Storage lien laws · State guide
Alaska storage lien laws
Alaska Statutes — No Dedicated Self-Storage Lien Act (operators rely on AS 34.35.220–34.35.225 and AS 45.07.210) →Verified 2026-06-11
Alaska has no dedicated self-storage lien statute — the most recent attempt (HB 97, 2023-2024) passed the House but died in the Senate. Operators rely on two general frameworks. First: the carrier, warehouse, and livestock lien under AS 34.35.220 — a person who stores property at the owner's request holds a possessory lien for "just and reasonable charges." AS 34.35.225 allows public auction after three months of non-payment, following the AS 34.35.175 procedure: registered-mail notice to the owner plus posting in three public places in the recording district for 10 days. Second: the UCC Article 7 warehouse lien under AS 45.07.210, which requires written notice with an itemized claim and at least 10 days to pay, followed by two weeks of newspaper advertising before auction. Neither framework was designed for self-storage. Late fees, access-denial rights, and good-faith-purchaser protections are legally uncertain. Alaska counsel review is essential before any lien sale.
At a glance
AK · verified 2026-06-11- Statute
- Alaska Statutes — No Dedicated Self-Storage Lien Act (operators rely on AS 34.35.220–34.35.225 and AS 45.07.210)
- Notice delivery
- Registered letter (USPS registered mail) to the last known place of residence of the debtor, if known — required before any lien sale under AS 34.35.220/AS 34.35.225 (AS 34.35.175) · Posted notice in three public places in the recording district for at least 10 days before the sale — including at or near the post office nearest the sale location (AS 34.35.175) · Written notification to all persons known to claim an interest in the goods — required under the AS 45.07.210 warehouse-lien path; must include itemized claim, description of goods, demand for payment, and a conspicuous statement that goods will be advertised and sold by auction if unpaid (AS 45.07.210(b))
- Sale method
- Sale must be by public auction held in the recording district where the property was stored (AS 34.35.225; AS 34.35.175). AS 34.35.225 explicitly limits the sale to "a part of [the property] sufficient to pay the just and reasonable charges" — the operator may not sell more than necessary. An operator who sells, loans, or disposes of property in violation of AS 34.35.220-34.35.225 without the owner's consent is liable to the owner for market value plus a 50-percent penalty per offense (AS 34.35.225). No online auction platform is expressly authorized by statute; whether an online auction satisfies the "public auction" requirement is an unsettled question in Alaska.
- Late fees
- Alaska has no statutory cap or standard for self-storage late fees. AS 34.35.220 grants a lien for "just and reasonable charges" — a phrase that has not been interpreted by Alaska courts in the self-storage context. Late fees may be contractually enforceable if disclosed in the rental agreement, but their status as part of the lien claim is uncertain. Operators should consult Alaska counsel before incorporating late fees into a lien enforcement amount, and should draft rental agreements that clearly define all fees as charges for storage services to maximize the likelihood of inclusion in the lien.
- Vehicles & boats
- After a compliant lien sale of a titled vehicle, the buyer must obtain a new Alaska title through the Division of Motor Vehicles. Required documents per DMV: notarized Form 826 (Claim of Ownership/Involuntary Lien), Form V1 (Application for Title and Registration), Form 811 (Certificate of Vehicle Inspection), a copy of the storage agreement, and payment of the $15 title fee plus registration fees. The operator must have provided registered-mail notice to any DMV-recorded lienholder before the sale. Because Alaska has no dedicated self-storage statute with a good-faith-purchaser protection clause, the operator should retain complete documentation of the entire lien process to support the DMV application and defend against any title disputes.
The lien clock
Each station below is a statutory checkpoint. Miss one and the sale can be challenged — this is the timeline LotWarden tracks automatically.
- 01
Day 0 — rent or storage charges go unpaid on the due date
Lien attaches — possessory hold begins
Under AS 34.35.220(2), a person who stores personal property at the owner's request has a lien on that property for just and reasonable charges and may retain possession until paid. Unlike most state self-storage acts, this lien is purely possessory — no bold-type rental-agreement disclosure is required by statute, but operators should include lien language in all contracts. The lien does not attach automatically on default; it is perfected by the operator's continued possession of the stored goods.
AS 34.35.220(2)
- 02
Days 1–90 — charges remain unpaid for three full months
Three-month waiting period runs
AS 34.35.225 authorizes a lien sale only after the just and reasonable charges are "not paid within three months after the care, attention, and labor is performed or food is furnished." For storage, this is interpreted as three months from the date charges first became due and unpaid. No sale may occur until this three-month window has elapsed. The statute contains no mechanism for access denial before the sale is completed, though the operator may retain possession throughout.
AS 34.35.225; AS 34.35.175
- 03
After three months of non-payment — notice must be sent before advertising the sale
Send registered-letter notice to owner
The operator must send a registered letter (USPS registered mail) to the debtor's last known place of residence — or, if the residence is unknown, the notice requirement as to residence is excused. The notice must describe the property to be sold, name the owner or reputed owner, state the amount due, and specify the time and place of the sale. The Alaska DMV also requires that any recorded lienholder on the property receive the same notice. Retain proof of mailing.
AS 34.35.175; AS 34.35.225
- 04
At least 10 days before the sale date — notices must be posted for the full 10-day period
Post public notices in three places for 10 days
In addition to the registered-letter notice, the operator must post a notice of sale in three public places within the recording district where the property is stored. One of the three posting locations must be at or near the post office nearest the place of sale. The posting notice must contain the same information as the registered letter: description of the property, owner name, amount due, and the time and place of sale. The 10-day period runs from the first day of posting, not from the date of the sale advertisement.
AS 34.35.175
- 05
After the three-month waiting period and 10-day posting period both expire
Conduct public auction
The sale must be held by public auction in the recording district where the property is stored (for vehicles, the Alaska DMV specifically requires sale in the recording district where the vehicle was stored). AS 34.35.225 authorizes selling as much of the property as is sufficient to pay the charges — not necessarily all of it. A good-faith purchaser's rights under this general lien framework are not spelled out with the same clarity as in dedicated self-storage acts; title-chain issues are a known risk, especially for titled vehicles.
AS 34.35.225; AS 34.35.175
- 06
Immediately after the sale is concluded
Apply proceeds and handle surplus
Proceeds are applied to: (1) expenses of the sale; (2) discharge of the lien (storage charges). Any balance belongs to the property owner. AS 34.35.225 does not specify a surplus-holding period or an unclaimed-funds process. Operators should consult Alaska unclaimed property law (AS 34.45 et seq.) for guidance on remitting unclaimed surplus to the state. Selling more property than necessary to cover charges exposes the operator to liability equal to market value plus a 50-percent penalty under AS 34.35.225.
AS 34.35.225
Notice requirements
Permitted delivery
- Registered letter (USPS registered mail) to the last known place of residence of the debtor, if known — required before any lien sale under AS 34.35.220/AS 34.35.225 (AS 34.35.175)
- Posted notice in three public places in the recording district for at least 10 days before the sale — including at or near the post office nearest the sale location (AS 34.35.175)
- Written notification to all persons known to claim an interest in the goods — required under the AS 45.07.210 warehouse-lien path; must include itemized claim, description of goods, demand for payment, and a conspicuous statement that goods will be advertised and sold by auction if unpaid (AS 45.07.210(b))
The notice must include
- Particular description of the property to be sold (AS 34.35.175)
- Name of the owner or reputed owner (AS 34.35.175)
- Amount due on the lien (AS 34.35.175)
- Time and place of the sale (AS 34.35.175)
- If using the AS 45.07.210 path: itemized statement of the claim; description of goods subject to the lien; demand for payment within a specified time not less than 10 days after receipt; conspicuous statement that if unpaid, goods will be advertised for sale and sold by auction at a stated time and place (AS 45.07.210(b))
AS 34.35.175; AS 34.35.220; AS 34.35.225; AS 45.07.210(b)
The part most guides skip
Vehicles, boats & RVs
Alaska has no dedicated self-storage vehicle lien procedure. The Alaska DMV explicitly addresses storage (warehouse) liens on vehicles under AS 34.35.220, treating them the same as any other warehouse lien. To proceed: (1) the vehicle must have been in storage and charges unpaid for three months; (2) send registered-letter notice to the owner and any recorded lienholder; (3) post sale notices in three public places in the recording district for at least 10 days; (4) hold the public auction in the recording district where the vehicle was stored; (5) submit DMV paperwork after the sale. The lien covers only storage charges — not late fees (which the statute does not address) or other charges beyond the just and reasonable storage amount. There is no statutory "tow-instead-of-sell" alternative. Trailers, RVs, and watercraft are treated the same as other personal property under AS 34.35.220; no special category exists in current law.
Titled property path
After a compliant lien sale of a titled vehicle, the buyer must obtain a new Alaska title through the Division of Motor Vehicles. Required documents per DMV: notarized Form 826 (Claim of Ownership/Involuntary Lien), Form V1 (Application for Title and Registration), Form 811 (Certificate of Vehicle Inspection), a copy of the storage agreement, and payment of the $15 title fee plus registration fees. The operator must have provided registered-mail notice to any DMV-recorded lienholder before the sale. Because Alaska has no dedicated self-storage statute with a good-faith-purchaser protection clause, the operator should retain complete documentation of the entire lien process to support the DMV application and defend against any title disputes.
AS 34.35.220; AS 34.35.225; AS 34.35.175; Alaska DMV Lien Sales (Form 826/V1/811)
Sale rules
- Method
- Sale must be by public auction held in the recording district where the property was stored (AS 34.35.225; AS 34.35.175). AS 34.35.225 explicitly limits the sale to "a part of [the property] sufficient to pay the just and reasonable charges" — the operator may not sell more than necessary. An operator who sells, loans, or disposes of property in violation of AS 34.35.220-34.35.225 without the owner's consent is liable to the owner for market value plus a 50-percent penalty per offense (AS 34.35.225). No online auction platform is expressly authorized by statute; whether an online auction satisfies the "public auction" requirement is an unsettled question in Alaska.
- Advertising
- No newspaper publication is expressly required under the AS 34.35.175/34.35.225 framework — the statute requires only registered-letter notice to the owner and posting in three public places in the recording district for at least 10 days (AS 34.35.175). If the operator elects the AS 45.07.210 UCC warehouse-lien path, newspaper publication is required: the sale must be advertised once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation at the place of sale, after the expiration of the notification period (AS 45.07.210(b)(5)). Operators should consider whether newspaper publication adds an evidentiary safety margin even under the AS 34.35.175 path.
- Proceeds & surplus
- Proceeds go first to sale expenses, then to the lien amount (storage charges). Any surplus belongs to the property owner (AS 34.35.225). The statute does not set a hold period for surplus or address what happens when the owner cannot be located. Consult Alaska unclaimed property law (AS 34.45 et seq.) for any unclaimed surplus. Under AS 45.07.210(f), a good-faith purchaser at a warehouse-lien sale takes the goods free of the rights of other persons against whom the lien was valid, even if the warehouse failed to comply with sale requirements — though the warehouse itself remains liable in damages for noncompliance.
AS 34.35.175; AS 34.35.225; AS 45.07.210
Late fees
Alaska has no statutory cap or standard for self-storage late fees. AS 34.35.220 grants a lien for "just and reasonable charges" — a phrase that has not been interpreted by Alaska courts in the self-storage context. Late fees may be contractually enforceable if disclosed in the rental agreement, but their status as part of the lien claim is uncertain. Operators should consult Alaska counsel before incorporating late fees into a lien enforcement amount, and should draft rental agreements that clearly define all fees as charges for storage services to maximize the likelihood of inclusion in the lien.
AS 34.35.220 (general "just and reasonable charges" standard — no late-fee cap or floor in current Alaska law)
Operator questions
Does Alaska have a self-storage lien law?
No — as of June 2026, Alaska has no dedicated self-service storage facility lien statute. Multiple bills have been introduced and failed, most recently HB 97 in the 2023-2024 legislative session, which passed the House but died in the Senate. Operators must rely on the general warehouse lien framework under AS 34.35.220 and AS 34.35.225, supplemented by UCC Article 7 (AS 45.07.210). Every enforcement action should be reviewed by Alaska-licensed counsel before proceeding.
How long must a tenant be delinquent before I can sell their property?
Under the AS 34.35.220/34.35.225 framework, charges must be unpaid for three full months before you may proceed to a lien sale. There is no shorter path in current Alaska law — unlike most states with 30- or 45-day self-storage thresholds. During the three-month period you may retain possession of the stored property but you cannot sell it.
Can I auction a stored vehicle without going through the Alaska DMV process?
Not safely. The Alaska DMV specifically addresses storage (warehouse) lien sales under AS 34.35.220 and requires the buyer to obtain a new title using DMV Form 826 (notarized Claim of Ownership/Involuntary Lien), Form V1 (Application for Title), Form 811 (Vehicle Inspection Certificate), and a copy of the storage agreement. Without following the DMV process, the buyer cannot obtain clear title and the sale may be challenged. Send registered-mail notice to any DMV-recorded lienholder on the vehicle before the sale.
Can I charge late fees and include them in the lien amount?
Alaska's lien statute covers only "just and reasonable charges" without defining that term or expressly authorizing late fees. Whether a court would include late fees in a lien amount is uncertain. Late fees may be enforceable as a contract matter if disclosed in your rental agreement, but they may not be collectible through a statutory lien sale. Until Alaska enacts a dedicated self-storage act, keep the lien claim limited to actual storage charges and separately pursue contract remedies for any additional fees.
What notice must I give before holding a lien sale?
Under AS 34.35.175 and AS 34.35.225: (1) send a registered letter to the owner's last known address specifying the property description, owner name, amount due, and sale time and place; (2) post the same information in three public places in the recording district for at least 10 days before the sale, including at or near the nearest post office. If using the AS 45.07.210 warehouse-lien path instead, you must also give at least 10 days' advance written demand and then advertise in a local newspaper once a week for two consecutive weeks before the auction.
What happens to money left over after the sale covers the charges I am owed?
Any surplus after paying sale expenses and the lien amount belongs to the property owner. AS 34.35.225 does not prescribe a holding period or an unclaimed-funds process for surplus proceeds. Operators should consult Alaska's unclaimed property statutes (AS 34.45 et seq.) for guidance on what to do if the former tenant cannot be located to receive the balance.
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