Alaska Death Records Online

Due to rather strict privacy laws in Alaska, getting an Alaska death record is not an easy or convenient task. All vital records are confidential for 100 years after the date of the event (birth date, death date etc) so you can only request records that are directly related to yourself. Since records were kept in Alaska starting roughly in 1913, there may be more older records available to the public in a few years.

Certified copies of death certificates are only presented to spouses, parents, children or siblings of the deceased. And when you make the application, you will have to prove your identity with a copy of a government issue photo ID. You'll need to send a copy with your application if you are mailing it, or just show your identification when picking it up in person.

For in-person applications, you'll have to visit one of the three offices of the Bureau of Vital Records. They are located in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. You can pick up a death certificate while you wait (generally a half hour wait at most). Otherwise, you will have to apply via mail and wait for up to 3 weeks.

The application form is the same in either case, and you can get a copy from the Bureau of Vital Statistics website (http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/bvs/death/death_form.pdf). If you are going to mail your application, the address is Bureau of Vital Statistics, PO Box 110675 Juneau AK, 99801-0675 USA.

The fee for a certified copy of an Alaska death record is $25 USD at this time, but you should always read through the application form to see if that has changed. The form also includes the added fees if you want rushed service for your request. If your requested death certificate is not found, you will not get your processing fee refunded.

You will need to supply the deceased's name, the date of their death, the place where they died and your relationship to them. If you can supply their date of birth, as well as the person's mother and father's name that can speed up the search.

If you are still looking for an Alaska death record, but can't get an official copy, you should try digging a little deeper into the old newspaper archives. Obituaries are a decent source of death information and you can search newspaper indexes from as early as 1866 in Alaska. You can get inter-library loan indexes on microfilm from the Alaska State Historical Library. It can take a lot longer to read through microfilm, but you can get a lot of good historical information from old newspapers.

Another options is to search through the nation-wide Social Security Death Index. Most access to this database is through various genealogy services but if you already have a subscription to such a site, this is one feature you will want to check out. Here, the record will just have minimal information such birth and death date and the last known address for that person.

Alaska Death Certificates

Follow these steps to obtain Alaska death certificates:

Step 1.
Download and complete the form requesting a Alaska Death Certificate.

Step 2.
Make a copy of your government-issued photo ID. The copy should be large enough and sharp enough that the information is legible. Each copy should also be signed.

Step 3.
Mail or fax the request to the Vital Records office. A check or money order covering the $20 fee should accompany your request. Faxed requests should include a credit card number for processing. If you fax your order, you should call the office within one business day to confirm that it was received.

For more information on accessing Alaska death records, you can contact the office below:

Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99801-0675
(907) 465-3391

Alaska Death Records

How to obtain Alaska Death Records

For persons in need of Alaska death records, these records can be obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Keep in mind that by state law, only certain people are authorized to request Alaska death records.

Ordering Death Records

Alaska death records can be requested by fax or mail. Death records are also available online through an independent company, though this service costs an additional processing fee to use.

Restrictions to Accessing Death Records

The only people authorized to request Alaska death records are the spouse, parents, children, or siblings of the deceased. If the record is required by another organization, then further documentation is required. A copy of your government-issued photo ID must accompany each request.