ALASKA FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in Alaska

• Page·Oct 19Odd Laws Still on the BooksHunting the same day as flying, pull tab cans and six pack rings: real Alaska sections
• Page·Oct 19LitteringAS 46.06.080 — up to $1,000, but $50 for five pounds or less
• Page·Oct 19Tattoos and Piercings Under EighteenAS 08.13.217 — no tattoo for a minor at all; a piercing with a parent there and written permission
• Page·Oct 19The Age of ConsentAS 11.41.436 — sixteen, and a felony when a 13 to 15 year old's partner is 17 or older and four years older

All 15 new in Alaska ↓

Someone asked

“How long does a landlord in Alaska have to return a deposit?”

Getting the Deposit Back

When a tenancy ends on proper notice, the landlord mails the tenant an itemized written notice of the rent and damages kept, with the refund, within 14 days after the tenant gives up possession, or within 30 days if costs are deducted for damage.

• §AS 34.03.070StatuteSecurity deposits and prepaid rentOpens akleg.gov ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

48 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops7Being stopped2Marijuana and drugs2Impaired driving3Court and money17Your home7Recording1Carrying a firearm2Charges and penalties3How you carry yourself4

• The Stop on the HighwayLights behind on the Seward Highway, a license and an insurance card on a phone, and a question about the trunk.3 steps →
• The Crash in the Parking LotA dent in an empty car, a driver with a sore neck in another, and the report that may be due.3 steps →
• The New Driver in the FamilyA permit at 14, the hours a provisional license needs, friends in the car, and a late shift at work.3 steps →
• The Studded Tires in MayStuds still on after the date, a slow drive with cars piling up behind, and headlights at noon.3 steps →
• The Lapsed InsuranceA policy cancelled for a missed payment, a fender bender, a suspension notice, and an errand while suspended.3 steps →
• The Text at the LightA message arriving while moving, a map on the dash, a call by voice, and a ticket in a work zone.3 steps →
• The Flashing Lights on the ShoulderA tow truck working on the shoulder, a school bus stopped with red lights, and a child crossing.3 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the Alaska Statutes as the Alaska State Legislature publishes them, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alaska attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real Alaska encounters. Not the whole body of law, not a replacement for a lawyer.