An Alaska rental application is a document helping landlords, owners, or property managers screen potential tenants before committing to sign a lease. The application requires basic information about prospective tenants, including their name, current address, rental history, financial and employment data, and references.
Laws
- Application Fee – Non-refundable.
- Fee Limits – No limits, although the fee cannot be attributed to the security deposit (Page 5 of the Landlord-Tenant Handbook).
- Security Deposit – Deposits cannot exceed two months’ rent, but there is no limit if the rent is over $2,000.
Application Fee
- Alaska law allows landlords to charge a fee and does not impose a limit on the amount.
- The cost should be reasonable and comparable to background check fees.
- Clearly state whether it’s refundable or not.
Fair Housing Protections
- Alaska’s Fair Housing Act mirrors the Federal Fair Housing Act. [1]
- Landlords and property owners may not discriminate against a renter based on race, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, or sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation). [2]
- A landlord can ask about family status if the premises are for “housing for older persons.” It is permitted to exclude children from an age-restricted or seniors-only residence.
Security Deposit Limits
- Landlords cannot charge more than 2 months’ rent as a security deposit, but if the monthly rent exceeds $2,000, there is no maximum limit. [3]
- You must provide a written receipt for any deposit paid and maintain a separate account for security deposits.
Pet Deposits
Landlords can charge an additional deposit of up to one month’s rent as a pet deposit, but only if the pet is not a service animal. Alaska follows the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in recognizing service animals as dogs or miniature horses trained to assist a person with a physical or psychiatric disability. Neither the ADA nor Alaska recognizes emotional support animals as service animals.
Sample
