Alabama Ordinances (2026)

Alabama enforces statewide minimum building, energy, and manufactured-home standards through the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission and the state-adopted residential code. Tiny homes built on permanent foundations must satisfy these statewide standards, while HUD-code units are governed by federal preemption administered by the state.

Alabama Code Sections 13A-11-14 and 13A-11-241 criminalize animal cruelty and neglect statewide, capturing hoarding conduct that deprives animals of food, water, shelter, or veterinary care.

Alabama Code Title 2, Chapter 14 requires all beekeepers to register colonies with the Department of Agriculture and Industries and complies with state apiary inspection and disease control standards.

Alabama's Right to Farm Act protects agricultural operations from nuisance suits and limits municipal restrictions on bona fide farms, while statewide livestock laws govern fence-out and stock-running rules.

Alabama law requires dogs over three months to be vaccinated against rabies and prohibits dogs from running at large in certain circumstances, while leash specifics remain local.

Alabama prohibits possession, sale, and importation of many nonindigenous and venomous species under Department of Conservation regulation 220-2-.26, applying uniformly statewide regardless of municipal preference.

Alabama Department of Conservation regulations restrict baiting and feeding of deer and other game animals statewide during hunting seasons, with separate rules on bear feeding and migratory bird baiting under federal law.

Alabama delegates most setback regulation to municipalities under Code Title 11 zoning enabling acts, but the statewide adopted residential building code imposes minimum separation distances for fire safety and septic systems uniformly.

Alabama medical cannabis dispensaries operate only under Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission licenses with statewide siting standards including 1,000-foot school buffers; cities may add zoning restrictions or opt out entirely but cannot loosen state requirements.

Alabama prohibits all home cultivation of cannabis statewide. Even patients enrolled in the medical cannabis program cannot grow plants at home; only licensed cultivators authorized by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission may produce cannabis lawfully.

Alabama Code Section 11-45-1 grants municipalities police-power authority to enact juvenile curfew ordinances, but state law defines child status under the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act (Ala. Code Title 12, Chapter 15) and limits curfew enforcement consistent with statewide due process protections.

Alabama preempts local UAS regulation, leaving commercial drone operations governed by FAA Part 107 and state privacy statutes. Operators must hold a Remote Pilot Certificate and follow uniform statewide rules for surveys, photography, and inspections.

Alabama law preempts municipal regulation of unmanned aircraft systems, reserving drone rules to the state and FAA. Recreational pilots must follow FAA Part 107 hobbyist standards and avoid harassment, but cities cannot impose their own flight bans.

Alabama Code Section 11-43-26 preempts cities and counties from setting local minimum wage rates, leaving the federal minimum wage as the floor statewide.

Alabama Code Section 11-43-26 preempts cities and counties from mandating paid sick leave, paid family leave, or other employment benefits beyond state and federal law.

Alabama Code Section 11-43-26 prevents local governments from imposing predictive scheduling, fair workweek, or shift notification mandates on private employers.

Alabama's Coastal Area Management Program, administered by ADEM under Code §9-7, regulates development in Mobile and Baldwin counties' coastal zones, requiring permits for construction near beaches, dunes, and tidal waters that local cities cannot waive.

Alabama law and ADEM regulations require erosion and sediment control on construction sites statewide, mandating Best Management Practices, certified personnel, and routine inspections for any earth disturbance under NPDES permit coverage.

Alabama participates in the National Flood Insurance Program through ADECA's Office of Water Resources, requiring local floodplain ordinances meeting FEMA minimums; municipalities cannot opt out without losing federal flood insurance availability.

Alabama enforces stormwater management statewide through ADEM's NPDES permits, requiring construction sites over one acre and MS4 communities to implement erosion controls, sediment basins, and post-construction best management practices regardless of city location.

Alabama partition fence law under Code Title 3 Chapter 4 governs livestock fencing duties between adjoining landowners. Boundary line disputes follow common law principles applied uniformly statewide through Alabama courts.

Alabama enforces residential swimming pool barrier rules through the statewide adopted International Residential Code, requiring four-foot fences, self-closing gates, and self-latching mechanisms around private pools to prevent child drownings statewide.

Alabama regulates the manufacture, sale, storage, and use of consumer fireworks statewide through the State Fire Marshal under Title 8, Chapter 17, requiring permits for sellers and limiting municipal authority to ban consumer fireworks outright.

Alabama requires a state burn permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission for most outdoor burning of forest, grass, woods, and brush during fire season, applying universally across counties and unincorporated areas regardless of local rules.

The Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board regulates the storage, handling, transportation, and installation of propane and LP-gas systems statewide under Title 9, Chapter 17, with uniform requirements that preempt conflicting local ordinances on tank installation and licensing.

Alabama state law authorizes the Governor and Forestry Commission to declare drought emergencies and statewide or regional burn bans that preempt local rules, prohibiting outdoor burning during high wildfire danger periods across affected counties.

Alabama allows permitless concealed carry of handguns for lawful adults, while still issuing optional permits for reciprocity, with state preemption blocking local restrictions.

Alabama law preempts most local firearm regulations, reserving authority over guns, ammunition, and accessories exclusively to the state legislature under Code Section 13A-11-61.3.

Alabama generally permits open carry of firearms for lawful adults, with local governments preempted from imposing stricter regulations under Code Section 13A-11-61.3.

Alabama Code Section 13A-11-73 allows lawful adults aged 19 and over to carry a handgun in a vehicle without a permit, subject to state preemption.

All food trucks in Alabama must obtain a mobile food establishment permit from the Alabama Department of Public Health under Chapter 420-3-22, with uniform sanitation, water, and inspection standards regardless of city.

Alabama adopted the Uniform Condominium Act of 1991, codified at Ala. Code Title 35 Chapter 8A (§35-8A-101 et seq.). The Act governs the creation, management, governance, and termination of condominium developments in Alabama — including declaration requirements, common element ownership, association powers, assessment liens, and unit-owner rights. It does NOT apply to traditional landlord-tenant rentals; Alabama tenant-eviction grounds are set by the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code §35-9A-101 et seq., 2007). The Act applies prospectively to condominiums created on or after January 1, 1991.

Alabama's Cottage Food Law allows home producers to sell certain non-potentially hazardous foods directly to consumers without inspection, subject to a statewide $20,000 annual sales cap, mandatory training, and specific labeling requirements.

Alabama requires statewide Department of Human Resources licensing for family day care homes serving seven to twelve children, with mandatory background checks, fire inspections, and minimum standards that municipalities cannot relax through local ordinances.

Alabama Code Title 31 Chapter 13 requires every employer in the state to enroll in and use the federal E-Verify program to confirm employee work authorization.

Alabama Code Title 31 Chapter 13, the Beason-Hammon Act, prohibits municipalities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies that limit immigration enforcement cooperation.

Alabama's Forest Resources Act and Right-to-Farm Act limit local regulation of timber harvesting and silvicultural tree cutting on land classified as forest or agricultural. Municipalities cannot prohibit bona fide forestry operations conducted under accepted best management practices.

The Alabama Water Resources Act (Ala. Code Title 9, Chapter 10B) gives the Office of Water Resources authority to declare drought stages and trigger conservation measures. Local water restrictions must operate within this statewide drought management framework administered by ADECA.

Aircraft noise regulation in Alabama is preempted by federal law under the Federal Aviation Act and FAA regulations. Cities and counties cannot impose binding restrictions on aircraft operations, flight paths, or in-flight noise levels statewide.

Alabama state law treats persistent barking dogs as a private nuisance actionable under Alabama Code Section 6-5-120. Cities adopt specific decibel and duration rules, but the underlying nuisance cause of action is statewide.

Alabama law sets statewide procedures for handling abandoned vehicles, requiring notice to owners, lienholders, and the Department of Revenue before any sale or title transfer can occur through licensed wreckers or property owners.

Alabama's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 9A) provides the exclusive statutory framework for residential evictions. The act sets uniform notice requirements and grounds, and Alabama courts have consistently treated landlord-tenant law as a matter of statewide concern.

Alabama Code Section 11-80-8.1 expressly prohibits any county or municipality from enacting or enforcing rent control ordinances, statutes, or regulations on private residential or commercial property. The statewide preemption is absolute and applies regardless of local population or home rule status.

Alabama agricultural zoning interacts with Code Section 6-5-127 Right to Farm, limiting how local zoning changes can be used to declare established farms a nuisance.

Alabama Code Section 6-5-127 protects established farms from nuisance lawsuits when surrounding non-agricultural land use changes, supporting long-term agricultural operations.

Alabama imposes a statewide lodgings tax on rooms and accommodations rented for fewer than 180 continuous days, applying universally to short-term rentals across all municipalities, including Airbnb and Vrbo bookings collected by the Department of Revenue.

Alabama state law restricts placement of political campaign signs in public rights-of-way, on state highways, and on state property. Cities can regulate residential placement, but content-based restrictions face First Amendment limits statewide.

Alabama Code Section 11-89C-10, enacted in 2019, preempts cities and counties from regulating, banning, or taxing auxiliary containers including plastic bags.

Polystyrene foam containers fall under Alabama Code Section 11-89C-10 auxiliary container preemption, blocking local bans on foam cups, plates, and takeout containers.

Plastic straws are preempted under Alabama Code Section 11-89C-10, prohibiting local governments from banning, restricting, or taxing single-use plastic straws.

Alabama regulates door-to-door home solicitation sales statewide under the Home Solicitation Sales Act, providing a three-day buyer's right to cancel for purchases over $25, applying universally regardless of municipal solicitor permit requirements.

Alabama has adopted the International Residential Code, which mandates four-foot barriers around residential swimming pools statewide, providing a uniform baseline for pool fencing enforced by local building officials.

Alabama Administrative Code 420-3-23, enforced by the Department of Public Health, sets statewide standards for water chemistry, lifeguards, signage, and depth markers at all public and semi-public swimming pools.

Alabama prohibits the sale of tobacco, vapor, and alternative nicotine products to anyone under 21 under Code Section 28-11-13, aligning with federal Tobacco 21 law.

Alabama does not impose a statewide flavored tobacco or vape flavor ban, instead focusing regulation on age limits and retail permits under Code Section 28-11-13.

Alabama regulates the retail sale of vapor products and electronic nicotine devices through Code Section 28-11-13, requiring permits, age verification, and restricted youth marketing.