Landlord-Tenant Law in Wrangell City and Borough, Alaska
Wrangell City and Borough is a unified home-rule city-borough on Wrangell Island in Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage, located approximately 155 miles south of Juneau and 85 miles north of Ketchikan at the confluence of the Stikine River delta and the eastern side of the Inside Passage. Wrangell Island sits near the mouth of the Stikine River — one of the few rivers that cuts through the Coast Mountains to connect the Inside Passage to the Interior of British Columbia. The 2020 census counted 2,369 residents; by 2025 estimates place the population at approximately 2,056, a steady decline driven by the collapse of the timber industry in the 1990s, the permanent closure of the sawmill in 2008, and demographic trends of out-migration and an aging population. State projections forecast continued decline through 2050.
Wrangell carries an exceptional depth of history. The Tlingit people of the Shtax’héen Kwáan have inhabited Wrangell Island — known in Tlingit as &Kcaron;aachx̌ana.áak’w, “little lake fort” — for thousands of years. Russian, British, and American flags have all flown over Wrangell, making it the only Alaskan community to have been under all three colonial powers. Wrangell was first occupied by the Russians as Fort Dionysius in 1834, then occupied by Britain’s Hudson’s Bay Company as Fort Stikine in 1840, and transferred to American control after the Alaska Purchase in 1867. The community has historically relied on the Stikine River trade route and its Tlingit heritage for economic and cultural vitality.
All residential landlord-tenant matters are governed by the Alaska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, AS 34.03.010 through AS 34.03.380. Eviction actions are filed in the First Judicial District Court in Wrangell, 431 Zimovia Highway, Public Safety Building 2nd Floor, (907) 874-2311. No rent control exists anywhere in Alaska.
Commercial fishing; City & Borough of Wrangell government; SEARHC healthcare; Wrangell School District; tourism (growing: 13 large cruise ships planned 2026, Anan Creek Bear Observatory, Stikine River); shipyard; retail
History
Tlingit (&Kcaron;aachx̌ana.áakʼw); Russian (Fort Dionysius 1834); British HBC (Fort Stikine 1840); American (1867); the only AK community under all three; 3 colonial flags; Stikine River trade route
Key Attractions
Anan Creek Bear Observatory (world’s largest congregation of both black & brown bears at one salmon stream); Stikine River wilderness; Chief Shakes Island totem poles; petroglyphs
Rent Control
None
Landlord Rating
3/10 — Small declining community; limited rental demand; homeownership rate ~57%; fishing economy; tourism revival may help; no rent control
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance (Alaska)
Nonpayment Notice
7-Day Notice to Pay or Quit (AS 34.03.220)
Lease Violation (curable)
10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit (AS 34.03.220)
Repeat / Non-curable
5-Day Unconditional Notice to Quit
Intentional Damage (>$400)
24-Hour Unconditional Notice to Quit
Month-to-Month Termination
30-Day Written Notice (AS 34.03.230)
Court Action
Forcible Entry & Detainer — First Judicial District
Court
First Judicial District — Wrangell
Courthouse Address
431 Zimovia Highway, Public Safety Bldg 2nd Floor, Wrangell, AK 99929
2 months’ rent (AS 34.03.070); waived if rent >$2,000/mo
Eviction Enforcement
Wrangell Police Department / Alaska State Troopers
Wrangell City and Borough Local Ordinances & Landlord Rules
Local rules that apply alongside Alaska state law
Category
Details
Borough Government & Rental
Wrangell City and Borough is a unified home-rule borough. The City and Borough levies a 7 percent local sales tax on retail sales, which generated $3.8 million in FY2024. There is no mandatory landlord registration or rental licensing program. No local landlord-tenant ordinance supplements Alaska state law. AS 34.03 governs all private residential tenancies.
Rent Control
None. Alaska preempts local rent control statewide. Month-to-month rent increases require 30 days’ written notice before the rental due date (AS 34.03.060).
Security Deposit
Cap: 2 months’ rent (AS 34.03.070); cap waived for rentals exceeding $2,000/month. Return within 14 days with proper tenant notice; 30 days if no notice or damages. Itemized deduction notice required. Willful failure to return: up to 2× wrongfully withheld amount (AS 34.03.070(d)).
Post-Timber Economy
Wrangell’s economy was devastated by the decline of the Tongass timber industry in the 1990s and the permanent closure of the Wrangell sawmill in 2008. For decades, the sawmill was the community’s largest private employer. Its closure contributed to a sustained population decline from a peak of approximately 2,600 in the 1990s to roughly 2,056 today. The seafood processing sector also went through difficult periods: the primary processor filed for bankruptcy, later reopened in 2023, and is showing tentative recovery. In 2024, seafood processing employment was 127 workers — down 76% from peak levels but recovering. The borough government and school district are now among the largest employers, creating stable (if limited) rental demand.
Tourism Revival: Cruise Ships & Anan Creek
After nearly two decades with no large cruise ship visits, Wrangell resumed large-ship calls in 2024. Thirteen large cruise ship visits are planned for 2026, marking a significant tourism revival. Wrangell has cultivated a reputation for authentic “working waterfront” Alaska tourism, appealing to travelers who find Ketchikan and Juneau too crowded. Anan Creek Bear Observatory — approximately 30 miles south of Wrangell — is the world’s premier location for viewing both black and brown bears at a single salmon stream. Access is by small boat or floatplane; guided tours from Wrangell are the primary access method. The Stikine River, one of North America’s great wilderness rivers, is accessible by jet boat from Wrangell for glacier viewing and wildlife watching. In 2024, summer visitors spent an estimated $5.9 million in Wrangell.
Tlingit Heritage: Chief Shakes & Petroglyphs
Chief Shakes Island in Wrangell’s harbor contains a clan house and totem poles representing the Shakes lineage of Tlingit leadership — one of the most historically important sites in Southeast Alaska. The Wrangell area also contains some of Southeast Alaska’s most significant petroglyphs, visible at Petroglyph Beach, carved by ancient Indigenous peoples. The Wrangell Cooperative Association (Tlingit tribal government) is a community institution and employer. Wrangell’s Tlingit heritage and authentic character are central to the tourism appeal the borough is now actively cultivating.
Alaska FED Eviction Process
FED proceedings filed at First Judicial District Court, 431 Zimovia Highway, Public Safety Building 2nd Floor, Wrangell, (907) 874-2311. Mon–Thu 8am–4:30pm, Fri 8am–noon. Enforcement by Wrangell Police Department or Alaska State Troopers. Self-help eviction strictly illegal (AS 34.03.210). Domestic violence affirmative defense (AS 34.03.300).
AS 34.03.010–34.03.380 — applicable in Wrangell City and Borough
⚡ Quick Overview
7
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
10
Days Notice (Violation)
30-60
Avg Total Days
$150
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type7-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Notice Period7 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes
Days to Hearing10-20 days
Days to Writ5-10 days
Total Estimated Timeline30-60 days
Total Estimated Cost$150-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
Tenant can cure by paying all rent owed plus late fees within the 7-day notice period. If tenant pays, landlord cannot proceed. Alaska has strong habitability defense protections.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Alaska eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Alaska attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
~2,056 pop (2025, declining). Tlingit Shtax’héen Kwáan homeland. Three colonial flags (Russian/British/American). Stikine River gateway. Anan Creek Bear Observatory. Chief Shakes Island. Petroglyphs. Post-timber economy; tourism revival 2024–2026. 7% local sales tax. 1st Judicial District, 431 Zimovia Hwy, Public Safety Bldg 2nd Fl, (907) 874-2311, Mon–Thu 8am–4:30pm, Fri 8am–noon. Deposit cap 2 months. 7-day nonpayment. No rent control. No AK income tax.
Wrangell City and Borough
Screen Before You Sign
Best profiles: Borough government employees, Wrangell School District teachers, SEARHC healthcare staff, Wrangell Cooperative Association (tribal gov) employees. For fishing sector: commercial vessel owners (stable) vs. crew (seasonal, variable income). For tourism workers: use fixed-term seasonal leases. Homeownership rate ~57% means the private rental pool is smaller than peer communities. Wrangell’s economic challenges are real — screen income carefully. Alaska court records check. 3x income-to-rent.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Wrangell City and Borough, Alaska
Wrangell is one of Southeast Alaska’s most historically layered and authentically working communities — a place where the Tlingit heritage is living and present, where three colonial flags have flown, where the Stikine River pours its glacial sediment into the Inside Passage, and where a community that has survived economic upheaval is actively rebuilding. The Tlingit people of the Shtax’héen Kwáan have called Wrangell Island home for thousands of years. The first Russian-American Company post was established here in 1834, the Hudson’s Bay Company flew the Union Jack from 1840 to 1849, and American control followed after the 1867 purchase — making Wrangell the only community in Alaska to have operated under all three powers. The Alaska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (AS 34.03.010 through AS 34.03.380) governs all residential tenancies.
The Timber Legacy and Economic Transition
For most of the 20th century, Wrangell’s economy was anchored by the Tongass National Forest timber industry. Logging, log transportation, and lumber milling provided steady employment for hundreds of families. When Tongass reform legislation and market forces curtailed large-scale logging in the 1990s, Wrangell was hit hard. The sawmill — the community’s largest private employer — permanently closed in 2008. Population has declined from approximately 2,600 in the 1990s to roughly 2,056 today, and state projections forecast continued decline through 2050. This demographic context matters for landlords: Wrangell has excess housing capacity relative to current demand, which keeps rents from rising and limits the private rental market’s depth.
Anan Creek: A Conservation Success Story
Anan Creek Bear Observatory, approximately 30 miles south of Wrangell in the Tongass National Forest, is among the most remarkable wildlife viewing sites in North America. Every summer, pink and chum salmon return to Anan Creek, attracting the world’s largest known concentration of both black and brown bears fishing side by side at a single stream. The USFS limits daily visitors to protect the site’s ecological integrity; Wrangell-based guides hold most of the permits. Anan is Wrangell’s premier tourism asset and a major differentiator from other Southeast Alaska ports. The Stikine River — one of the fastest free-flowing rivers in North America — is accessible by jet boat for glacier, wildlife, and wilderness experiences.
The Tourism Revival
Wrangell went nearly two decades without large cruise ship calls before resuming in 2024. By 2026, thirteen large cruise ship visits are planned, a transformative increase. Combined with Wrangell’s growing reputation among independent travelers seeking an authentic Inside Passage experience, tourism is becoming a meaningful economic contributor. Visitor spending was estimated at $5.9 million in 2024. This tourism revival may gradually stabilize Wrangell’s economic base and slow population decline, though the transition will take years to materially affect the rental market.
Security Deposits, Notices, and Eviction
Alaska caps security deposits at two months’ rent (AS 34.03.070), waived for rentals over $2,000 per month. Return within 14 days with proper notice, or 30 days if no notice or damages. For nonpayment: 7-Day Notice to Pay or Quit. Curable violations: 10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit. Non-curable: 5-Day Unconditional Notice. Intentional damage over $400: 24-Hour Notice. Month-to-month termination: 30-Day Written Notice. FED actions filed at First Judicial District Court, 431 Zimovia Highway, Public Safety Building 2nd Floor, Wrangell, (907) 874-2311. Self-help eviction is illegal (AS 34.03.210).
Wrangell City and Borough landlord-tenant matters governed by AS 34.03.010–34.03.380. Nonpayment: 7-Day Notice to Pay or Quit. Lease violation (curable): 10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit. Repeat/non-curable: 5-Day Unconditional Notice to Quit. Intentional damage >$400: 24-Hour Notice. Month-to-month termination: 30-Day Written Notice. Security deposit cap: 2 months’ rent (waived >$2,000/mo); pet deposit up to 1 additional month. Return 14 days with notice; 30 days if no notice or damages. Willful withholding: up to 2× damages. No rent control. Self-help eviction illegal — up to 1.5× damages (AS 34.03.210). Domestic violence affirmative defense: AS 34.03.300. WPD / AK State Troopers enforce. Court: First Judicial District, 431 Zimovia Hwy, Public Safety Bldg 2nd Fl, Wrangell AK 99929; (907) 874-2311; Mon–Thu 8am–4:30pm, Fri 8am–12pm AKT. No Alaska income tax. Last updated: May 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Wrangell City and Borough, Alaska and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Alaska attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
