Matanuska-Susitna Borough Public Records

Public records for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are held by the Borough Clerk, the Palmer Superior and District Court, and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Anyone can search or request these records. The Mat-Su Borough is one of the fastest-growing areas in Alaska, and its record systems serve a wide range of needs from court case lookups to property data. This page covers where to go, what to ask for, and how the process works for both in-person and online requests.

Mat-Su Borough Public Records Access

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Clerk handles all official borough records. The office is at 350 East Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645. You can reach the Clerk by phone at 907-861-8683. The Clerk manages active and inactive borough records, maintains retention schedules, and keeps meeting minutes from 2000 to present available online. If you need a public records request, start here.

Borough public records are governed by Borough Code Chapter 1.50, which aligns with the Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.110). Under this law, every person has the right to inspect public records. The borough must provide access to records that are not confidential or privileged. If your request is simple, access can be immediate. More complex requests may take longer to fulfill.

The borough posts Assembly legislation and meeting minutes on its website at matsugov.us. The Borough Code is searchable through Municode. For records not posted online, you submit a written request to the Clerk's office.

Fees apply when a request takes more than five person-hours to process in a single calendar month. When that happens, the borough charges its actual personnel costs. Projected costs of $50 or less are paid when you pick up the records. If costs exceed $50, you pay in advance. The difference between the estimate and the actual cost is settled at pickup.

The Mat-Su Borough website also contains details about the borough's departments and their contact information, which can help you route your request to the right office.

Note: Free copies are available to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for benefits eligibility, and to certain state departments including Military and Veterans Affairs and Community and Economic Development.

Mat-Su Borough Property Records Search

The Mat-Su Borough Assessor's Office maintains property records for the entire borough. The Assessor is Oliver Querin, located at 350 East Dahlia Ave, Palmer, AK 99645, phone 907-745-9642. The office handles tax assessments, exemptions, and property valuations. If you need to appeal an assessment, you file with the Board of Equalization. The appeal deadline is typically in late February each year.

The borough runs an online property search system called My Property at myproperty.matsugov.us. This system covers more than 80,000 parcels, including 43,766 residential parcels and 2,013 commercial parcels. You can search by owner name, buyer name, property address, subdivision, tax ID, parcel ID, or roll number. The results include parcel details, ownership history, assessment values, tax amounts, and exemptions.

The borough used the My Property portal to screenshot its property search system. This source page at myproperty.matsugov.us shows the search fields and how the system is laid out.

The system lets you see GIS maps and sales history in addition to tax data. This is a good starting point for research on any parcel in the Mat-Su Valley.

For GIS mapping beyond basic property search, the borough runs a separate mapping tool at mapping.matsugov.us. This GIS system shows parcel boundaries, zoning, flood zones, school districts, voting precincts, roads, water bodies, and wetlands. It is useful for anyone doing land research or checking zoning before a purchase.

Note: Assessment appeals must be filed with the Board of Equalization before the annual deadline. Missing this window means waiting until the next appeal cycle.

Official Borough Website and Online Services

The main Mat-Su Borough website hosts records, forms, and department contacts. The site screenshot below was taken from matsugov.us, the official borough homepage.

From this site, you can reach the Clerk's office, find Assembly meeting minutes from 2000 onward, search the Borough Code, and access the property portal. The site is a useful starting point when you are not sure which office handles a specific type of record.

Palmer Court Public Records

The Palmer Superior and District Courts serve the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The courthouse is at 435 South Denali Street, Palmer, AK 99645. Customer service is available at 907-746-8181. You can also fax the court at 907-746-8152 or email record requests to 3PACopyRequests@akcourts.gov. The court is part of Alaska's Third Judicial District.

Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Note that the clerk's office closes on Wednesdays from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. If you need a protective order or mental commitment filed, you must do that in person by 3:45 PM. After that time, email or faxed petitions are handled the next business day.

Online record requests through CourtView can take 2 to 4 weeks to process. If you need records faster, going in person is the better option. The CourtView case search lets you look up cases by name or case number. Case types include civil, criminal, small claims, probate, and domestic relations.

Telephonic hearings use the public access line at 1-888-788-0099, Meeting ID: 283 884 5637. Court copy fees follow the statewide schedule: $10 for the first certified copy, $3 for each additional copy of the same document; $5 for the first regular document, $3 for each additional.

Superior Court at Palmer handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $100,000, domestic relations, and probate. District Court handles misdemeanors, civil cases up to $100,000, and small claims up to $10,000.

Law Enforcement and Criminal Records

Several agencies provide law enforcement in the Mat-Su Borough. Alaska State Troopers serve the unincorporated areas, with the Mat-Su Valley Dispatch reachable at 907-352-5401. The cities of Wasilla, Palmer, and Houston each have their own police departments.

For criminal history background checks, the Alaska Department of Public Safety handles requests through its Self Service Request Portal. A criminal history report costs $20 for the initial record and $5 for each additional copy. You can also submit requests by mail to the Criminal Records and Identification Bureau at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507.

Arrest records are subject to public inspection under AS 40.25.110. Some records may be restricted under AS 40.25.120, which lists specific exemptions including certain law enforcement records and juvenile information.

Cities in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Several communities in the Mat-Su Borough have qualifying populations. All of them file court cases at the Palmer Superior and District Court.

Other communities in the Mat-Su Borough include Houston, Butte, Sutton, Talkeetna, and numerous rural areas. All civil and criminal court matters are handled through Palmer.

Nearby Boroughs

These boroughs and census areas border the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Each has its own records system.