Free Alaska Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
A room-by-room move-in and move-out inspection checklist for Alaska rentals. Rate every surface, appliance, and fixture at the start and end of the tenancy, then download a signable multi-page PDF. Documenting condition is what protects the deposit under Alaska Stat. 34.03.070.
An Alaska move-in / move-out inspection checklist is a written, room-by-room record of the condition of a rental unit at the start of a tenancy (move-in) and again at the end (move-out). It is the single most important document in a deposit dispute: under Alaska Stat. 34.03.070, the landlord must return the deposit or mail an itemized statement of deductions within 14 days when the tenant gave proper notice and no deductions are taken, or 30 days when deductions are made or no proper notice was given. Pairing this checklist with date-stamped photos is what separates deductible damage from non-deductible wear and tear for both the landlord and the tenant.
Alaska Deposit & Inspection at a Glance
Governing Statute
AS 34.03.070
Return Deadline
14 Days (No Deductions) / 30 Days
Bad-Faith Penalty
Up to 2x Withheld
Keep Records
4 Years Min
The Two-Pillar Documentation Standard
A defensible deposit deduction rests on two pieces of evidence: (1) this written, room-by-room checklist signed by both parties, and (2) date-stamped photographs of the same items at the same time. The written checklist describes the condition; the photos prove it. The checklist alone is often challenged, and photos without descriptions are hard to place in time, but together they are the strongest possible record. Always do both, at move-in and again at move-out.
How to Use the Alaska Move-In / Move-Out Checklist
1. Walk the empty unit together at move-in
Before the tenant takes possession, walk the vacant unit together and rate every surface, appliance, and fixture room by room as Good, Fair, Poor, or N/A. Record every pre-existing scuff, worn carpet lane, and nail hole so the tenant is never charged for it later.
2. Photograph every room and every defect
Take date-stamped photos of each room and a close-up of anything rated Fair or Poor. The written ratings plus the photos are the two pillars that decide a deposit dispute. Store the images in cloud backup with their timestamps preserved.
3. Both parties sign, and give the tenant a copy
Have the landlord or agent and the tenant sign the completed move-in checklist, and hand the tenant a copy on the spot. A signed, shared record is far stronger than a one-sided one and heads off the most common disputes.
4. Repeat the walk-through at move-out
After the tenant removes all belongings and returns the keys, run the same room-by-room walk-through and compare each item against its move-in rating. A change from Good to Poor that photos confirm is the tenant’s damage; anything consistent with ordinary aging is wear and tear.
5. Itemize and return the deposit on the statutory clock
Mail the full deposit within 14 days when the tenant gave proper notice and you take no deductions, or an itemized statement with any remaining balance within 30 days when you deduct for damage or the tenant gave no complying notice, per Alaska Stat. 34.03.070.
Build Your Alaska Checklist
Complete the fields below to generate a printable, room-by-room Alaska inspection checklist as a multi-page PDF. Use the same form for the move-in walk-through (which establishes baseline condition) and again for the move-out walk-through (which documents condition at the end of the tenancy). Conduct both with the tenant present whenever possible, and pair both with date-stamped photographs. If you are also placing a new renter, start with thorough tenant screening so a clean move-out is likely from the start.
1. Parties & Tenancy
2. Property
3. Room-by-Room Condition
For each item choose Good (no defects), Fair (minor wear), Poor (visible damage), or N/A (not present). Describe every Poor-rated item in the Detailed Notes box below and photograph it.
4. Photo Documentation
Date-stamped photos are the second pillar of any defensible deposit claim. Photograph each room and each Poor-rated item, and retain the photos for at least four years in cloud backup.
5. Signatures
Both parties should sign and keep a copy. A tenant signature acknowledges the accuracy of the inspection findings; it is not a waiver of legal rights.
Move-In vs. Move-Out: One Form, Two Walk-Throughs
The move-in / move-out checklist is one document used at two moments, and the comparison between them is where the value lives. The move-in walk-through establishes the baseline: it captures the exact condition of the unit before the tenant ever touches it, so that a worn carpet lane or a chipped counter present on day one can never be charged against the tenant at the end. Do it before the tenant takes possession, ideally with the tenant beside you, and give the tenant a signed copy on the spot.
The move-out walk-through repeats the identical room-by-room pass after the tenant has removed everything and returned the keys, so nothing is hidden behind furniture. Set each item’s move-out rating next to its move-in rating: an item that went from Good to Poor, backed by photos, is chargeable damage; an item that simply aged is wear and tear. Because the two records use the same rooms and the same items, the comparison is fast, objective, and easy to defend if the deposit accounting is ever questioned. Where practical, invite the tenant to the move-out inspection as well.
When to schedule each inspection
Do the move-in inspection at or just before the tenant takes possession. Do the final move-out inspection as close to the end of the tenancy as possible, after the unit is empty and the keys are back. Alaska does not require a separate pre-move-out (initial) inspection, but an optional interim walk-through a week or two before move-out lets the tenant fix small issues and avoid deductions, which is why the form includes a Pre-Move-Out inspection type.
Alaska’s Security Deposit Framework (AS 34.03.070)
The Alaska move-in / move-out process is anchored to Alaska Stat. 34.03.070, the security-deposit section of the Alaska Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The checklist is the documentary spine of that statute: it establishes baseline condition, records condition at each later inspection, and supplies the evidence for any deduction the landlord claims. Alaska’s framework has a few features that set it apart, and knowing them is the difference between keeping a deduction and paying a penalty.
The two-track return deadline
Alaska runs a tiered clock. When the tenant gives termination notice that complies with Alaska Stat. 34.03.290 and the landlord takes