Find Public Records in Yakutat

Public records in the City and Borough of Yakutat are managed by the Borough Clerk and, for court matters, by the Alaska Court System's First Judicial District. Yakutat is one of Alaska's smallest and most remote home rule boroughs, with about 603 residents and 22 full-time employees running all local government functions. If you need property records, court filings, police reports, or vital records from Yakutat, this guide explains where to go and how to make a request, whether you are a local resident or someone researching from out of the area.

Yakutat Borough Clerk and Records Office

The Borough Clerk is the primary records custodian for the City and Borough of Yakutat. Tina Ryman serves as Borough Clerk. The main office address is 434 Max Italio Drive (also listed as 100 Max Italio Drive), Yakutat, AK 99689. Phone is 907-784-3323, fax is 907-784-3281, and the email address is clerk@yakutatak.us. The borough website is at yakutatak.us.

Yakutat has no separate recorder's office. The Clerk handles all recording functions for the borough. That means deeds, mortgages, easements, liens, and subdivision plats all go through the same office. If you need a certified copy of a recorded document, the Clerk can provide that with the borough's official seal.

The screenshot below shows the Yakutat City and Borough official website, where you can find contact information and links to borough services.

The Yakutat borough site shows the key contacts for the borough, including the Clerk's office, which handles public records requests and document recording.

Public records access in Yakutat follows the Alaska Public Records Act (AS 40.25.100). Every person has the right to inspect public records under AS 40.25.110. The borough has 10 working days to respond to a request. Fees may apply if the search takes more than five person-hours of staff time in a month.

Borough governance rests with Mayor Cindy L. Bremner and the Assembly. The Assembly meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday from October through May, and on the 3rd Thursday only from June through September. Assembly meeting minutes are public records available through the Clerk's Office.

Yakutat Property Records and Assessments

Property recording in Yakutat runs through the Borough Clerk since there is no separate recorder. The office keeps records of all land transfers, liens, easements, and plats filed within the borough. There is no comprehensive online search tool for Yakutat-recorded documents. Requests must be made by phone at 907-784-3323, by email at clerk@yakutatak.us, or by mail to 434 Max Italio Drive, Yakutat, AK 99689.

Property tax in Yakutat runs at 8 mills. The borough also has a 5% sales tax, an 8% bed tax, an 8% car rental tax, a 4% mineral tax, a timber tax of $55 per 1,000 board feet, and a gravel, sand, rock, and coal tax of $0.15 per ton. These tax records are part of the public record and can be requested through the Clerk's Office.

For broader property searches using state tools, the Alaska DNR Recorder's Office maintains records for all Alaska recording districts. The Alaska Mapper GIS tool provides free online access to land ownership data and parcel information for the Yakutat area. You can query by owner name, parcel number, or geographic location.

Note: Given Yakutat's small size and remote location, phone or email contact with the Clerk is usually faster than mail for basic property ownership questions.

Yakutat Court Records

The Yakutat Magistrate Court serves the borough on a scheduled travel basis. There is no permanent courthouse facility in Yakutat. The traveling magistrate handles local matters including misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic violations. For Superior Court matters, cases are heard in Juneau, which is the hub of the First Judicial District.

The screenshot below shows the Alaska court directory, which lists court locations including travel courts serving remote communities like Yakutat.

The Alaska court directory helps you verify the schedule for the traveling magistrate court serving Yakutat and provides the contact information for the Juneau Superior Court that handles more serious matters from the borough.

Court records from Yakutat cases are searchable through the Alaska Court System's CourtView online portal. You can search by party name, case number, or citation. CourtView covers civil, criminal, small claims, probate, and domestic relations cases. Cases that are sealed, involve juveniles, or were filed before 1990 may not appear in online results.

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. Research fees are $30 per hour if staff time is required. Contact the Juneau Trial Courts, which handle Superior Court matters from Yakutat, if you need records from felony or civil cases.

Yakutat Police Records and Criminal History

Yakutat has a local police department that serves within the borough. The police department's records are accessible through public records requests submitted to the borough offices. For incidents handled by Alaska State Troopers in remote areas of the borough, contact the relevant Troopers post directly.

For statewide criminal history background checks, the Alaska Department of Public Safety self-service portal handles individual name-based requests online. The fee is $20. You need a Social Security number and an Alaska driver's license or DMV-issued ID to use the online system. Mail-in requests are also accepted at 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. Phone is 907-269-5511.

The DPS criminal history system covers adult arrests and convictions for felonies and misdemeanors. It does not include traffic infractions, minor violations, or most juvenile offenses. The governing statutes for criminal records access are found in AS 12.62. Third-party requests require the record subject's signed consent.

Vital Records in Yakutat

Births, deaths, marriages, and divorces from Yakutat are recorded by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics in Juneau. There is no local vital records office in Yakutat. Records are restricted by law. Births are sealed for 100 years and marriages, divorces, and deaths for 50 years. Only people listed on a record or their legal representatives can request non-historical certified copies.

Certified copy fees are $30 for the first copy and $25 for each additional copy of the same document. You can order online through VitalChek.com, visit the Juneau or Anchorage BVS offices in person, or submit a mail request. Online orders take 2-3 weeks plus shipping. Mail requests take 2-3 months. Contact the bureau at BVSOffice@alaska.gov with questions.

For genealogy research and historical vital records from Yakutat's territorial and early statehood era, the Alaska State Archives is the best resource. The archives holds nearly 24,000 cubic feet of government records and can be reached at 907-465-2270 or archives@alaska.gov. Their online catalog is also searchable from the website.

Cities Near Yakutat

Yakutat is a unified city and borough with no separate incorporated cities inside its borders. It is one of the most geographically isolated communities in Southeast Alaska. The nearest qualifying city is Juneau, which serves as the First Judicial District hub for Superior Court matters from Yakutat and is home to the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics and the State Archives.

Other nearby communities include Haines and Skagway, but Yakutat has no road connection to them. Air travel is the primary way to reach Juneau from Yakutat.

Nearby Boroughs

These neighboring jurisdictions are the closest Alaska boroughs to Yakutat. Court filings from this region generally flow through Juneau.