Alaska security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Alaska. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Alaska
- Return timing
- 14 days after termination and delivery of possession with proper termination notice and rent-only deductions; 30 days if deductions cover damages beyond normal wear or the tenant failed to give proper notice.
- Accounting for deductions
- Accrued rent and damages applied against the deposit must be itemized in a written notice mailed to the tenant's last known address within the time limits, with the amount due (§ 34.03.070(b)).
- Deposit interest
- The state deposit statute does not require interest. Check any additional lease or local rule.
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗What starts the return clock?
14 days after termination and delivery of possession with proper termination notice and rent-only deductions; 30 days if deductions cover damages beyond normal wear or the tenant failed to give proper notice.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
No receipts requirement; deposits must be kept in a trust account with per-tenant accounting, and the signed move-in condition statement is the key proof in damage disputes.
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗What could you recover?
Wilful failure to comply: the tenant may recover up to twice the actual amount withheld (§ 34.03.070(d)). The doubling is not automatic - the statute says 'not to exceed' twice the amount, so the court sets the figure, and it applies only when the failure was wilful.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070(d), including applicable notice requirements. A multiplier that already includes the deposit should not be added to that deposit again.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $10,000. Filing: $50 (≤$2,500) / $100 (over). The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Alaska deposit rights
How long does a Alaska landlord have to return a security deposit?
14 days after termination and delivery of possession with proper termination notice and rent-only deductions; 30 days if deductions cover damages beyond normal wear or the tenant failed to give proper notice.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Alaska?
Without the required itemized notice the landlord loses the right to keep the money; wilful noncompliance with (b) exposes the landlord to up to twice the amount withheld. Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Alaska?
Accrued rent and damages applied against the deposit must be itemized in a written notice mailed to the tenant's last known address within the time limits, with the amount due (§ 34.03.070(b)). No receipts requirement; deposits must be kept in a trust account with per-tenant accounting, and the signed move-in condition statement is the key proof in damage disputes.
Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 ↗