Quick answer: An Alaska landlord must mail the itemized notice and the refund within 14 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered when a termination notice complying with AS 34.03.290 was given, and within 30 days when costs are deducted for damages or no complying notice was given.
This Alaska security deposit return deadline calculator applies AS 34.03.070 and the time-counting rule in AS 01.10.080. Say whether a complying termination notice was given and whether damages are being deducted, and enter the date the tenancy ended and possession was handed back: it shows the deadline, the days left and, if you enter the amount withheld, twice that amount. It does not decide whether any deduction is fair.
Alaska security deposit return rules at a glance
| Rule | What Alaska says |
|---|---|
| Deadline with a complying notice | 14 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered; 30 days to mail the refund if costs are deducted for damages (AS 34.03.070(g)) |
| Deadline with no complying notice | 30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered, or the landlord learns the unit is abandoned (070(g)) |
| What to mail | A written notice itemizing accrued rent and damages, with the amount due to the tenant, to the tenant’s last known address (070(b)) |
| Unknown address | If the landlord does not know the address but knows how to contact the tenant, it must make a reasonable effort to deliver the notice and refund (070(g)) |
| If the landlord is wilfully non-compliant | The tenant may recover an amount not to exceed twice the actual amount withheld (070(d)) |
| Normal wear and tear | May not be deducted (070(b)(2), (i)(1)) |
| Where the money is held | Promptly deposited, where practicable, in a trust account (070(c)) |
| The $2,000 line | The section does not apply to rental units where the rent exceeds $2,000 a month (070(a)) |
How does the Alaska deposit return deadline work?
- Which deadline applies. See how long a landlord has to return a security deposit in Alaska.
- What the landlord can keep, and how to itemize it. See Alaska security deposit deductions.
- Where it is held and where it is mailed. See the Alaska rules on mailing and holding the deposit.
What does this deposit deadline calculator check?
The calculator adds 14 or 30 calendar days to the date you enter, depending on your two answers. If the last day is a legal holiday, including a Sunday (AS 44.12.010), it moves to the next day that is not one, as AS 01.10.080 provides. It does not know whether the landlord has already mailed anything or whether a notice was in fact complying. If the rent is more than $2,000 a month it shows the statute’s warning that the section does not apply, and it does not say what law does. The cap on what a landlord may collect in the first place is a separate question: see the Alaska security deposit limit calculator.
Related Alaska landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Alaska security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit, the Alaska eviction notice calculator for the notice period before a lease can end and the Alaska eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Alaska statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Alaska?
Fourteen days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered if the landlord or tenant gave a termination notice that complies with AS 34.03.290. The landlord has 30 days to mail the refund if costs are deducted for damages, and 30 days in all cases when no complying notice was given.
What does the landlord have to send?
A written notice that itemizes the accrued rent and damages it is keeping, mailed to the tenant’s last known address together with the amount due to the tenant.
What if the landlord does not return the deposit on time?
If the landlord wilfully fails to comply with the itemization requirement, the tenant may recover an amount not to exceed twice the actual amount withheld. Either side can also recover other damages it is entitled to under the chapter.
Can an Alaska landlord deduct for normal wear and tear?
No. Damages do not include deterioration that is the result of normal wear and tear, which the statute defines as deterioration from the intended use of the unit without negligence, carelessness, accident, misuse or abuse.
Where does the landlord have to keep the deposit?
It must be promptly deposited, wherever practicable, in a trust account at a bank, savings and loan association or licensed escrow agent, and the landlord must give the tenant the terms under which it may be withheld.
Does this deposit law apply to every Alaska rental?
The section says it does not apply to rental units where the rent exceeds $2,000 a month. Ask a licensed Alaska attorney which rules govern a higher-rent unit.