Alaska Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
Alaska rules on subletting, lease endings & tenant death for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: A tenant may sublease only with the landlord's consent. If the rental agreement allows subleasing, each proposed subtenant must give the landlord a signed written offer with listed information (such as address, employment, credit references and prior landlords); Alaska Dept. of Law, The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You (2024)
The rules in Alaska
| Subletting | A tenant may sublease only with the landlord's consent. If the rental agreement allows subleasing, each proposed subtenant must give the landlord a signed written offer with listed information (such as address, employment, credit references and prior landlords); the landlord has 14 days to respond, and no answer counts as consent. The landlord may refuse only for listed reasons (such as insufficient credit, too many occupants, unacceptable pets, or a bad prior-landlord report) and may not unreasonably refuse; if the landlord refuses without a listed reason, the tenant may go ahead with the sublease or end the lease with 30 days' written notice. A tenant who sublets without consent stays fully liable, and the new occupant gets no rights as a tenant. Summary from the Alaska Department of Law's 2024 handbook, which says it is not the law itself; check the Alaska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03) before acting. |
|---|---|
| When the lease ends | A tenant must move out when the rental agreement ends unless the landlord agrees to extend the term or continue the tenancy month-to-month. A landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy without cause must give 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date; a week-to-week tenancy needs at least 14 days' written notice. If the tenant has not moved out at the end of a notice to quit, the landlord must go to court to evict. Summary from the Alaska Department of Law's 2024 handbook, which says it is not the law itself; check the Alaska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03) before acting. The handbook does not address holdover rent penalties or automatic-renewal clauses. |
Alaska vs. neighboring states
| State | Subletting | When the lease ends | If a tenant dies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | A tenant may sublease only with the landlord's consent. If the rental agreement allows subleasing, each proposed subtenant must give the landlord a signed written offer with listed information (such as address, employment, credit references and prior landlords); the landlord has 14 days to respond, and no answer counts as consent. The landlord may refuse only for listed reasons (such as insufficient credit, too many occupants, unacceptable pets, or a bad prior-landlord report) and may not unreasonably refuse; if the landlord refuses without a listed reason, the tenant may go ahead with the sublease or end the lease with 30 days' written notice. A tenant who sublets without consent stays fully liable, and the new occupant gets no rights as a tenant. Alaska Dept. of Law, The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You (2024) | A tenant must move out when the rental agreement ends unless the landlord agrees to extend the term or continue the tenancy month-to-month. A landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy without cause must give 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date; a week-to-week tenancy needs at least 14 days' written notice. If the tenant has not moved out at the end of a notice to quit, the landlord must go to court to evict. Alaska Dept. of Law, The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You (2024) | Not verified yet |
| Washington | Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act has no provision setting a rule on landlord consent to subletting or assignment, so the act does not require or forbid it. Chapter 59.18 RCW (reviewed) | Washington limits ending tenancies without cause. When a fixed-term lease ends, it becomes month-to-month unless the landlord has a listed cause, or the lease meets narrow conditions (such as an initial 6-12 month term or a lease of 12 months or more) and the landlord gave at least 60 days' written notice before the end of the term. A tenant may end a fixed-term tenancy with written notice at least 20 days before the end date, and a month-to-month tenant may leave with 20 days' written notice before the end of a rental period. It is unlawful for a tenant to hold over after the rental agreement ends without a court order; the landlord may recover possession and damages, with costs and attorney's fees to the winning side. RCW 59.18.650(1), 59.18.200(1), 59.18.220, 59.18.290(2) | When the only occupant dies, the landlord must promptly send written notice to the known personal representative, any designated person, the emergency contact and likely heirs. The tenancy ends 15 days after the notice or on the date rent is paid through, whichever is later, unless a representative arranges to prepay rent for up to 60 days after the death to remove belongings. The landlord must turn over the property to a tenant representative who asks in writing, and after removal must refund unearned rent and account for the deposit within the normal deposit deadline. A tenant may designate in a separate writing a person to act for them on their death. RCW 59.18.590, 59.18.595 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Alaska rental law
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- Alaska Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Alaska Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Alaska
- Squatters' Rights in Alaska
- Alaska Rental Fee Rules
- Alaska Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Alaska Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Alaska Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Alaska Landlord Selling the House
- Alaska Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- All Alaska landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Alaska
Compare subletting, lease endings & tenant death in all 50 states and DC →
Alaska Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death FAQ
Can I sublet my apartment in Alaska?
A tenant may sublease only with the landlord's consent. If the rental agreement allows subleasing, each proposed subtenant must give the landlord a signed written offer with listed information (such as address, employment, credit references and prior landlords); the landlord has 14 days to respond, and no answer counts as consent. The landlord may refuse only for listed reasons (such as insufficient credit, too many occupants, unacceptable pets, or a bad prior-landlord report) and may not unreasonably refuse; if the landlord refuses without a listed reason, the tenant may go ahead with the sublease or end the lease with 30 days' written notice. A tenant who sublets without consent stays fully liable, and the new occupant gets no rights as a tenant. (Alaska Dept. of Law, The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You (2024))
What happens when my lease ends in Alaska?
A tenant must move out when the rental agreement ends unless the landlord agrees to extend the term or continue the tenancy month-to-month. A landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy without cause must give 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date; a week-to-week tenancy needs at least 14 days' written notice. If the tenant has not moved out at the end of a notice to quit, the landlord must go to court to evict. (Alaska Dept. of Law, The Alaska Landlord & Tenant Act: What It Means to You (2024))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.