Housing & Tenant · Eviction Notice
Eviction Notice in Alaska
How many days of written notice a landlord must give before filing an eviction in Alaska, broken down by reason, and what you can do about it, cited to the statute.
Every notice period in Alaska
The written notice for each reason a landlord can end a tenancy, and what each one means.
| Reason for the notice | Notice in Alaska | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpayment of rent | Can fix and stay7 days | The rent must be paid in full within seven days after written notice, or the landlord may terminate and recover possession (AS 34.03.220(b)). Paying the full amount inside the seven days keeps the tenancy. |
| Curable lease violation | Can fix and stay10 days | For a material noncompliance with the lease, the notice must name the acts and set a termination date not less than ten days out, giving the tenant that time to fix the problem (AS 34.03.220(a)). |
| Deliberate damage or illegal activity | 24 hours to 5 days | For deliberately causing substantial damage or for illegal activity on the premises, the landlord may set a termination date as short as 24 hours and no more than five days out (AS 34.03.220). This is one of the shortest notice floors in the country. |
| Tenant causing a utility shutoff | Can fix and stay5 days (3 on a repeat) | A notice aimed at a tenant who causes a utility service to be shut off runs five days, dropping to three days for a repeat within six months (AS 34.03.220). |
| No-cause end of a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days | A no-cause termination of a month-to-month tenancy takes a 30-day notice that lands at least 30 days before the rental due date (AS 34.03.290). A week-to-week tenancy takes 14 days. |
| After the notice | Court | The landlord serves the written notice, then may bring a forcible entry and detainer action if the tenant does not comply. The utility-shutoff notice runs on its own track. Only a court can order a tenant removed. |
| Statute | Alaska Stat. §34.03.220; §34.03.290 | The controlling statute for these notice periods. Read the full text through the source link below. |
The 24-hour floor for deliberate damage or illegal activity is unusual, and a landlord may lawfully pick any termination point between 24 hours and five days for that ground, so read the date on the notice carefully (AS 34.03.220).
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if you have received an eviction notice in Alaska. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check which notice you received
Alaska has several notice tracks with very different clocks, from seven days for rent to as little as 24 hours for deliberate damage. Read the stated cause and the termination date so you know exactly how long you have.
- Pay in full or fix it in time
For unpaid rent, paying the full amount within the seven days keeps the tenancy. For a curable lease violation you have at least ten days, and the utility-shutoff notice gives five. Get written confirmation that the tenancy continues.
- Respond to a court filing
If the landlord files a forcible entry and detainer action, you are served and given a hearing. Appear with your lease, receipts, and any messages. Only a court order can remove you, so do not move out based on the notice alone if you intend to contest it.
- Get local legal help
A local Alaska legal aid office can explain the notice you received and the court timeline, and may be able to help you respond. Search for legal aid in your area and act before the hearing date.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. Read your own lease and check for a local ordinance, since either can change the notice that applies to your home.
What Alaska renters get wrong
Alaska stands out for having a notice that can legally be as short as 24 hours. For unpaid rent the clock is more familiar: the landlord gives a written notice, and paying the rent in full within seven days keeps the tenancy (AS 34.03.220(b)). A curable lease violation carries at least ten days to fix it. The sharp edge is the notice for deliberately causing substantial damage or for illegal activity on the premises, where the landlord may set a termination date anywhere from 24 hours to five days out, so the exact date on the page is what matters. Alaska also writes a notice aimed squarely at a tenant who gets the heat or power shut off, which carries more weight in Alaska than almost anywhere, and it shrinks from five days to three on a repeat within six months. Ending a month-to-month tenancy for no reason is separate and takes a 30-day notice timed to the rental due date under AS 34.03.290. After the notice runs, the landlord brings a forcible entry and detainer action, and only a court can order a tenant out.
Common questions
How short can an eviction notice legally be in Alaska?
As short as 24 hours. For deliberately causing substantial damage or for illegal activity on the premises, AS 34.03.220 lets the landlord set a termination date between 24 hours and five days out. Most other grounds run longer, with seven days for unpaid rent and at least ten days for a curable lease violation.
What happens if I pay only part of the rent within the seven days in Alaska?
The statute requires the rent to be paid in full within the seven days to stop the termination under AS 34.03.220(b). A partial payment does not by itself keep the tenancy, so if you can pay, pay the full amount and get written confirmation that the tenancy continues.
Why does Alaska have a special notice about utilities?
Because a tenant who causes a utility service to be shut off is treated as a distinct ground. That notice runs five days, and it drops to three days if it happens again within six months. Given Alaska winters, losing heat or power is treated seriously.
Does the 30-day no-cause notice have to line up with my rent due date in Alaska?
Yes. A no-cause termination of a month-to-month tenancy under AS 34.03.290 must be given at least 30 days before the rental due date, so the timing depends on your billing cycle. A week-to-week tenancy takes 14 days.
Can the landlord remove me right after the notice in Alaska?
No. The notice only starts the process. If you do not leave, the landlord must file a forcible entry and detainer action, and only a court order can remove you. A landlord cannot change the locks or shut off your utilities to force you out.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.