Alaska Security Deposit Law: How Many Days and What to Do
In Alaska, a landlord has 14 days or 30 days. Which one applies depends on one question below.
- I gave the written notice the law requires, and the landlord is not keeping money for damage
- I gave the written notice the law requires, but the landlord is keeping money for damage
- I did not give the written notice the law requires, or it was not done right
Last checked 2026-07-14
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Details of the return rules
In Alaska, a landlord has 14 calendar days (proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 AND no damage deductions for noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (proper notice given but costs are deducted for damages from tenant noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (tenant did not give notice complying with AS 34.03.290) to return a security deposit.
| When it applies | Deadline | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| I gave the written notice the law requires, and the landlord is not keeping money for damage | 14 days | after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered by the tenant |
| I gave the written notice the law requires, but the landlord is keeping money for damage | 30 days | after the tenancy is terminated |
| I did not give the written notice the law requires, or it was not done right | 30 days | after the later of tenancy termination, delivery of possession, or landlord awareness of abandonment |
Alaska return rule: 14 calendar days (proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 AND no damage deductions for noncompliance with AS 34.03.120). Check the dates you entered above.
Key facts
| Deadline | 14 calendar days (proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 AND no damage deductions for noncompliance with AS 34.03.120); trigger: after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered by the tenant |
|---|---|
| Additional deadline 2 | 30 calendar days (proper notice given but costs are deducted for damages from tenant noncompliance with AS 34.03.120); trigger: after the tenancy is terminated |
| Additional deadline 3 | 30 calendar days (tenant did not give notice complying with AS 34.03.290); trigger: after the later of tenancy termination, delivery of possession, or landlord awareness of abandonment |
| Penalty formula | wilful violation: landlord liable for twice the amount of the security deposit wrongfully withheld |
| Bad faith required | Yes |
| Statute citation | Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 |
How does Alaska's deadline compare with other states?
Alaska's return deadline is 14 days. The middle of the comparable state deadlines is ≈30 days. Use the dates and questions above to see which deadline applies to you.
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 14 days |
| Arizona | 14 days |
| Hawaii | 14 days |
| Kansas | 14 days |
| Nebraska | 14 days |
| New York | 14 days |
See all 51 jurisdictions
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Montana | 10 days |
| Alaska | 14 days |
| Arizona | 14 days |
| Hawaii | 14 days |
| Kansas | 14 days |
| Nebraska | 14 days |
| New York | 14 days |
| Vermont | 14 days |
| Florida | 15 days |
| Delaware | 20 days |
| Rhode Island | 20 days |
| California | 21 days |
| Connecticut | 21 days |
| Idaho | 21 days |
| Minnesota | 21 days |
| South Dakota | 21 days |
| Wisconsin | 21 days |
| Colorado | 30 days |
| Georgia | 30 days |
| Iowa | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 30 days |
| Maine | 30 days |
| Massachusetts | 30 days |
| Michigan | 30 days |
| Missouri | 30 days |
| Nevada | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 30 days |
| New Jersey | 30 days |
| New Mexico | 30 days |
| North Carolina | 30 days |
| North Dakota | 30 days |
| Ohio | 30 days |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days |
| South Carolina | 30 days |
| Texas | 30 days |
| Utah | 30 days |
| Washington | 30 days |
| Wyoming | 30 days |
| Oregon | 31 days |
| District of Columbia | 45 days |
| Illinois | 45 days |
| Indiana | 45 days |
| Maryland | 45 days |
| Mississippi | 45 days |
| Oklahoma | 45 days |
| Virginia | 45 days |
| Alabama | 60 days |
| Arkansas | 60 days |
| West Virginia | 60 days |
| Kentucky | No fixed return deadline |
| Tennessee | No fixed return deadline |
Source: state statute records · checked 2026-07-14 · n=48 fixed rules among 51 jurisdictions · method: first listed return deadline; calendar months plotted as ≈30 days · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?
wilful violation: landlord liable for twice the amount of the security deposit wrongfully withheld The statutory amount depends on the facts and any conditions in Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070; it is separate from the deposit owed.
Alaska is one of 36 states where the law sets a multiple of the deposit.
| Rule | States | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The law sets a multiple of the deposit ← Alaska | 36 | 71% |
| The law names another remedy (forfeiture, fees, damages) | 10 | 20% |
| Read the cited remedy; no multiple is set | 5 | 10% |
With a deposit of $1,419 (median county rent), a claim for the deposit plus the maximum penalty is $4,257; fits under the $10,000 small claims limit.
Source: Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 · checked 2026-07-14 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
What do you have to do before you can claim the penalty?
Send the required information to start the clock.
Does the deadline move if it falls on a weekend or holiday?
Alaska law does not clearly say whether a deposit deadline moves when it falls on a weekend or holiday.
To be safe: if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, treat the deadline as passed only after the next business day. Example: October 10, 2026 is a Saturday, so wait until October 12, 2026 before saying the deadline has passed.
What Alaska law requires of the landlord
The deposit return rule is 14 calendar days (proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 AND no damage deductions for noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (proper notice given but costs are deducted for damages from tenant noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (tenant did not give notice complying with AS 34.03.290). The law also requires an itemized statement when deductions are made.
- Return window
- 14 calendar days (proper termination notice under AS 34.03.290 AND no damage deductions for noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (proper notice given but costs are deducted for damages from tenant noncompliance with AS 34.03.120) or 30 calendar days (tenant did not give notice complying with AS 34.03.290)
- Itemization
- Required
- Receipts threshold
- No separate threshold recorded
- Interest
- Landlord-tenant statute does not require the trust account to earn interest. Deposits must be held in trust (bank, savings and loan, or licensed escrow where practicable). If interest is earned, multi-source guidance (Alaska Bar Landlord & Tenant Act booklet; court PUB-30 lineage) treats interest as belonging to the tenant under trust principles unless the parties agree otherwise; licensed property managers must give interest to the tenant unless the tenant agrees in writing that it may go to the owner.
Is interest owed on a deposit in Alaska?
Alaska is one of 37 states where interest is not required by state law.
| Rule | States | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Required by state law | 3 | 6% |
| Owed only in some cases | 11 | 22% |
| Not required by state law ← Alaska | 37 | 73% |
Source: Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 · checked 2026-07-14 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
FAQ
How do I confirm the Alaska deadline?
Use the questions above to match your dates to Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070, and keep proof of each date.
What is the small claims limit in Alaska?
See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Alaska court guide
City data on this page currently includes Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Sitka, Ketchikan, Kenai, Bethel.
Statute text, sources and changes
Statute says
If the landlord or tenant gives notice that complies with AS 34.03.290, the landlord shall mail the written notice and refund required by (b) of this section within 14 days after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered by the tenant, except the landlord shall have 30 days after the tenancy is terminated to mail the refund if costs are deducted for damages that the landlord has suffered because of the tenant's noncompliance with AS 34.03.120. If the tenant does not give notice that complies with AS 34.03.290, the landlord shall mail the written notice and refund required by (b) of this section within 30 days after the tenancy is terminated, possession is delivered by the tenant, or the landlord becomes aware that the dwelling unit is abandoned. A wilful violation of this section by a landlord is subject to liability for twice the amount of the security deposit wrongfully withheld.
What this means
Sources
- https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#34.03.070 · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://law.alaska.gov/pdf/consumer/LandlordTenant_web.pdf · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://courts.alaska.gov/selfhelp/debt/start-case.htm · accessed 2026-07-14
Changes
- : Record verified against the cited statute.
Verified 2026-07-14 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6