Alaska landlord-tenant law.
Updated August 2026. No statewide rent control, and no Alaska municipality currently has a local rent control ordinance (whether state law formally bars localities from adopting one is unsettled in the sources reviewed)
Security deposit plus prepaid rent capped at 2 months' rent combined, except units renting above $2,000 a month are exempt from the cap; a separate pet deposit of up to 1 month's rent may also be charged for non-service animals (AS 34.03.070(a),(h))
14 days after termination and delivery of possession if the tenant gave proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 and the full deposit is being returned; 30 days applies whenever the landlord deducts for damages or accrued rent, or if the tenant did not give proper notice or abandoned the unit. Willful noncompliance makes the landlord liable for up to double the amount wrongfully withheld (AS 34.03.070(b),(d),(g))
If rent is unpaid when due, landlord gives written notice; the tenancy terminates if the tenant does not pay the full rent owed within 7 days after the notice (AS 34.03.220(b))
At least 24 hours' notice stating the date, approximate time, and purpose is required, and entry is allowed only at reasonable times with the tenant's consent, for repairs, maintenance, agreed services, inspections, or showings; exceptions apply only for emergencies or when the tenant cannot be reached (AS 34.03.140)
Security deposits
Deposit limit. Security deposit plus prepaid rent capped at 2 months' rent combined, except units renting above $2,000 a month are exempt from the cap; a separate pet deposit of up to 1 month's rent may also be charged for non-service animals (AS 34.03.070(a),(h))
Getting it back. 14 days after termination and delivery of possession if the tenant gave proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 and the full deposit is being returned; 30 days applies whenever the landlord deducts for damages or accrued rent, or if the tenant did not give proper notice or abandoned the unit. Willful noncompliance makes the landlord liable for up to double the amount wrongfully withheld (AS 34.03.070(b),(d),(g))
Late fees and rent
No statutory dollar cap; the charge must reasonably approximate the landlord's actual costs and be agreed to in writing in the rental agreement. A percentage-per-day late charge is further capped by the state usury statute at 5 points over the Federal Reserve discount rate, or 10.5% a year if no rate is stated (AS 45.45.010). No grace period is required by statute.
Ending a tenancy
Nonpayment of rent. If rent is unpaid when due, landlord gives written notice; the tenancy terminates if the tenant does not pay the full rent owed within 7 days after the notice (AS 34.03.220(b))
Month-to-month termination. Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the rental due date named as the termination date; a week-to-week tenancy needs only 14 days' notice (AS 34.03.290(a),(b))
Landlord entry
At least 24 hours' notice stating the date, approximate time, and purpose is required, and entry is allowed only at reasonable times with the tenant's consent, for repairs, maintenance, agreed services, inspections, or showings; exceptions apply only for emergencies or when the tenant cannot be reached (AS 34.03.140)
Required disclosures
- Name and address of the person authorized to manage the premises and of the owner or the owner's agent for service of process and notices, disclosed in writing at or before tenancy start (AS 34.03.080)
- Federal lead-based paint disclosure and EPA pamphlet for any unit built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. ยง 4852d)
- No separate Alaska statute mandates mold, bed bug, or flood disclosures; a signed move-in premises condition statement and contents inventory is strongly recommended practice, not a statutory requirement
Lease clauses that do not hold up
- Waiver of either party's rights or remedies under the Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03.040(a)(1))
- Confession of judgment clauses (AS 34.03.040(a)(2))
- Exculpatory or indemnification clauses limiting a landlord's or tenant's liability (AS 34.03.040(a)(3))
- Clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney's fees (AS 34.03.040(a)(4))
Notes for landlords
Alaska's law is the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03.010 et seq.). A mid-lease rent increase on a month-to-month tenancy is treated as ending the old rate and offering a new one, so it needs the same 30-day written notice as any other month-to-month termination. Deposits and prepaid rent must be held in a separate trust account at a bank, savings and loan, or licensed escrow agent (AS 34.03.070(c)).
Sources
This guide is general legal information for landlords, not legal advice. Statutes change and local ordinances can add stricter rules on top of state law. Confirm any requirement with the current statute or a licensed attorney in your state before acting on it.
Run your Alaska rentals on Sahab Key.
Collect rent and track leases for two dollars a unit a month, with a fifty dollar monthly minimum.