's rent (excluding pet, change-in-occupancy, or pet-deposit fees) and requires return within 35 days of move-out, with itemized deductions in writing.
Security Deposits Capped at One Month
Some RestrictionsNo-Fault Evictions
Alabama URLTA permits landlords to terminate month-to-month tenancies without cause on 30 days' notice. Birmingham cannot restrict this remedy because of Alabama's Dillon's Rule and §11-80-11.5 (2024) preemption.
No-Fault Termination Allowed
Few RestrictionsTenant Anti-Harassment
Birmingham has not adopted a tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenants relying on protection against landlord intimidation must use Alabama URLTA's general retaliation and self-help provisions instead.
No Local Anti-Harassment Ordinance
Few RestrictionsSource-of-Income Discrimination
Birmingham landlords may refuse Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) holders. Alabama law has no source-of-income protection, and Birmingham cannot enact one because §11-80-11.5 and Dillon's Rule preempt local landlord-tenant rules.
No Source-of-Income Protection
Few RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) administers Housing Choice Vouchers citywide. Voucher acceptance is voluntary for private landlords because Alabama lacks source-of-income protections.
Section 8 Through HABD
Few RestrictionsLooking for Jefferson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Birmingham city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Jefferson County →