Alaska Late Fees and Grace Period

No provision of AS Chapter 34.03 caps late fees or guarantees a grace period, so the amount and timing are governed by the lease. Rent is due at the time and place agreed; AS 34.03.020 states rent is payable without demand at the beginning of any term of a month or less. If the lease grants a grace period the landlord must honor it, but none is required by statute. A charged late fee must be agreed to in writing in the rental agreement; courts generally expect such charges to be a reasonable estimate of actual loss, not an unenforceable penalty. There is no statutory dollar or percentage limit.

No specific statutory penalty for the amount of a late fee. An unreasonable or punitive late charge, or one not provided for in the written lease, may be unenforceable as a penalty if a tenant challenges it in court.