Lake and Peninsula Borough Public Records

Lake and Peninsula Borough public records include court filings, land and property documents, law enforcement information, and borough government records. The borough is a remote organized borough in Southwest Alaska with its seat in King Salmon. Because of the area's limited online infrastructure, many Lake and Peninsula Borough public records requests must be made by phone or mail. This guide explains the key offices and state resources available for finding records in the area.

Lake and Peninsula Borough Office and Records

The Lake and Peninsula Borough was created on April 26, 1989, making it one of the newer organized boroughs in Alaska. The borough seat is King Salmon, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 495, King Salmon, AK 99613. The main phone numbers are 907-246-3421 and 907-246-4240. The borough has a limited online presence, so reaching out by phone or written correspondence is often the most effective approach for records requests.

The borough handles its own government records including assembly meeting minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and administrative documents. For records not related to borough government functions, such as court records, land records, and vital records, you go to state agencies rather than the borough office. The Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100) governs access to all public agency records in the state, including those held by small organized boroughs like Lake and Peninsula.

Under Alaska law, any public agency receiving a records request has 10 working days to give you a response. The agency can acknowledge the request, provide the records, issue a denial with reasons, ask for more information, or give you a cost estimate. If you get no response after 10 working days, that can be treated as a denial under the APRA appeal process. The appeal process requires a written submission to the agency head within 60 working days of the denial.

Note: Because the borough has limited staff and remote logistics, it is a good idea to call ahead at 907-246-3421 to discuss your records request before sending a formal written request.

Court Records for Lake and Peninsula Borough

Court services for the Lake and Peninsula Borough are provided through the Dillingham Superior and District Courts. The Dillingham courthouse is at 501 Seward Street, Dillingham, AK. Judges in this region also travel to various communities within the service area on a circuit court schedule, which allows court sessions to take place in remote locations. The integration of tribal courts into the local justice system also occurs in some Alaska Native communities within the borough.

To search court records online, use CourtView, the Alaska Court System's free case search portal. You can search by party name or case number and view case type, filing date, case status, and scheduled hearings. The system contains records from 1985 forward for most courts. Records from before 1985 may only exist as paper index cards at the courthouse and require direct contact with court staff to access.

The screenshot below shows the Alaska Court System's courts directory page, which lists court locations and contact information including those serving the Lake and Peninsula Borough area.

The Alaska court directory at courts.alaska.gov lists all trial courts in the state, including those serving Southwest Alaska and the Lake and Peninsula Borough through the Dillingham courthouse.

Public access to court records is available for most case types. Exceptions include juvenile records, certain domestic violence protective orders, sealed cases, and cases involving confidential information. For copies of records from Dillingham-area courts, contact the Dillingham courthouse directly. Standard Alaska court copy fees apply: certified copies cost $10 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same document. Regular copies start at $5 for the first document.

Land and Property Records for Lake and Peninsula

Real property records for the Lake and Peninsula Borough are maintained by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Recorder's Office through the Bristol Bay Recording District. The DNR Recorder's Office handles deed, mortgage, lien, and other property document recording for the borough area. The DNR maintains two main offices: Anchorage at 907-269-8875 and Fairbanks at 907-452-3521. You can set up an appointment for large-volume research needs.

Online search is available through the DNR Recorder's Office portal. The name search index goes from 1970 to current. You can search by grantor/grantee name, document number, date range, legal description, and document type. For documents recorded before 1970, a search of the historic books at the recorder office in person or by request is required. The DNR notes that staff are not able to do in-depth historical research due to staffing limits, so you may need to review those books yourself.

The Alaska Mapper tool provides a GIS-based interactive view of land records, land ownership, and land use across the state. This tool is free and works well for getting a visual sense of land boundaries and ownership in the Lake and Peninsula area. Keep in mind that the map is for reference and not the official record. Source documents at the recorder office are the legal authority.

Property tax assessment for the Lake and Peninsula Borough is handled by the borough. Contact the borough office at 907-246-3421 for assessment information, as the limited online presence means the data may not be available through a public web portal.

Law Enforcement Records in the Borough

The Alaska State Troopers Dillingham Post provides law enforcement services for the Lake and Peninsula Borough area. In many of the small, remote communities in the borough, Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) serve alongside or in place of Troopers. VPSOs are state-funded officers trained for rural Alaska communities who handle local law enforcement functions. They work under the supervision of the Alaska State Troopers.

For police reports or incident records involving State Troopers, contact the Dillingham Troopers post or submit a request through the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The DPS Criminal Records and Identification Bureau handles statewide criminal history background checks. The bureau is at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507, phone 907-269-5511. A name-based criminal history check costs $20 for the initial report and $5 for each additional copy.

Online background check requests are available at the DPS Self Service Request Portal. Online requests require a social security number and an Alaska driver's license or state ID number. Mail-in and in-person requests are also accepted. Results are delivered electronically via a secure link sent to the email address you provide for online requests. Mail-in and in-person results vary by method and location.

Vital Records for Lake and Peninsula Borough Residents

Vital records for the Lake and Peninsula Borough are maintained by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics in Juneau. The BVS handles birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for all events that occurred in Alaska. Ordering methods include online through VitalChek, in person at BVS offices in Anchorage or Juneau, and by fax or mail using downloadable forms from the website. Online and VitalChek orders take about 2 to 3 weeks plus shipping. Mail orders take 2 to 3 months to process.

Certified copies of birth and death certificates cost $30 for the first copy and $25 for each additional one ordered at the same time. Marriage and divorce certificates are the same price. Records are restricted to authorized requesters until the restriction period passes: 100 years for births, 50 years for death, marriage, and divorce records. The BVS main email is BVSOffice@alaska.gov. For corrections, paternity, adoptions, or amendments, contact BVSSpecialServices@alaska.gov. The full ordering page and forms are at health.alaska.gov.

The Alaska State Archives also holds historical records for the state, including some older vital records. Researchers can contact the archives at archives@alaska.gov or call 907-465-2270. The archives maintain records from territorial and state government going back to the 1880s in some cases. Genealogy resources available through the archives include naturalization records, military service records, and historical photographs.

Note: Requests for historical records after restriction periods have passed can be made by anyone, not just the person named on the record or their family.

Cities in Lake and Peninsula Borough

Lake and Peninsula Borough communities are small and remote. Most do not have individual city pages on this site. King Salmon is the borough seat, but no qualifying cities have individual pages in this directory. Residents may also access services in nearby Dillingham, which is in the adjacent Dillingham Census Area.

Other communities in the borough include Naknek, South Naknek, Levelock, Port Heiden, Nondalton, Iliamna, Newhalen, Pedro Bay, and others. All court and state records for these communities are handled through the agencies listed on this page.

Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas

These areas are close to the Lake and Peninsula Borough in Southwest Alaska. Each has its own records contacts.