Alaska
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Alaska — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Alaska
The Alaska Court System runs a Family Law Self-Help Center covering divorce, custody, and support, with a helpline at 907-264-0851 / 866-279-0851. Start there before anything else.
Alaska Court System — Family Law Self-Help Center
Divorce, custody, and support self-help from the court system.
courts.alaska.gov — family self-help →Find a divorce lawyer
Alaska Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service
907-272-0352 / 1-800-770-9999 (toll-free in Alaska); up to $125 for the first half-hour consultation.
alaskabar.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-478-4444 (also 907-269-6510) — Alaska Office of Children's Services Child Abuse Hotline, 24/7.
dfcs.alaska.gov — report abuse →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
(907) 586-3650. The network does not offer crisis intervention itself — for 24/7 help call the National DV Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
andvsa.org →Unpaid wages in Alaska
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Alaska.
Where to go
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Wage and Hour)
Time limit to file
2 years (min wage/overtime); 3 years (other wages)
What the floor is
$14.00 (2026)
Changing your name in Alaska
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Alaska.
How it works
petition the superior court (form CIV-700)
Typical court fee
~$200
Newspaper notice required?
yes (newspaper/online posting; waivable for safety)
Small claims court in Alaska
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Alaska.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
$50 (claims up to $2,500) or $100 (over $2,500)
Can you bring one?
allowed but usually not needed
Clearing your criminal record in Alaska
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Alaska stands.
Can records be cleared?
very limited — no general expungement
What qualifies
sealing only for mistaken identity or false accusation
Waiting period
N/A — no waiting-period pathway
Child support in Alaska
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Alaska.
How it's figured
percentage of obligor income Child Support Guidelines Affidavit (DR-305) on courts.alaska.gov; guidelines in Alaska Civil Rule 90.3
When it ends
age 18, or through age 19 while pursuing a high school diploma
Lemon law in Alaska
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Alaska's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles only
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts of same defect, or 30+ business days out of service within one year
What you get
refund or replacement with a comparable new vehicle, at the owner's option
Tenant rights in Alaska
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Alaska.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 7 days to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
Max 2 months' rent (no cap if rent is over $2,000/month); return within 14 days if proper move-out notice was given, 30 days otherwise; itemized list required
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct actual reasonable costs for essential services (heat, water, etc.) after giving written notice
DUI / DWI in Alaska
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Alaska handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08
Typical penalties
Minimum 72 hours in jail, $1,500 minimum fine, 90-day license revocation
How far back DUIs count
15 years
Gun laws in Alaska
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry for 21+; shall-issue permit available for reciprocity purposes
Carrying openly
Generally allowed
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes valid concealed carry permits from all other states
Filming the police: your rights in Alaska
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Alaska Stat. § 42.20.310(a))
No buffer-zone law
Alaska has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
A 2025 governor-backed bill (SB 85) would have switched Alaska to all-party consent, but it stalled in committee and never passed. The 9th Circuit (Fordyce v. City of Seattle) protects filming police doing their jobs in public.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Alaska
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Alaska
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Alaska
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Alaska
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Alaska
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →