Search Alaska Public Records
Alaska public records include court filings, vital documents, property deeds, law enforcement reports, and many other official files held by state and local agencies. The Alaska Public Records Act, found at AS 40.25.100 through AS 40.25.295, gives every person the legal right to inspect and copy these documents. You can search Alaska public records online through several official state portals, submit a written request by mail, or visit an agency office directly. This guide covers the main record sources across Alaska and explains exactly how to get the documents you need.
Alaska Public Records at a Glance
Alaska Court Records and CourtView
The Alaska Court System runs CourtView, the primary online portal for searching court public records across the entire state. It covers all four judicial districts and includes both trial and appellate courts. You search by case number, party name, or citation number. The system shows party names, case types, filing dates, case status, scheduled hearings, and in many instances, full document images. Access is free and no account is required to run a basic search.
CourtView handles civil cases (CI suffix), criminal cases (CR suffix), small claims (SC suffix), probate cases (PR suffix), domestic relations cases, minor offenses (MO suffix), and wills deposited with courts (WI suffix). Not every record type appears in the online portal. Juvenile cases, certain domestic violence protective orders, sealed matters, and other confidential files are excluded from public view. The court system notes clearly that a CourtView search is not the same thing as a formal criminal history check from the Department of Public Safety. Those are two separate systems.
The CourtView case search portal is the starting point for most Alaska court record lookups statewide. From this page you can search civil and criminal cases across all four judicial districts at no cost.
The results show party names, case type, filing date, and current status. For certified copies you still need to contact the court clerk directly.
Records from before 1990 are limited. Older cases exist only as paper index cards at individual court locations. Copy fees are set by court rule. Plain copies cost $5 for the first document and $3 for each additional. Certified copies run $10 for the first and $3 for each additional copy of the same document. Research without a case number costs $30 per hour. Specific request forms apply by location: TF-311 ANCH for Anchorage and Sand Point courts, TF-311 FBKS for Fairbanks, TF-311 PA for Palmer, and TF-311 for all other court locations.
Under Administrative Rule 40(a), certain cases are pulled from public indices. These include cases dismissed at initial hearing for lack of evidence, criminal cases where the defendant completed a suspended imposition of sentence and had the conviction set aside under AS 12.55.085, and cases where a person under 21 was charged separately with alcohol offenses. The statute AS 22.35.030 also limits online publication of criminal case records for 60 days after acquittal or dismissal in specific situations.
The CourtView information page explains what data the system holds and how to navigate its search features effectively.
This page covers case type suffixes, search methods, record limitations, and what to do when you cannot find a case online.
Criminal History Records in Alaska
The Alaska Department of Public Safety runs the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN), which serves as the state criminal history repository. A State Criminal History Record Background Check pulls from this database and shows adult arrests and convictions. The report covers misdemeanor and felony offenses only. Infractions, violations, and most juvenile records do not appear. Both convictions and dismissed or not guilty findings are included in the report.
The DPS Self Service Email Request portal lets Alaska residents request their own criminal history record online using their Social Security number and a state driver's license or DMV-issued ID number.
After submitting the request through this portal, DPS sends a secure link to the email address provided. The initial report costs $20. Each additional copy is $5.
Four request methods exist. Online requests go through the secure portal described above. Mail-in requests use the appropriate form mailed to the Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507, with payment by cash, check, or money order only. In-person requests are handled at approved walk-in locations with two forms of photo ID, one of which must be government-issued. Third-party requests require the record subject's signed consent and a completed Unsworn Falsification Statement. Incomplete forms are returned without processing. The Bureau can be reached at 907-269-5511. Governing statutes include AS 12.62.110 through AS 12.62.900 and the regulations at 13 AAC 68.
Vital Records: Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce
The Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains certified copies of birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, and marriage licenses. Two walk-in offices provide same-day service: the Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101 (phone 907-269-0991) and the Juneau office at 5441 Commercial Boulevard (phone 907-465-3391).
Access to recent vital records is restricted under Alaska law. Birth records are not available to the general public until 100 years after the event. Marriage, divorce, and death records are restricted for 50 years. Only the person listed on the record, parents, legal guardians, certain government agencies, and authorized representatives may request non-historical documents. For birth certificates, eligible requesters include the person named (if 14 or older with school ID), parents listed on the certificate, and legal guardians with certified guardianship papers.
The Alaska vital records ordering page allows requests through VitalChek.com, the only authorized third-party vendor the state permits for online ordering.
Online orders through VitalChek take two to three weeks plus shipping. Mail or fax orders take two to three months. In-person requests at either office location are typically completed the same day.
Fees for certified copies are $30 for the first copy and $25 for each additional copy of the same record. Marriage licenses cost $60 with a three-day waiting period. Heirloom birth certificates cost $55 for the first copy. Questions about corrections or amendments go to BVSSpecialServices@alaska.gov. Routine record requests go to BVSOffice@alaska.gov. Alaska vital records offices do not work with any other third-party vendors. Other vendors making this claim may be fraudulent.
The Health Analytics and Vital Records section maintains the Alaska Vital Statistics System, which tracks birth, death, marriage, and divorce data for public health research and policy planning statewide.
This division not only issues certified copies but also handles delayed birth registrations, court-ordered name changes, and adoption record processing for the state.
Alaska Property and Land Records
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Recorder's Office maintains the official land records for the entire state. The recording system covers 34 recording districts statewide, serviced by two main offices. The Anchorage office is at 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 108, phone 907-269-8875. The Fairbanks office is at 1979 Peger Road, phone 907-452-3521. Appointments outside regular office hours are available for batches of 100 or more documents.
Types of documents recorded include deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, subdivision plats, UCC financing statements, judgments and decrees, federal and state tax liens, child support enforcement liens, and satisfactions and releases. Recording fees under AS 40.17 are set at $20 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. Once recorded, documents and all information within them become part of the permanent public record and are open to public viewing.
The DNR Recorder's Office page describes the recording system, the 34 recording districts, the types of documents accepted, and how to search the land records database online.
The office mission is to provide a secure, accessible, and impartial place to record and preserve the permanent public record of Alaska under authority from nineteen separate state statutes and regulations in 11 AAC 06.
The Alaska Land Records Information System provides online document search. Search capabilities include grantor and grantee name index from 1970 to current, survey searches, date range searches, document number searches, subdivision name searches, and plat searches. Pre-1970 records require manual searches of historic books. Staff are not authorized to perform in-depth historical research due to staffing limitations, so researchers needing older documents should plan on in-person visits or appointments.
The Alaska Mapper is an interactive GIS tool showing land ownership, survey plats, and state land use data on a searchable map interface.
The information displayed in Alaska Mapper is for graphic illustration only. Source documents at the Recorder's Office remain the official record for legal purposes.
Alaska Business and Corporate Public Records
The Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing handles entity records for the state. Entity searches let you look up businesses by entity name, entity number, officer name, or registered agent name. The business license database is also searchable from the same system. Entity types covered include business corporations, non-profit and religious corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and cooperatives. The thirteen Regional ANCSA corporations incorporated under AS 10.06 are also on record here.
The Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing page is where you look up Alaska business entities, professional licenses, and company registration status in the state database.
You can search active and inactive entities, find registered agents, check license status across more than 40 professions, and view biennial report filings. The main phone for the division is 907-465-2550. Corporations questions go to Corporations@Alaska.Gov and business licensing questions go to BusinessLicense@Alaska.Gov.
Your Rights Under the Alaska Public Records Act
AS 40.25.110 states that every person has a right to inspect a public record in the state. Under the Alaska Public Records Act, a public record is any record developed or received by a public agency that is preserved for its informational value or as evidence of agency operations, regardless of format or physical characteristics. That definition comes from AS 40.25.220(3). The right is broad. It covers paper files, electronic records, audio recordings, videos, and databases. Agencies have 10 working days to provide an initial response, counting Day 0 as the day received and Day 1 as the next working day.
Agencies can respond in several ways. They may provide the records, deny the request with a protected records log, request more information from the requester, give a cost estimate, provide notice of an extension, or notify the requester that electronic services under AS 40.25.115 apply. Extensions are allowed when the agency must search for records at separate facilities, when the volume of records is large, or when consultation with another agency is required. Fee relief is available if the records would significantly contribute to public understanding of government operations. To qualify, requesters must show which government operations the records would document, how those records inform the public about identified operations, and how they plan to disseminate the information broadly.
The Department of Law's APRA information page explains the full scope of the Alaska Public Records Act, including how to file a request, what agencies must provide, and when fee waivers apply.
This page covers the exceptions to disclosure under AS 40.25.120(a), the appeal process, fee calculation rules under 2 AAC 96.360, and what APRA does not require agencies to do. For instance, agencies are not required to answer questions, create new records, or produce records already available in libraries or courts.
The Alaska Statutes page for AS 40.25.100 shows the full text of the Public Records Act and all related code sections in one place for easy reference.
Key statutes to know include AS 40.25.110 on the right to inspect records, AS 40.25.120 on exceptions to disclosure, and AS 40.25.122, which states that records in litigation remain public unless sealed by court order.
Alaska State Archives Historical Records
The Alaska State Archives holds nearly 24,000 cubic feet of government records under AS 40.21.030. Holdings span from territorial and district records dating to 1884 through current state government files. The collection includes Office of the Governor records, Department of Fish and Game records, Department of Natural Resources records, Alaska State Legislature records, and files from dozens of other agencies. District court records from 1884 to 1912 are included and contain land records from the territorial period.
The State Archives research page describes how to access the collection, request records, and use the online catalog for both in-person and remote research.
Researchers can search the online catalog, submit a Research Inquiry Form, email archives@alaska.gov, or call 907-465-2270. The Research Center is available for in-person visits during regular hours.
Genealogy resources available through the archives include adoption records, birth and death records, marriage and divorce certificates, census records, land ownership records, naturalization records, military service records, and historical photos through Alaska Historical Collections and Alaska's Digital Archive. Territorial government records from 1912 to 1959 include papers of Alaska's territorial governors and are particularly useful for family history research.
Alaska DMV Driving and Vehicle Records
The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles provides three types of driving records. The Full Individual Record shows the complete driving history including all convictions, license actions, and at-fault accidents on record. The Insurance Record shows a three or five-year history of convictions and license actions for vehicle insurance purposes, excluding medical certification information. The CDL Employment Record shows full medical certification information along with convictions, license actions, and at-fault accident data as required by DOT regulations for commercial drivers. Each record type costs $10.
The Alaska DMV driving records page explains how to request records online through the DMV online portal, in person at any DMV office, or by mail and email using Form 419F.
Email requests go to doa.dmv.research@alaska.gov. Phone requests use 907-269-5551. Mail goes to 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Driver's license records are confidential, and individuals may only obtain their own record without the subject's consent.
Alaska Legislature Records and Legislation
The Alaska State Legislature maintains BASIS, the Bill Action Status Inquiry System, for tracking legislation. Coverage includes bills from 1993 to the current session, House and Senate Journals from 1993 forward, committee minutes from 1993 forward, and session laws from 1993 forward. Older session laws dating to 1981 are available through Folio Infobases. The Legislative Reference Library at Terry Miller Building, Suite 102, Juneau, AK 99801, phone 907-465-3808, holds committee files, minutes, and reports and is open to the public.
The Alaska Legislature portal is where you access bill tracking, legislative records, committee minutes, and historical session laws through BASIS and the Folio system.
Legislative Information Offices around the state also maintain a library of current legislative and executive branch reports and handle Public Opinion Messages during sessions. This portal is useful for researching how specific statutes were passed and amended over time.
Alaska Trial Courts and Court Records by District
Alaska's court system is organized into four judicial districts. The First Judicial District covers Southeast Alaska including Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, and surrounding communities. The Second Judicial District covers Northern and Western Alaska including Nome, Kotzebue, and Utqiagvik. The Third Judicial District covers Southcentral Alaska including Anchorage, Palmer, and Kenai. The Fourth Judicial District covers Interior Alaska including Fairbanks and surrounding communities.
Superior Courts handle felony criminal cases, civil cases over $100,000, domestic relations matters, probate and estate matters, and appeals from District Courts. District Courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases up to $100,000, small claims up to $10,000, traffic and minor offense violations, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. Court clerks serve as custodians of court records at each location and can provide certified copies on request. Most courts accept requests by mail, fax, or email in addition to in-person visits.
The Alaska Trial Courts directory lists every court location in the state with current contact information, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses for records requests.
Use this directory to find the correct courthouse when submitting a request for certified copies, checking on hearing dates, or reaching a specific clerk of court.
Browse Alaska Public Records by Location
Alaska public records are maintained at the borough, census area, and city level. Each location has its own offices, court clerks, and online access points. Choose a location below to find specific contact details, office hours, addresses, and step-by-step instructions for requesting records in that area.
Boroughs and Census Areas
All 30 Alaska boroughs and census areas have dedicated pages with local public records details, courthouse contact information, and property record access points.
View All 30 Alaska Boroughs and Census Areas →
Cities
Major Alaska cities and communities have their own public records pages with local police department contacts, city clerk details, and county court information.