Alaska Public Records
The Alaska Public Records Act refers to “public records” as any files including papers, books, writings, accounts, drafts, and even memorialized conversations and other similar items regardless of the format developed or received by a public agency for their value as evidence of public operation or personal information.
How to Find Alaska Public Records
You can find public records in Alaska by submitting a records request to the government body that holds or maintains the information you need. However, keep in mind that while records are public, they are still subject to exceptions. It’s best to check the rules and regulations given by the state to ensure that you get the records you need. However, private sources can also provide access when the records are available.
Are Alaska Public Records Available Online?
Public records in Alaska are available online. Note that some government agencies may withhold the documents due to legal exceptions. Otherwise, you can find public records online using the official government websites in Alaska. You may also send a written request to ask for and get the documents you need from the specific public agency that has them.
What Records are Available in Alaska?
Alaska follows the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law, which gives the public access to public records and public meetings. The state also has an Open Meetings Act that gives access to public meetings unless it will adversely affect any person’s character or reputation, including the government.
Requesters can ask for copies of public records of vital records, property records and assets, criminal records, and also court records unless otherwise stated by the agency body.
What Records are Not Available in Alaska?
Exempted records for public inspection include the following:
- Medical and public health records,
- Adoption records,
- Names of sexual assault victims,
- Juvenile records,
- Library lending records, and
- Specific law enforcement records.
Types of Public Records Available in Alaska
Alaska allows the following records to be accessed by the public.
Alaska Public Criminal Records
Criminal records in Alaska are considered confidential and can only be accessed by the subject of the record through a request by mail or via emailing the R&I Bureau. Requesters can also submit their request in person to the nearest walk-in center assigned by the Department of Public Safety and Criminal Records and Identification Bureau under the Division of Alaska’s Statewide Services.
You can, however, check for someone’s criminal record if their fingerprint is on file or use the search feature in the Alaska court system to look for criminal cases using the case number, name, the ticket, or citation number.
Criminal records’ information includes:
- Sealed information
- Criminal identification information
- Current offender information
- Non-conviction information
- Correctional treatment information, if there are any
The Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN), used by the Department of Public Safety, keeps track of all criminal histories, arrests and warrants, and other important information used in law enforcement like stolen property and missing persons.
Arrest Records and Warrants
Warrants and arrest records in Alaska are considered public records and can be accessed through the arresting agency, which can be any of the following:
- Local law enforcement
- State or federal law enforcement
Active warrants in Alaska are available online for free in PDF and CSV formats and only contain the following information:
- Name (First, Last, Middle names in most cases)
- Age
- Gender
Inmate and Jail Records
Alaska currently has no state database that you can use to search for its inmates. However, there are available records that you can specifically access online by entering the name or the offender ID.
The Alaska Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AAFIS) and seven other states, including Washington, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana, belong to the Western Identification Network (WIN). The AAFIS allows you to search from more than 600,000 fingerprint records on their database of people under criminal investigations, arrested individuals, and those complying with statutory employment fingerprint submissions.
Jails and Prisons in Alaska :
Alaska Background Checks
Background checks are available in Alaska for a fee. Name-based checks are $20.00, while a fingerprint-based check using the Alaska Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AAFIS) database is $35.00.
Extra copies for name-based checks are priced at $5.00 per copy. For additional copies requested later than the original date, the fee will be $20.00.
How to find Sex Offenders in Alaska
Alaska’s Department of Public Safety has a web mapping registry for sex offenders and child kidnappers. There are currently 3349 entries in the online registry database of Alaska.
Alaska Public Vital Records
Vital records are available upon request in Alaska at the Division of Public Health’s Health Analytics and Vital Records. However, certificates of birth, death, marriage, and divorce only become public after a certain period.
Birth certificates in Alaska are available to the parents or the person named on the birth certificate. Birth certificates become public records 100 years after the birth occurred.
Death certificates are open to the general public 50 years after the death occurred. Family members and other legal representatives can request a death certificate in Alaska as long as they can legally prove that they are entitled to having a copy.
Marriage certificates and divorce certificates are restricted until 50 years after the event but can be released to any people named on the records or their legal representatives.
Alaska also has varying documents for divorces.
- Divorce records refer to all the pages or documents filed during a divorce, which can be a few to several pages long.
- A divorce decree refers to the ruling and basic information of the rights and responsibilities of each party issued by the Alaska Court System.
- Divorce certificates are one-page documents available only at Alaska’s Bureau of Vital Statistics detailing who, where, and when the divorce happened.
The fastest way to request a vital record is to visit the offices located in Juneau or Anchorage. Mailed requests are processed within four (4) weeks of receipt, or you can place an order online and place an expedited order which only takes 2-5 business days to process. The timeframes given do not include the shipping time.
Alaska Court Records
The Alaska Court System allows you to search for court records online including appellate and trial court cases using the case number, party name, or attorney name.
However, some records may not appear in the database due to the following:
- Lack of evidence.
- The conviction was set aside.
- Acquitted defendant.
- Dismissed case.
- Defendants are minors under age 21
- The release of court records can negatively impact a fair and impartial jury.
In this case, you will need to submit a written request or go to the court in person to make your request.
State Court System in Alaska
Alaska’s court system is divided into four levels:
- Supreme Court
- Court of Appeals
- Superior Court
- District Court
The Supreme Court administers Alaska’s judicial system and is the highest level in the state court system.
The Court of Appeals is responsible for hearing cases involving the following:
- Juvenile delinquency
- Post-conviction relief
- Criminal prosecution and sentencing
- Bail
- Habeas corpus
- Extradition
- Probation and parole
The Superior Court acts as the trial court of civil and criminal cases under general jurisdiction, while the District Court has limited jurisdiction on minor offenses like state traffic infractions, municipal violations, issuing warrants and search warrants, and other similar cases.
Supreme Court Orders
Supreme Court Orders (SCOs) in Alaska are available in print via PDF unless otherwise indicated at the following law libraries:
Courts in Alaska :
Driving Records
Public driving records are available in Alaska at the local DMV office using a written request or by ordering driving records online. Each record request requires a $10.00 fee and will be mailed in PDF format to the registered email address.
Note that driver’s license records are considered confidential hence only the owner can request their records.
Civil Driving Infractions
Under the law, a citizen’s driver’s license can be revoked or suspended if he or she accumulates 12 points or more within one year which means a habitual negligence or violation of traffic laws in the state of Alaska. A license can also be revoked or suspended if a driver accumulates 18 points or more within a two-year period.
Here are some examples of civil driving infractions in Alaska together with their corresponding points:
- Blocking or obstructing traffic - 2 points
- Driving with an out-of-state or expired license - 2 points
- Negligent driving - 6 points
- Failure to stop for schoolbus - 6 points
- Driving with a revoked or suspended license - 10 points
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs - 10 points
Alaska License Plate Lookup
You can look up license plates in Alaska online and get more information by contacting the state’s DMV office.
Alaska Property and Asset Records Online
Property records in Alaska are managed by registry of deed offices which are also organized on a county level.
Alaska Unclaimed Property and Assets
You can search for, claim or check the status of unclaimed or misplaced properties in Alaska.
Properties also include assets in insurance benefits, stock dividends, security deposits, wages, bank accounts, and contents of safe deposit boxes. Properties are considered unclaimed after three years of becoming dormant or more.
Important Government Agencies in Alaska
Here are the essential government agencies to help you find public records in Alaska.
- Governor’s Office
- Legislative Office
- Alaska Court System
- Division of Public Health - Health Analytics and Vital Records
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Alaska Department of Public Safety
Counties in Alaska
- Aleutians East
- Aleutians West
- Anchorage
- Bethel
- Bristol Bay
- Denali
- Dillingham
- Fairbanks North Star
- Haines
- Hoonah Angoon
- Juneau
- Kenai Peninsula
- Ketchikan Gateway
- Kodiak Island
- Lake And Peninsula
- Matanuska Susitna
- Nome
- North Slope
- Northwest Arctic
- Petersburg
- Prince Of Wales Hyde
- Sitka
- Skagway
- Southeast Fairbanks
- Valdez Cordova
- Wade Hampton
- Wrangell
- Yakutat
- Yukon Koyukuk