Alaska's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, at AS 34.03, covers residential rentals across the state, with a short list of exclusions. The landlord must keep the unit habitable (AS 34.03.100) and name the manager and owner in writing (AS 34.03.080). Deposits are capped at two months' rent unless rent is over $2,000 a month, and must be returned in 14 or 30 days (AS 34.03.070). Routine entry needs 24 hours' notice (AS 34.03.140). The main notice periods are 7 days for unpaid rent, 10 days to cure a breach and 30 days to end a month to month tenancy.
The full text is on the Alaska Legislature's statutes site. Below is the version a property manager can work from, with the section number for each rule.
The Act on one page
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Who is covered | Residential tenancies in general. Some institutional, transient and special occupancies are excluded. | AS 34.03.330 |
| Disclosure | Name and address of the manager and of the owner or owner's agent, in writing, at or before the start | AS 34.03.080 |
| Habitability | Keep the unit fit and habitable, meet health and safety codes, keep common areas safe, keep services working | AS 34.03.100 |
| Security deposit cap | Two months' rent, deposit and prepaid rent combined. No cap if rent is over $2,000 a month. | AS 34.03.070 |
| Pet deposit | Up to one more month's rent for a pet that is not a service animal, used only for pet damage | AS 34.03.070 |
| Deposit return | 14 days after the tenancy ends and possession is returned, if proper notice was given. 30 days if you deduct for damage or notice was not given. | AS 34.03.070 |
| Penalty for willful withholding | Up to twice the amount wrongly withheld | AS 34.03.070 |
| Entry | At least 24 hours' notice, at reasonable times, except in an emergency | AS 34.03.140 |
| Unpaid rent | 7 days' written notice | AS 34.03.220 |
| Other lease breaches | 10 days' written notice to cure | AS 34.03.220 |
| Month to month ending | 30 days' written notice | AS 34.03.290 |
| Retaliation | Banned after a complaint, a claim under the Act or tenant organising | AS 34.03.310 |
Who the Act covers, and who it does not
The Act applies to leases of homes and apartments across Alaska, with a few exceptions. AS 34.03.330 lists the exclusions. They include certain institutional stays, transient stays such as hotels, and a few special arrangements.
If an arrangement looks unusual, such as staff housing tied to a job, read AS 34.03.330 before you assume the Act does or does not apply. When in doubt, treat the tenancy as covered. That is the safer default.
Disclosure and habitability come first
Tell the tenant who to contact
At or before the start of the tenancy, give the tenant the name and address of the person managing the property. Also give the name and address of the owner, or of someone authorised to act for the owner and to receive notices. Put it in the lease and keep it current when the owner or manager changes.
Keep the unit fit to live in
AS 34.03.100 requires the landlord to keep the premises fit and habitable. That covers health and safety codes, repairs, safe common areas and working electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating and other services the landlord supplies.
In Alaska, heat is the item to watch. A heating failure in January is a habitability issue that cannot wait for the weekly repair run. Our guide to Alaska landlord repair obligations covers the tenant's remedies when repairs are late.
Security deposits: the rules that cost money
The deposit section, AS 34.03.070, is where Alaska has the sharpest local detail.
- The cap. Deposit and prepaid rent together cannot exceed two months' rent. The cap does not apply when monthly rent is over $2,000.
- The pet deposit. You may take up to one extra month's rent for a pet that is not a service animal. Track it separately and use it only for pet damage.
- Where the money sits. Deposit the funds with a bank, a savings and loan association or a licensed escrow agent. Account for each tenant's money separately.
- The return clock. 14 days after the tenancy ends and the unit is handed back, when notice under AS 34.03.290 was given. 30 days when you deduct for damage, or when proper notice was not given.
Our post on Alaska security deposit laws goes deeper into deductions and the itemised statement.
Worked example: one Anchorage deposit, two deadlines
A tenant rents a two bedroom in Anchorage for $1,850 a month. Because rent is under $2,000, the cap applies. The ceiling for the deposit and prepaid rent together is $3,700. The tenant also has a cat, so the manager takes a separate pet deposit of $500, well under the one month limit of $1,850.
The tenant gives 30 days' written notice on 1 March 2026 and hands back the keys on 31 March.
Case one: no damage
The move out inspection finds normal wear only. The manager owes back the full $3,700 deposit and the $500 pet deposit. Proper notice was given and there is no damage deduction, so the deadline is 14 April 2026.
Case two: damage found
The inspection finds a burned countertop, quoted at $420, and cat damage to a door frame, quoted at $180. The manager deducts $420 from the security deposit and $180 from the pet deposit. Because there is a damage deduction, the deadline moves to 30 April 2026. The refund is $3,280 plus $320, mailed with an itemised statement.
What changes if rent were $2,100
At $2,100 a month the two month cap no longer applies. The manager could have asked for a larger deposit. The return deadlines and the itemised statement rules stay the same.
If the manager missed either deadline on purpose, the tenant could claim up to twice the amount withheld. A calendar entry on the day the keys come back is cheap insurance.
Notice periods and evictions
Alaska uses short, fixed notice periods. Each starts with a written notice served the right way.
- Unpaid rent: 7 days' written notice to pay or leave.
- Other breaches: 10 days' written notice to fix the problem or leave.
- Month to month: 30 days' written notice from either side.
Some health and safety breaches and some illegal activity carry shorter special notices. After notice, eviction runs through the courts as a forcible entry and detainer case. Self help, such as changing locks or shutting off utilities, is not allowed. Our guide to the Alaska eviction process walks through each step and the court timeline.
Lease terms that will not hold up
A lease cannot take away rights the Act gives the tenant. Clauses that waive those rights, or that make the tenant pay the landlord's legal fees regardless of outcome, are a risk. They can be unenforceable, and a landlord who knowingly uses them can face damages.
Retaliation is also banned. AS 34.03.310 covers it. A landlord may not raise rent, cut services or move to evict because a tenant complained to a government agency. The same applies when a tenant used a right under the Act or joined a tenant group.
Review your Alaska lease template against the Act once a year. Check the disclosure clause, the deposit terms, the entry clause and any fee clauses.
Running Alaska tenancies in RIOO
RIOO keeps the lease terms, the deposit and the charges on the same record. Deposits are tracked per tenant, which supports the separate accounting the Act requires. Move out inspections with photos sit on the unit record, so each deduction has its evidence.
For portfolios across several states, the RIOO US state law hub links to state by state guides like this one. Check every deadline against the current statute before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions about Alaska landlord tenant law
What law governs landlords and tenants in Alaska?
The Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, AS 34.03.010 to 34.03.380. It covers residential tenancies, apart from the exclusions in AS 34.03.330.
How much can an Alaska landlord charge as a deposit?
Up to two months' rent for the deposit and prepaid rent combined. There is no cap when rent is over $2,000 a month. A pet deposit of up to one month's rent may be added.
How fast must an Alaska landlord return a deposit?
Within 14 days if proper notice was given and nothing is deducted for damage. Within 30 days if you deduct for damage or if proper notice was not given.
How much notice does an Alaska landlord need to enter?
At least 24 hours, at reasonable times, except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable.
How much notice ends a month to month tenancy in Alaska?
30 days' written notice from either side, under AS 34.03.290.
