Alaska Security Deposit Statute Guide
Alaska's main security deposit statute is AS 34.03.070. For renters, the important parts are the deadline, the written accounting, the deposit cap, the pet-deposit rule, and the limits on deductions.
What AS 34.03.070 does
The statute controls how prepaid rent and security deposits are held, when they must be returned or accounted for, and what a landlord may deduct after the tenancy ends.
The 14-day and 30-day structure
If the landlord or tenant gives notice that complies with Alaska's termination-notice statute, the landlord generally mails the written notice and refund within 14 days after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered.
The landlord has 30 days if costs are deducted for damages caused by tenant noncompliance. The 30-day branch also applies if the tenant did not give compliant notice, or if the landlord becomes aware the unit was abandoned.
Accounting and delivery
The written notice and refund are mailed to the tenant's last known address. If no mailing address is available but the landlord knows how to contact the tenant, the landlord must make a reasonable effort to deliver the notice and refund.
Cap, trust account, and pet deposit
Alaska generally bars a landlord from demanding prepaid rent or a security deposit above two months' periodic rent, unless the rental unit rents for more than $2,000 per month.
A separate pet deposit may be charged for a pet that is not a service animal, up to one month's periodic rent, and it must be separately accounted for.
Deposit and prepaid-rent money must be held in trust, separately accounted for, and not commingled with the landlord's other money.
Deductions
The statute allows deductions for accrued rent and damages caused by tenant noncompliance. It does not allow damage deductions for deterioration caused by normal wear and tear.
Remedy language
Alaska court forms recognize claims for the deposit and statutory damages under AS 34.03.070. The public pages and letters keep that remedy tied to the statute and the facts, rather than presenting it as automatic.
Official sources
- Laws of Alaska 2014, Chapter 27
- Alaska Department of Law - Landlord and Tenant Act guide
- Alaska Court System form referencing AS 34.03.070
Source reviewed: April 2026.
The Alaska Recovery System turns the statute into four practical notices: move-out, deposit due, entitlement, and final demand.
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