Alaska workers comp requirements decide exactly when an employer must carry coverage, who counts toward the threshold, and the penalty for going without. This guide breaks down the Alaska workers comp requirements in plain English. (Injured instead of hiring? See our Alaska settlement and claim guides linked below.) All figures are from Alaska sources, verified as of October 2026.
Alaska at a Glance
| Required at | 1 employee(s) |
| Which workers count | Coverage generally starts with the first employee. Full-time and part-time employees both count. There is no separate construction rule because every industry is already covered from the first employee. Some part-time or short-term workers in the categories listed under AS 23.30.230 are excluded (see exempt_workers). Confirm specific worker situations with the Alaska Division of Workers’ Compensation. |
| Who is exempt | Under AS 23.30.230, these workers are not covered: part-time babysitters; cleaning persons; harvest help and similar part-time or transient help; sports officials hired on contract who officiate only events where the players are unpaid; entertainers hired on contract; commercial fishermen as defined in AS 16.05.940 (they are served by the separate Fishermen’s Fund); and certain taxicab drivers whose pay and written contract meet AS 23.10.055(a)(13). Sole proprietors and partners are not treated as employees unless they choose to cover themselves (AS 23.30.239). Corporate executive officers and LLC members who own at least 10 percent of the business are not employees (AS 23.30.240). |
| Penalty for going without | Criminal: under AS 23.30.075, failing to insure carries a conviction fine of 10000 and up to 1 year in prison. For a corporation, the chief executive officer and secretary can be held personally liable along with the company. Civil: under AS 23.30.080, the board may assess up to 1000 per employee for each day an employee worked while the employer was uninsured. Stop-work order: the board may issue a stop order that bars the employer from using employee labor until it gets coverage. Ignoring a stop order carries a mandatory civil penalty of 1000 per day. |
| Monopolistic state? | No — private carriers |
In This Alaska Guide:
Is Workers’ Comp Required in Alaska?
Yes. Alaska generally requires an employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance (or be approved to self-insure) once it has even one employee, whether that person works full-time or part-time.
Alaska Workers’ Comp Requirements at a Glance
Here are the exact Alaska workers comp requirements every employer should know:
| Employees that trigger the mandate | 1 |
| Which workers count | Coverage generally starts with the first employee. Full-time and part-time employees both count. There is no separate construction rule because every industry is already covered from the first employee. Some part-time or short-term workers in the categories listed under AS 23.30.230 are excluded (see exempt_workers). Confirm specific worker situations with the Alaska Division of Workers’ Compensation. |
| Who is exempt | Under AS 23.30.230, these workers are not covered: part-time babysitters; cleaning persons; harvest help and similar part-time or transient help; sports officials hired on contract who officiate only events where the players are unpaid; entertainers hired on contract; commercial fishermen as defined in AS 16.05.940 (they are served by the separate Fishermen’s Fund); and certain taxicab drivers whose pay and written contract meet AS 23.10.055(a)(13). Sole proprietors and partners are not treated as employees unless they choose to cover themselves (AS 23.30.239). Corporate executive officers and LLC members who own at least 10 percent of the business are not employees (AS 23.30.240). |
| Owners & officers | Since August 1, 2019, corporate executive officers and LLC members who own at least 10 percent of the business are automatically excluded, so no waiver form is needed. The old Executive Officer Waiver program was repealed. Officers or members who own less than 10 percent count as employees and must be insured. A corporation or LLC can choose to cover a 10-percent-or-more owner by naming that person in the insurance contract. That choice lasts while the policy is in effect. Sole proprietors and partners are excluded unless they choose to cover themselves. |
| Penalty for going without | Criminal: under AS 23.30.075, failing to insure carries a conviction fine of 10000 and up to 1 year in prison. For a corporation, the chief executive officer and secretary can be held personally liable along with the company. Civil: under AS 23.30.080, the board may assess up to 1000 per employee for each day an employee worked while the employer was uninsured. Stop-work order: the board may issue a stop order that bars the employer from using employee labor until it gets coverage. Ignoring a stop order carries a mandatory civil penalty of 1000 per day. |
| Monopolistic state? | No — buy from private carriers |
How to Get Workers’ Comp Coverage in Alaska
Most employers buy a policy from a private insurer licensed in Alaska, usually through an agent or broker. A business can instead apply to the Division of Workers’ Compensation to self-insure if it can show it has the money to pay claims directly. An employer turned down by 2 unrelated insurers can get coverage through the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Assigned Risk Plan, which NCCI administers (800-622-4123, ncci.com).
Private market: YES
What Workers’ Comp Covers in Alaska
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system: an injured employee gets benefits without having to prove the employer did anything wrong, and in exchange gives up the right to sue for most workplace injuries. A typical Alaska policy pays for medical treatment tied to a work injury, part of the wages lost while the worker recovers, longer-term disability benefits if the injury is permanent, and death benefits to a family.
It also includes employers-liability coverage, which protects the business if an injury still leads to a lawsuit.
Employees vs. Independent Contractors in Alaska
The most common way employers get the Alaska workers comp requirements wrong is by assuming a worker is an “independent contractor” who does not count. State agencies look at how the work is actually controlled, not the label on a 1099. If Alaska decides a contractor was really an employee, the business can owe back premiums and penalties as if coverage should have been in place all along.
When you are close to the employee threshold, confirm each worker’s status with your state board before you decide you are exempt.
Other Alaska workers’-comp rules: Commercial fishermen are outside the workers’ comp system. Instead, the Fishermen’s Fund, run by the Division of Workers’ Compensation, can help with certain injury costs (https://labor.alaska.gov/wc/ffund.htm). The 10 percent ownership rule replaced the old waiver program on August 1, 2019. Workers injured while working for an uninsured employer may be able to get help from Alaska’s Workers’ Compensation Benefits Guaranty Fund (AS 23.30.082).
Confirm eligibility with the Division and a licensed attorney.
Understanding Alaska Workers Comp Requirements
The Alaska workers comp requirements exist so injured employees get care and lost wages without having to sue. For most employers, the Alaska workers comp requirements come down to one number: the employee count that triggers the mandate, shown in the table above. Once you hit that count, Alaska workers comp requirements apply whether you planned for them or not, and the penalty for going without is real.
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If any part of the Alaska workers comp requirements is unclear, your state board can confirm the threshold, the exemptions, and how to get covered.
Need to get covered? If you are an employer in Alaska shopping for a policy, our sister site compares small-business insurance, including workers’ comp. Compare business insurance options →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is workers’ comp required in Alaska?
Yes. Alaska generally requires an employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance (or be approved to self-insure) once it has even one employee, whether that person works full-time or part-time.
What is the penalty for not having workers’ comp in Alaska?
Criminal: under AS 23.30.075, failing to insure carries a conviction fine of 10000 and up to 1 year in prison. For a corporation, the chief executive officer and secretary can be held personally liable along with the company. Civil: under AS 23.30.080, the board may assess up to 1000 per employee for each day an employee worked while the employer was uninsured.
Stop-work order: the board may issue a stop order that bars the employer from using employee labor until it gets coverage. Ignoring a stop order carries a mandatory civil penalty of 1000 per day.
Who is exempt from Alaska workers’ comp?
Under AS 23.30.230, these workers are not covered: part-time babysitters; cleaning persons; harvest help and similar part-time or transient help; sports officials hired on contract who officiate only events where the players are unpaid; entertainers hired on contract; commercial fishermen as defined in AS 16.05.940 (they are served by the separate Fishermen’s Fund); and certain taxicab drivers whose pay and written contract meet AS 23.10.055(a)(13).
Sole proprietors and partners are not treated as employees unless they choose to cover themselves (AS 23.30.239). Corporate executive officers and LLC members who own at least 10 percent of the business are not employees (AS 23.30.240).
Official Alaska Sources & Resources
- Alaska Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation (Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board): https://labor.alaska.gov/wc/
- Alaska Workers’ Comp Statute: https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#23.30
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- Insurance Information Institute: iii.org
These Alaska workers comp requirements were last verified against official sources in October 2026. Rules and penalties change — confirm the current figure with your state workers’-comp board or a licensed agent.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.
Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.