General Information
It's against the law in Alabama to discriminate against anyone with a physical disability in leased or purchased housing accommodations. You must be allowed full and equal access to all housing facilities. But Alabama's law on service animals in housing applies only to guide dogs that assist those who are totally or partially blind.
The state law bars your landlord from charging you extra for having a guide dog (although you can expect to pay for any damage your animal causes). If your lease or rental agreement includes a "no pets" provision, it doesn't apply to your guide dog.
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) offers you more protection. Under the FHA, housing facilities must allow "assistance animals," which includes both service dogs and emotional support animals, if having the animal is necessary for someone with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the home.
To fall under this provision, you must have a disability and a disability-related need for the animal. So to qualify for protection under the FHA, your service animal or ESA must perform tasks or services or alleviate the emotional effects of your disability.
Under the FHA, service animals and emotional support animals aren't considered pets, and you can't be charged a pet deposit or higher rent or fees to have one. (For more information, see the Department of Housing and Urban Development's guidance on assistance animals.)
The state law bars your landlord from charging you extra for having a guide dog (although you can expect to pay for any damage your animal causes). If your lease or rental agreement includes a "no pets" provision, it doesn't apply to your guide dog.
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) offers you more protection. Under the FHA, housing facilities must allow "assistance animals," which includes both service dogs and emotional support animals, if having the animal is necessary for someone with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the home.
To fall under this provision, you must have a disability and a disability-related need for the animal. So to qualify for protection under the FHA, your service animal or ESA must perform tasks or services or alleviate the emotional effects of your disability.
Under the FHA, service animals and emotional support animals aren't considered pets, and you can't be charged a pet deposit or higher rent or fees to have one. (For more information, see the Department of Housing and Urban Development's guidance on assistance animals.)
