Public Records in Skagway Municipality

The Municipality of Skagway maintains public records through the Borough Clerk's Office, local court, and state agencies. Skagway is a small but fully functioning home rule municipality in Southeast Alaska, and most municipal records including property deeds, tax assessments, meeting minutes, and government documents are held at the main office on Spring Street. Court records from the Skagway Magistrate Court are also accessible online through the state's CourtView system. This page explains how to find and request public records from Skagway and the state offices that serve the municipality.

Skagway Municipality Clerk and Records

The Borough Clerk's Office is the main point of contact for public records in Skagway. The office is at 700 Spring Street, P.O. Box 415, Skagway, AK 99840. Phone is 907-983-2297 and fax is 907-983-2151. The current Borough Clerk is Steve Burnham Jr., who can be reached at s.burnham@skagway.org.

Skagway's Clerk handles combined clerk and assessor functions. That means one office takes care of recording, property assessment, meeting minutes, ordinances, tax collection records, and other official documents. If you need a deed, a lien record, or a copy of a municipal resolution, the Clerk's Office is your first call. The municipal website at skagway.org has contact information and general details about borough services.

The municipality is led by Mayor Sam Bass and managed by Borough Manager Brad Ryan. The Assembly meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, and meeting minutes are part of the public record. The screenshot below shows the Municipality of Skagway's official website.

The Skagway municipal site gives you contact details for all departments and shows what services the municipality provides to its residents and visitors.

All public records requests are governed by the Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100). Agencies must respond within 10 working days. Fees may apply for searches that run more than five person-hours in a month.

Skagway Property Records and Assessments

Because the Clerk performs both clerk and assessor functions, all property records in Skagway go through the same office. Recorded documents include warranty deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and subdivision plats. The Clerk maintains grantor-grantee indexes for recorded land documents. If you need a certified copy with a seal, the Clerk can provide that as well.

Recording fees in Skagway are set by municipal ordinance and AS 40.17. Online property search options are limited given the small size of the municipality. In-person visits or phone calls to 907-983-2297 are the most reliable way to get property information. Mail requests are also accepted at P.O. Box 415, Skagway, AK 99840.

For a broader search of property records using the state system, the Alaska DNR Recorder's Office maintains records for all Alaska recording districts. The Alaska Mapper tool provides free online access to land ownership data and GIS layers for the region.

Property tax in Skagway runs at 7.0 mills. Sales tax is 3% from October through March and 5% from April through September. A bed tax of 8% applies to lodging. These rates are relevant if you are researching tax lien records tied to a specific parcel.

Note: For historical land records in Skagway predating local municipal records, check the DNR Recorder's Name Search covering grantor/grantee indexes from 1970 to present.

Skagway Court Records

The Skagway Magistrate Court is at 653 5th Avenue, Skagway, AK 99840, phone 907-983-2181. It is part of the First Judicial District. The court handles misdemeanors, small claims up to $10,000, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. The court operates on a limited schedule because of the small population. If your matter requires a Superior Court judge, it goes to Juneau.

The screenshot below shows the Alaska court directory page where you can confirm Skagway court details and access CourtView.

The court directory page for Skagway shows the magistrate court's contact info and provides a gateway to online case searches through CourtView.

The Alaska Court System's CourtView lets you search case records online. You can look by party name, case number, or citation. Case types include civil, criminal, probate, small claims, and domestic relations. Some cases are sealed or removed from public access by court order or statute.

Certified copies of court records cost $10 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same document. Regular copies are $5 for the first document and $3 for each additional. Contact the Sitka or Juneau trial courts if you need records for cases that moved out of Skagway's local court.

Skagway Police Records and Criminal History

Police Chief Jerry Reddick leads the Skagway Police Department. The department handles local law enforcement and maintains arrest and incident records. Public records requests for police reports go through the municipal office or directly to the police department. Skagway has holding cells for short-term detention but no dedicated jail. Inmates needing longer confinement are transferred to other facilities.

For criminal history background checks that cover the entire state, use the Alaska Department of Public Safety online portal. A name-based criminal history check costs $20. You need a Social Security number and an Alaska driver's license or DMV-issued ID to use the online system. Results arrive by secure email link. Mail-in requests are also accepted at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507.

The Alaska DPS criminal history repository covers adult arrests and convictions statewide. It does not include infractions, violations, or most juvenile offenses. The governing statutes are AS 12.62.110-120 and related sections.

Vital Records for Skagway Residents

Vital records for births, deaths, marriages, and divorces in Alaska are held by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics. Records are restricted until 100 years for births and 50 years for marriages, divorces, and deaths. Only people listed on a record or their legal representatives can get non-historical certified copies.

Certified copies cost $30 for the first copy and $25 for each additional. You can order online through VitalChek.com, visit the offices in Anchorage or Juneau in person, or submit a request by mail. Online orders take 2-3 weeks. Mail requests take 2-3 months. For questions, email BVSOffice@alaska.gov.

The Alaska State Archives in Juneau holds territorial and historical government records. For older genealogy research or pre-statehood records related to Skagway, the archives are worth checking. Contact them at 907-465-2270 or archives@alaska.gov.

Cities Near Skagway

Skagway is a standalone municipality with no separate cities inside its boundaries. The nearest qualifying city for public records purposes is Juneau, which is the state capital and the regional hub for Superior Court matters from Skagway.

Other Southeast Alaska communities near Skagway include Haines to the south and Whitehorse, Yukon to the north, though Whitehorse is in Canada and uses different records systems.

Nearby Boroughs

These neighboring jurisdictions border or are near the Municipality of Skagway. Each maintains its own records system for local matters.