CO Detector Rules in Alaska: Landlord and Homeowner Duties

Last verified: February 17, 2026

Alaska carbon monoxide detector laws are anchored in AS 18.70.095, which requires devices in qualifying dwelling units that include fuel-burning risk conditions, attached-garage exposure, or adjacency to parking structures. The statute also sets clear landlord and tenant obligations in rental contexts, making compliance a continuing operational duty rather than a one-time installation event.

Owners must provide working devices at occupancy and respond to deficiency notices, while tenants must keep devices functional and avoid disabling them. Alaska also links violations of these carbon monoxide provisions to offense language in AS 18.70.100(c), so legal and liability exposure can follow if duties are ignored.

Alaska operators should preserve installation records, maintenance logs, written notice timelines, and occupancy-date verification checklists for each covered dwelling. Periodic internal audits should confirm logs match current unit conditions.

Quick Safety Summary

CO detector requirements for Alaska
Applies to homes?	Yes
Applies to rentals?	Yes
Applies to hotels/STRs?	Not confirmed — check local codes

When Are CO Alarms Required?

Buildings with fuel-burning appliances
Buildings with attached garages
Qualifying dwelling units include units adjacent to parking structures under AS 18.70.095(e)(2).

Where to Install CO Alarms

Carbon monoxide detection devices are required in qualifying dwelling units and must be installed and maintained according to manufacturer recommendations under AS 18.70.095.

For detailed placement guidance beyond legal requirements, see where to place carbon monoxide detectors.

Device Requirements

Devices must include an alarm and be maintained according to manufacturer recommendations under AS 18.70.095.

Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities

Landlord: At each occupancy, landlords must provide required devices in working condition and repair or replace deficient devices after tenant notice.

Tenant: Tenants must keep devices in working condition, maintain batteries where applicable, test periodically when possible, and not permanently disable devices.

Statutory dwelling-unit language governs cited scope; hotel and short-term rental classification is not confirmed in the cited statewide sources and should be verified by occupancy type and local jurisdiction.

Enforcement

Enforced by: Alaska Department of Public Safety Division of Fire and Life Safety with local enforcement pathways depending on occupancy and complaint context.

Enforcement typically occurs:

During occupancy-related compliance review in covered dwelling units.
During follow-up on reported missing or non-operational devices.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Violations related to AS 18.70.095 carbon monoxide detector duties are treated as violations under AS 18.70.100(c).

AS 18.70.100(c) excerpted in Alaska DPS DFLS strategic plan material.

Additional Notes

Alaska device placement distances are not expressed as one fixed statewide bedroom-distance rule in the cited statute text.
Teams should map qualifying-unit criteria before classifying exemptions.

Official Sources & References

Alaska Department of Public Safety statute excerpt AS 18.70.095 — 18.70.095(a) through 18.70.095(e) (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Primary statewide requirements for qualifying dwelling units and rental duties.
Alaska DPS Division of Fire and Life Safety strategic plan statute excerpts — AS 18.70.095 and AS 18.70.100(c) excerpt pages (agency guidance, accessed 2026-02-17)
Agency publication containing penalty-reference excerpt used for compliance context.
Alaska Legislature statutes index for Title 18 fire protection sections — Title 18 chapter 70 including AS 18.70.095 and AS 18.70.100 (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Official state legislative code index used to cross-check chapter-level statutory context.
Alaska Department of Public Safety fire code and standards resources — State fire code program and adopted standards references (fire code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Agency fire-code administration context for implementation and enforcement workflow.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general guidance and is not legal advice. Requirements may vary by city, county, and building type. Always verify current rules with local authorities and official sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Alaska law is the main source for carbon monoxide detector duties?

AS 18.70.095 is the core statewide legal source in Alaska for carbon monoxide detector duties in qualifying dwelling units. It defines when a unit is covered and includes owner and tenant responsibilities in rental settings, which makes compliance operational rather than optional. Property teams should cite subsection language directly in their checklists and lease support documents. Alaska files that include section-level references, installation evidence, and maintenance records are more defensible during enforcement or post-incident review.

What makes a dwelling unit qualify under Alaska section 18.70.095?

The statute uses a qualifying-unit model that includes fuel-burning appliance risk, attached-garage conditions, and adjacency to parking structures. That means scope is based on physical risk pathways, not only on occupancy labels. Owners should evaluate each unit before turnover and preserve written rationale in the file. Alaska operators should avoid blanket assumptions and keep subsection references with inspection or maintenance documentation so scope decisions remain clear. Signed scope determinations should be filed with each unit checklist. Include photo evidence of fuel, garage, or parking risk conditions with each scope decision.

In Alaska rentals, which AS 18.70.095 documents prove landlord versus tenant performance?

Alaska section 18.70.095 requires landlords to provide devices in working condition at occupancy and to repair or replace deficient devices after tenant notice. Tenants must keep devices functional, maintain batteries where applicable, and avoid disabling required alarms. This duty split should be reflected in lease attachments, move-in forms, and maintenance workflows. Alaska compliance logs should track notice date, correction date, and verification outcome for each unit. Managers should keep signed completion proof for each service ticket. Escalate unresolved repairs before re-occupancy to reduce statutory risk.

In Alaska, how should teams document penalty risk under AS 18.70.100(c)?

Alaska enforcement context includes AS 18.70.100(c) language tied to violations related to AS 18.70.095 detector duties. Even when a case begins as a maintenance issue, ignoring notices or leaving units noncompliant can escalate legal exposure. Teams should treat unresolved device failures as high priority and preserve dated remediation proof. Alaska compliance notices should cite both AS 18.70.095 and AS 18.70.100(c) where applicable. Keep correction deadline logs in the same enforcement packet. Document agency contact notes whenever an enforcement inquiry opens.

Do all-electric Alaska units automatically fall outside requirements?

Not automatically. Alaska uses qualifying-unit criteria that can include non-obvious risk pathways such as adjacency to parking structures, so utility type alone is not always enough to decide scope. Owners should evaluate each condition listed in AS 18.70.095(e)(2) before recording an exemption decision. Written exemption analysis should be retained with occupancy and maintenance records to avoid disputes later. Include reviewer name and decision date in that file. Recheck scope whenever appliances or parking configuration changes after renovation.

How does Alaska compare with Washington for regional policies?

Alaska in this dataset is anchored in AS 18.70.095 qualifying-unit language and a defined landlord-tenant split, while Washington combines RCW and WAC pathways with local code administration. Regional teams should keep separate Pacific and Arctic policy tracks rather than one shared template. For side-by-side process planning, review Washington CO detector laws and compare trigger logic, responsibility allocation, and documentation workflow. Alaska teams should keep AS 18.70.095 records separate from Washington RCW and WAC references. Use separate training materials so staff do not mix state-specific duties.

Practical CO Detector Guides

Beyond legal requirements, these guides help you choose, install, and maintain CO alarms:

Where to place carbon monoxide detectors — room-by-room placement recommendations
CO detector beeping patterns — what different alarms mean
What to do if your detector goes off — emergency response checklist
CO resources and links — official agencies and safety information