5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Madison County, Alabama.
Verified from official government sources
Madison County provides the trash cart but sets no rule on where you store it. Screening and placement between collections are HOA matters; your only county duty is subscribing to service under Alabama Code §22-27-3.
Ala. Code §22-27-3
Every person, household, business, industry, or property generating solid wastes, garbage, or ash as defined in this section shall participate in and subscribe to such system of service unless granted a certificate of exception as provided in subsection (g).
Madison County directly polices blight in unincorporated areas. Alabama Code §45-45-173.01 makes it a public nuisance to let any lot or premises accumulate garbage, junk, debris, inoperable vehicles, or appliances, enforced by the county junk ordinance.
Ala. Code §45-45-173.01
It shall be unlawful and constitute a public nuisance for the owner or other person in charge or control of a building, lot, junkyard, or other premises, within the unincorporated territory of Madison County to fail to keep the lot, junkyard, or premises clean and free from garbage, refuse, litter, junk, debris, salvaged materials, household furniture, trash, used motor vehicle tires, inoperabl...
Overgrown vacant lots are reachable in unincorporated Madison County. Under Alabama Code §11-3A-2 the county may abate weeds as a public nuisance defined in §11-67-60 — grass or weeds over 12 inches — plus junk under §45-45-173.01.
Ala. Code §11-3A-2
The powers granted herein to provide for the public welfare, health, and safety of its citizens shall only include the following: (1) Abatement of weeds as a public nuisance as defined in Section 11-67-60.
This is effectively a non-issue in North Alabama. Madison County sees little measurable snow, maintains no sidewalk-clearing ordinance, and imposes no shoveling duty on property owners in unincorporated areas.
Madison County sets no garage-sale rules for unincorporated areas. The county's zoning power does not extend to licensing residential yard sales, so frequency, hours, and permits are governed by HOA covenants, not county law.
Ala. Code §45-45-173.01
It shall be unlawful and constitute a public nuisance for the owner or other person in charge or control of a building, lot, junkyard, or other premises, within the unincorporated territory of Madison County to fail to keep the lot, junkyard, or premises clean and free from garbage, refuse, litter, junk, debris, salvaged materials, household furniture, trash, used motor vehicle tires, inoperabl...
2 cities in Madison County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Madison County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Madison County Ordinance Hub →