Ala. Code §§ 24-8A-1 to 24-8A-5 § 24-8A-3
Documentation Requirements.
Operative Text
(a) A landlord who receives a request from a person to make an exception to a policy of the landlord that prohibits animals on the property of the landlord because the person requires the use of an assistance animal may require the person to produce reliable documentation of the following: (1) A disability, only if the disability is not readily apparent or known to the landlord. (2) A disability-related need for the animal, only if the disability-related need is not readily apparent or known to the landlord. (b) All documentation obtained pursuant to this section must be kept confidential in accordance with the Fair Housing Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Under Alabama Code § 24-8A-3, when a person requests an exception to a no-animals policy because they use an assistance animal, a landlord may ask for documentation of the person's disability and their disability-related need for the animal — but only when those facts are not already apparent or known. Any documentation collected under this provision must be kept confidential in line with the Fair Housing Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The rule balances a landlord's ability to verify a legitimate need against a tenant's privacy and civil-rights protections.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 24-8A-3, compliant operators generally limit documentation requests to situations where neither the disability nor the disability-related need for the assistance animal is readily apparent or already known. Operators typically avoid requesting medical records or other sensitive materials beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish the two permitted elements. Any documentation received must be stored and handled confidentially, consistent with the Fair Housing Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 24-8A-3 of the Alabama Code gives tenants making assistance-animal accommodation requests a degree of protection: a landlord may only ask for documentation of a disability or disability-related need when those facts are not already obvious or known. If a landlord demands documentation in circumstances that appear to exceed what the provision allows, tenants can explore options such as filing a fair-housing complaint with a relevant agency, raising the violation as a defense in any related proceeding, or reaching out to a tenant-rights or disability-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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