Quick answer: In Alabama the legal minimum from a notice to a writ of possession is the notice period, plus at least six days between service of the complaint and the return day, plus a seven-day automatic stay on the writ after judgment. Real cases take longer.
This Alabama eviction timeline calculator applies Ala. Code 35-9A-461, 6-6-332 and 6-6-335. Choose the reason, enter the date the tenant receives the notice and, if you like, the date the landlord plans to file: it shows the earliest legal dates for each step. It shows legal minimums only, never how long a case usually takes.
Alabama eviction timeline rules at a glance
| Rule | What Alabama says |
|---|---|
| Notice first | Unpaid rent or a curable breach: seven business days after receipt; noncurable default: seven days; month-to-month: 30 days before the rental date (Ala. Code 35-9A-421, 35-9A-441) |
| Court | District and circuit courts have jurisdiction; venue is the county where the property is; eviction cases take precedence in scheduling (35-9A-461(b)) |
| Service | The notice of the complaint must be served at least six days before the return day (6-6-332(b)) |
| If the defendant does not appear | The case proceeds as if the defendant had denied the allegations; the trial may be postponed for good cause by not more than 15 days (6-6-335) |
| Writ of possession | Issues on application after judgment for the landlord; automatic stay of seven days (461(e)) |
| Appeal | Within seven days of the judgment; the tenant must pay rent into court to stop the writ (461(d)) |
| Lockouts | A landlord that excludes a tenant without a court order owes up to three months’ rent or actual damages plus attorney fees (35-9A-407) |
| Federal rule | Covered dwellings: 30 days after a notice to vacate (15 U.S.C. 9058(c)) |
How does the Alabama eviction timeline work?
- The steps. See how long an eviction takes in Alabama.
- In court. See the Alabama eviction court process.
- After the judgment. See the writ of possession in Alabama.
What does this eviction timeline calculator check?
It starts with the notice date and the earliest date the lease can end, which the Alabama eviction notice calculator explains. It treats the day after the lease ends, or the next business day, as the earliest filing date, adds six days for service before the return day, treats the return day as the earliest judgment, and adds the seven-day stay on the writ. Dates that fall on a weekend or an official state holiday move to the next business day. Scheduling is the court’s: the calculator cannot know the docket, whether the tenant is served on the first try, whether the tenant raises defenses, or whether an appeal is filed.
Related Alabama landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Alabama security deposit return deadline calculator for the date the landlord must refund or itemize the deposit, the Alabama security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit and the Alabama eviction notice calculator for the notice period before a lease can end. Each one cites its own Alabama statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an eviction take in Alabama?
The statute fixes only minimums: the notice period, at least six days between service and the return day, and a seven-day stay on the writ after judgment. How long a real case takes depends on the court and the facts.
How soon after the notice can a landlord file?
Once the lease has ended on the date in the notice. The calculator treats the next business day after that date as the earliest filing date.
How much notice does the tenant get of the court date?
The notice of the complaint must be served on the defendant at least six days before the return day.
What if the tenant does not show up?
The case proceeds as if the defendant had denied the allegations. A trial can be postponed for good cause by not more than 15 days.
When can the sheriff remove the tenant?
Only after a judgment for the landlord, a writ issued on application, and the end of the seven-day automatic stay on the writ; the statute sets no fixed number of days for the sheriff to execute it.
Does an appeal stop the eviction?
A tenant’s appeal does not stop the writ unless the tenant pays the clerk all rent properly payable since the date the action was filed and continues to pay it as it falls due.
Official sources
- Ala. Code 35-9A-461: landlord’s action for eviction
- Ala. Code 6-6-332: process; form of notice, service and return
- Ala. Code 6-6-335: proceedings when parties appear or the defendant fails to do so
- Ala. Code 6-6-337: proceedings upon determination for plaintiff or defendant
- Ala. Code 35-9A-421: noncompliance with the rental agreement; failure to pay rent
- Ala. Code 35-9A-441: periodic tenancy; holdover remedies
- Ala. Code 1-3-8: official state holidays
- 15 U.S.C. 9058(c): 30-day notice to vacate for covered dwellings