How to Get a Birth Certificate in Alaska: Fees, Copies, and Delivery

To get a birth certificate in Alaska, send a completed Birth Certificate Request Form, a photocopy of a valid photo ID, and $30 to the state’s Health Analytics and Vital Records office. You can order online through VitalChek, by mail, by fax, or in person in Anchorage or Juneau. Online orders take about two to three weeks; mail and fax orders take two to three months.1State of Alaska. Vital Records Orders

Who Can Request the Record

Alaska restricts who can pick up someone’s certified birth record. You qualify if you are:

  • The person named on the certificate, if you are 14 or older, with a current school ID or government-issued photo ID.
  • A parent listed on the current record.
  • A legal guardian, with certified guardianship papers included in the request.
  • A third party holding a notarized letter of consent from the person named on the certificate or their guardian.
  • An attorney or government agency, submitting a letter on official letterhead with supporting certified or notarized documents.

These are the eligibility rules on the state’s official request form.2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form

What to Put Together Before You Apply

Download the Birth Certificate Request Form from the Alaska Department of Health website, or pick one up at the Anchorage or Juneau office. Fill in the details of the person named on the record:

  • Full name (first, middle, last) as it appears on the certificate
  • Date of birth
  • City or village of birth in Alaska
  • Both parents’ names prior to marriage

Every request needs a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID. Do not send the original. A driver’s license, state ID, passport, military ID, tribal or BIA card with a photo, or school ID all work. An expired ID is only accepted if it expired less than a year ago. Requests missing a signature, an ID copy, or payment will not be processed, so check the packet before you send it.2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form

Four Ways to Submit Your Request

Online Through VitalChek

VitalChek.com is the only authorized online vendor for Alaska vital records. It adds service fees on top of the state’s $30, but online is the fastest route and the only channel that offers expedited processing. Expect roughly two to three weeks.1State of Alaska. Vital Records Orders2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form

By Mail

Mail the completed form, an ID photocopy, and a check or money order payable to “Alaska Vital Records Office” to:

Health Analytics and Vital Records
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0675

Mail orders take two to three months.1State of Alaska. Vital Records Orders

By Fax

Fax your form to (907) 465-3618. Since a check cannot travel by fax, include credit or debit card information on the form for payment. Fax orders run on the same two-to-three-month timeline as mail.1State of Alaska. Vital Records Orders

In Person

Walk in at either office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No appointment needed.

  • Juneau: 5441 Commercial Blvd., Juneau, Alaska 99801
  • Anchorage: 3901 Old Seward Hwy., Suite 101, Anchorage, Alaska 99503

Cash is accepted at the counter, which is not an option for any other channel.2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form

Fees, Extra Copies, and Shipping

The first certified copy is $30. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $25.2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form If you already know you’ll need copies for a passport, a Social Security update, and school enrollment, ordering them together costs less than filing separate requests later.

Payment methods depend on channel: check or money order for mail, credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) for fax and online, and cash, card, check, or money order in person.

Choose how the certificate reaches you:

  • Regular mail — no extra fee, no tracking
  • Priority mail with tracking — $10.50
  • Priority mail with tracking and signature on delivery — $15.50

Signature on delivery is worth considering if you have any concerns about mail theft or if you’re using a general delivery address.2Alaska Department of Health. Alaska Birth Certificate Request Form

If You’re Ordering for a Newborn

The birth has to be registered before a certificate can be issued, and registration can take up to two months after the birth. Submitting a request before the record is on file just delays it.

Adopted Adults Requesting the Original Record

If you were born in Alaska and adopted, at age 18 you have an unrestricted right to request your original pre-adoption birth certificate. The state registrar will release an uncertified copy of the original, along with any updated name or address information a biological parent has filed.3Justia Law. Alaska Statutes Title 18 Chapter 50 Section 18.50.320 – Copies of Data From Vital Records Contact the Special Services Unit at the Bureau of Vital Records to begin.

Corrections, Name Changes, and Amendments

A standard order will not fix a wrong entry or update the record after a legal name change. Those go through the Special Services Unit. Corrections, legal name changes, paternity additions, and adoption-related amendments all sit with that team. The fee is $60, which covers one corrected certified copy. Processing takes about 16 weeks, and expedited service is not available for amendments.1State of Alaska. Vital Records Orders Supporting documents that require original signatures, such as a court order for a name change, must be mailed or hand-delivered in original or certified form. Email BVSSpecialServices@alaska.gov for the right forms.

Apostilles for Use Outside the U.S.

If you need the certificate recognized in another country, you’ll likely need an apostille. In Alaska, apostilles come from the Lieutenant Governor’s office, not vital records. The fee is $5 per document, submitted by mail with a completed order form and payment, or in person on the third floor of the Capitol in Juneau by appointment. Include a prepaid mailer if you want tracking on the return.4State of Alaska. Foreign Authentications Apostilles and Certificates of Authority

Heirloom Certificates Are Not Legal Documents

Alaska also sells a decorative heirloom birth certificate as a keepsake. It cannot be used for identification, REAL ID, passports, or any other official purpose. Only the person named on the certificate or a parent can order one, the birth must have occurred in Alaska, and a government photo ID is still required.5State of Alaska. Heirloom Birth Certificate

When You’ll Actually Need the Certified Copy

A certified copy from the state vital records office, not a hospital souvenir certificate or a photocopy, is what most agencies accept. Since May 2025, a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID is required for domestic air travel and entry to federal facilities, and a certified state-issued birth certificate is one of the primary identity documents accepted. Abbreviated or abstract certificates generally are not.

The Social Security Administration also requires an original or certified copy to prove citizenship on a Social Security card application.6Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5) Passports, school enrollment, and post-marriage name changes are other common triggers. If you can see more than one of these coming, adding copies at $25 each on your first order is cheaper than filing again later.