Access Ketchikan Gateway Birth Records

Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth records are filed and kept at the state level by the Alaska Department of Health in Juneau. The borough is Alaska's southernmost, with the seat at Ketchikan and about 14,000 residents. It was incorporated in 1963. There is no local office that issues birth certificates in this borough. To access a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record, you need to go through the state office. This page covers the ordering process, who can request copies, the fees, and how to search for older records.

About Ketchikan Gateway Birth Records

Ketchikan Gateway Borough sits at the southern tip of Alaska's Inside Passage. The seat is Ketchikan. The borough was set up in 1963 and covers Revillagigedo Island and nearby areas. About 14,000 people live here. Ketchikan is a port town and a popular stop for cruise ships. The borough has a local government with a clerk, but that clerk does not issue birth certificates. All Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth records are handled by the state.

The state office is the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section, or HAVRS. It is part of the Alaska Department of Health. HAVRS in Juneau holds every birth record for every person born in Alaska, no matter the borough. Under Alaska Statute 18.50.160, births must be filed with the state within five days. PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center handles most births in the borough and sends the form to Juneau. The state then keeps the record. The Alaska Department of Health vital records page has a full breakdown of the system.

Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth records list the child's name, date and place of birth, and parent names. These are the legal proof of birth for people born in the borough.

Order Ketchikan Gateway Birth Records

There are four ways to order a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record. Online is the fastest. Mail costs the least. Walk-in is same-day, but the state offices are in Juneau and Anchorage. Fax takes about the same time as mail.

Online orders go through VitalChek. This is the only online vendor the state has approved. You fill out the form, upload a photo ID, and pay by card. There is a service fee on top of the state fee. Orders ship in two to three weeks. For Ketchikan residents, this is often the easiest way since Juneau is the nearest walk-in office and it requires a ferry or flight to get there.

Below is the VitalChek ordering page that Ketchikan Gateway Borough residents can use to request birth certificates online.

The site is secure and lets you track your order once it has been placed.

Mail orders go to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675. Print the form, fill it out, sign it, and send it with a copy of your ID and a check or money order made out to the Alaska Vital Records Office. The wait is two to three months. Fax orders go to (907) 465-3618. The Alaska vital records orders page has the form and the latest steps.

Walk-In Service for Ketchikan Residents

There is no walk-in vital records desk in Ketchikan. The state runs two offices. The Juneau office is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: (907) 465-3391. The Anchorage office is at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone: (907) 269-0991.

For Ketchikan residents, Juneau is the closer office. You can get there by ferry through the Alaska Marine Highway or by a short flight. Both state offices can issue a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record the same day. Bring your photo ID and the fee. The offices take cash, checks, money orders, and cards. All Alaska birth records are in one system, so it does not matter which office you visit.

The CDC where to write page for Alaska also lists the Juneau office as the main contact for vital records. It shows the same mailing address and fee.

Who Can Get Ketchikan Birth Records

Alaska is a closed-record state. Recent Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth records are not open to the public. Only people with a direct link to the record can order a certified copy. The state checks ID with every order.

You can order a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record if you fit one of these groups:

• The person named on the record, age 14 or older with a photo or school ID
• A parent listed on the certificate
• A legal guardian with court papers
• A third party with a notarized consent letter from the person named
• An attorney or government agency on letterhead

Include a clear copy of your photo ID. The state takes a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, Tribal or BIA card with photo, or a school ID for minors. Expired IDs work if less than one year past the date. Make the copy large and sign your name under it. Under Alaska Statute 18.50.310, birth records open to the public after 100 years. A Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record from 1926 or before is now public.

Ketchikan Gateway Birth Record Fees

A certified copy of a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record costs $30. Each extra copy at the same time is $25. Heirloom certificates cost $55 for the first and $50 for each extra. Two designs by Alaska artists are sold through the state.

A name change or fix costs $60, which includes one new copy. An apostille for foreign use costs $42. Special research is $75 per hour. Make checks out to the Alaska Vital Records Office. Use only one ordering method per request to avoid double charges. Applications expire after 180 days if you do not send documents the state asks for.

Note: VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the state fee for online orders of Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth records.

Historical Ketchikan Birth Records

Ketchikan has been an important town in Southeast Alaska since the late 1800s. The state began to file births in 1913. Ketchikan birth records from 1912 to 1915 are part of the FamilySearch Alaska vital records set. These early records cover the years right around when formal registration started. Before 1913, church records and local logs are the main source for births in the Ketchikan area. Tlingit and other Alaska Native communities in the region also have oral and written histories that may help with family research.

The Alaska State Archives has vital statistics indexes from 1816 to 1998. FamilySearch and the archives put more than 1.1 million pages online. The FamilySearch Alaska vital records wiki is a good place to start. It has guides for using church records, delayed birth filings, and state indexes. The Alaska State Archives in Juneau also holds court records, census data, and other files from southeast Alaska.

Under Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50, birth records become public 100 years after the date of birth. A Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record from 1926 or before is now public. The FamilySearch Alaska vital records catalog has a large digital collection you can browse for free. Delayed birth records were also made for people born before formal filing began. They carry the same legal weight as a standard Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record.

Ketchikan Gateway Borough Local Info

The borough seat is Ketchikan. The borough government website is at borough.ketchikan.ak.us. The borough clerk handles local records like property and meeting minutes but does not issue birth certificates. For a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record, call the state at (907) 465-3391 or the Anchorage office at (907) 269-0991.

The CountyOffice.org Alaska birth records page also lists the state office and fee for each borough. If you need to fix or change a Ketchikan Gateway Borough birth record, call the Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200. Corrections take about three months. The Alaska record dates page shows the full timeline for when the state began to keep each type of record.

Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas

Ketchikan Gateway Borough is in Southeast Alaska. Other boroughs and census areas in the region also use the state system for birth records. These pages may help.

Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Wrangell City and Borough, Petersburg Borough.