Alabama
From US data breach notification laws: After a data breach, how fast must a business tell people, and who else must it tell?
Law: Section 8-38-5
The section that holds the state's general breach notification duty for businesses, as the source names it.
Section 8-38-5 Notice of Security Breach
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Days to tell residents: 45 days
The outer limit in days for telling affected residents, as stated. Blank where no number is stated. States start the clock differently, at discovery or at determining a breach happened, and the quote shows which.
shall provide notice within 45 days
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
How fast, in the law's words: as expeditiously as possible and without unreasonable delay
The law's own words for how quickly residents must be told, apart from any day count.
shall be made as expeditiously as possible and without unreasonable delay
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Attorney general told: Yes
Yes if the source says the state attorney general or its equivalent must be told of a breach in at least some cases. Florida's Department of Legal Affairs and Oregon's Attorney General count.
the entity shall provide written notice of the breach to the Attorney General
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Residents before the AG is told: 1000 residents
The number of affected residents at which the attorney general must be told, as stated. Blank where no number is stated. The quote shows whether it means that many or more than that many.
is required to notify under Section 8-38-5 exceeds 1,000
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Days to tell the AG: 45 days
The deadline in days for telling the attorney general, as stated. Blank where no number is stated. Clocks differ: some run from the breach, and others from telling residents, as the quote shows.
shall provide the notice within 45 days
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Encrypted data excepted: Yes
Yes if the text limits the duty to unencrypted data, or leaves encrypted data out. Stolen keys can undo this in several states.
Information that is truncated, encrypted, secured, or modified by any other method
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.
Low-harm exception: Yes
Yes if the text lets a business skip notice after finding that harm or misuse is unlikely, or only counts breaches that create a real risk.
is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the individuals to whom the information relates, shall give notice
Source: https://acua.alabama.gov/PDF/law/AlabamaDataBreachNotificationAct.pdf. Read 2026-11-01. Read once.