Alaska Death Certificate Request Form: Eligibility, Fees, and Submission

To get a certified copy of an Alaska death certificate, download the state’s Request for Death Certificate form from the Alaska Department of Health website, complete it with the deceased’s details and your proof of eligibility, and submit it with a photocopy of your photo ID and a $30 fee to Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records by mail, fax, in person, or online through VitalChek.1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders Additional copies ordered at the same time are $25 each.2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Alaska

Check Whether You Are Eligible to Request the Record

Alaska death certificates are confidential for 50 years after the date of death. During that period, only people with a direct connection to the deceased can obtain a certified copy.1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders After 50 years the record becomes public and anyone can request it.3FindLaw. Alaska Statutes Title 18 – Section 18.50.310

Within the 50-year window, eligible requesters and the proof each must attach are:

  • Spouse. If the marriage was not recorded in Alaska, attach a copy of the marriage certificate.
  • Parent of the deceased. If the deceased was not born in Alaska, attach a copy of the birth certificate showing you as a parent.
  • Child of the deceased. If you were not born in Alaska, attach a copy of your birth certificate showing the deceased as a parent.
  • Sibling. If you were not born in Alaska, attach a copy of your birth certificate showing at least one parent in common with the deceased.
  • Office of Public Advocacy. Must attach certified delegated power of conservatorship or guardianship papers.
  • Attorneys and government agencies. Must submit a letter on official letterhead identifying who they represent, explaining why the record is needed, and attaching original certified or notarized supporting documents.

This documentation is where most rejections come from. A child of the deceased born outside Alaska needs their own birth certificate showing the deceased as a parent; a signed statement is not enough. Submitting without the right proof means starting over.1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders

What to Gather Before You Fill Out the Form

The form is a one-page PDF on the Alaska Department of Health site. Fill every field. Blanks slow the review because clerks may need to call you for missing details, and with processing already measured in months, that delay compounds.

Have this in front of you before you start:

  • The deceased’s full legal name as it appeared on official documents, not a nickname.
  • Date of death, or as close as you can narrow it.
  • Place of death: the city, village, or borough in Alaska.
  • The deceased’s Social Security number. This helps match the correct record when the name is common.
  • Your own full legal name, mailing address, daytime phone number, relationship to the deceased, and the reason you need the certificate (insurance claim, probate, property transfer, and so on).
  • A photocopy of your government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms include a state-issued ID card, driver’s license, passport, military ID, or a tribal or BIA card with a photo. If you have none of these, call the office at (907) 465-3391 before submitting.
  • Proof of relationship as described above, if the qualifying event was not recorded in Alaska.

Fees and How to Pay

The state charges $30 for the first certified copy and $25 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Alaska Probate, banks, insurers, and pension administrators generally each want their own certified copy, so order enough up front. Waiting for extras later means another round of processing time.

For mailed applications, pay by check or money order made payable to Alaska Health Analytics. Mail and fax orders also accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express; enter the card number, expiration date, billing zip code, and signature in the payment section of the form. Fax orders must use a card because a check cannot be faxed.

How to Submit the Completed Form

By Mail

Send the completed form, a photocopy of your ID, any required proof of relationship, and payment to:

Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99811-06752Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Alaska

By Fax

Fax the completed application and supporting documents, with card payment filled in on the form, to either office:1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders

  • Juneau: (907) 465-3618
  • Anchorage: (907) 269-0994

In Person

Walk-in service runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring your photo ID, proof of relationship, and payment. In-person requests still go through the same review process, so do not expect to leave the same day with a certificate.

  • Anchorage: 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 995034State of Alaska Department of Health. Health Analytics and Vital Records
  • Juneau: Contact the office for the current street address, or use the P.O. Box above.

Online Through VitalChek

VitalChek is the only online vendor Alaska authorizes. The state warns against other third-party services and says it cannot guarantee those companies will forward your request.1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders VitalChek adds its own processing fee and a shipping fee on top of the state charge, so the total runs noticeably higher than ordering direct.

How Long Processing Takes

Mail and fax requests currently take at least two to three months to process, and that timeline assumes a complete, clean application.1State of Alaska Department of Health. Vital Records Orders Missing information adds more. If you have a probate deadline or an insurance filing window, submit well in advance.

In-person visits use the same queue, and VitalChek may offer faster shipping once the record is ready, but the state’s review and preparation time is the same across every channel.

If You Need the Certificate Used Abroad

For a death certificate that will be used in another country, you will likely need an apostille. That certification is issued by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, not by vital records.5Office of the Lt. Governor. Foreign Authentications Apostilles and Certificates of Authority

Order the certified copy from vital records first, then send the original certified certificate, a completed order form, $5 per document, and a prepaid return mailer to:

Office of the Lt. Governor
P.O. Box 110015
Juneau, AK 99811-00015Office of the Lt. Governor. Foreign Authentications Apostilles and Certificates of Authority

Without a prepaid mailer, the document comes back by regular First Class USPS with no tracking. In-person service at the Capitol building in Juneau is by appointment; call (907) 465-4081. Processing is typically within 48 hours of receipt. If you are not sure whether your document qualifies, email apostille@alaska.gov with the subject line “Verify Document” and include the document type, destination country, and your contact information before mailing anything.