What happens if a tenant breaks a lease in Alabama?
In Alabama, if a tenant abandons the dwelling unit, the landlord must make reasonable efforts to rent it at a fair rental, although that duty does not take priority over the landlord’s right to rent other vacant units first. If the landlord rents the unit for a term that begins before the rental agreement expires, the agreement terminates on the date the new tenancy begins. A property is also considered abandoned if its electric service has been terminated for seven consecutive days. Separately, federal law lets a servicemember end a lease early after receiving qualifying military orders. This is Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-423, 35-9A-105.
| What | Alabama |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s duty to re-rent | Required by statute |
| What it means | The landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent |
Source
Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-423, 35-9A-105
Read the statute in the Code of Alabama (Alabama Legislature): alison.legislature.state.al.us.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease by State: What the Tenant Owes — What a tenant owes after leaving a lease early, and the 34 states whose statutes say whether the landlord must try to re-rent the home.
Compare this rule in every state
More Alabama rules
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- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Alabama?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Alabama?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Alabama?
- What are squatters’ rights in Alabama?
- Is there rent control in Alabama?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Alabama?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Alabama?
- Every Alabama rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky