Operative Text
(a) A person commits the offense of misrepresentation of entitlement to an assistance animal or service animal if the person intentionally does either of the following: (1) Misrepresents to another person that a person has a disability or disability-related need for the use of an assistance animal or service animal in housing. (2) Makes materially false statements for the purpose of obtaining documentation for the use of an assistance animal or service animal in housing. (b)(1) Upon a first offense, a violation of subsection (a) shall be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) or treated as a Class C misdemeanor. (2) Upon a second or subsequent offense, a violation of subsection (a) shall be a Class B misdemeanor.
Alabama Code § 24-8A-4 makes it unlawful to intentionally lie about having a disability or a disability-related need in order to bring an assistance animal or service animal into housing, or to submit materially false statements to obtain supporting documentation for such an animal. A first offense can result in a civil penalty of $500 or be treated as a Class C misdemeanor, while a second or subsequent offense rises to a Class B misdemeanor. The law applies to any person who makes such misrepresentations, not just tenants or applicants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 24-8A-4, Alabama law provides landlords with a legal backstop against fraudulent assistance-animal requests by making intentional misrepresentation a punishable offense. Compliant operators generally document their reasonable accommodation request process carefully, noting any inconsistencies in submitted materials, while understanding that the burden of pursuing a misrepresentation claim rests with the legal system rather than the housing provider. Awareness of this provision can inform how operators structure their accommodation verification procedures without overstepping fair housing obligations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 24-8A-4 is directed at those who fraudulently claim a disability need or falsify documentation to obtain assistance-animal accommodations in housing — it does not restrict the rights of tenants with genuine disabilities or disability-related needs. Tenants who have legitimate accommodation needs and are facing pushback from a landlord are generally not affected by this provision and may have separate fair housing protections available to them. Tenant-rights organizations and local legal aid offices can help individuals understand how this provision interacts with broader assistance-animal rights under state and federal law.
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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