Search Matanuska-Susitna Birth Records
Matanuska-Susitna Borough birth records are kept by the State of Alaska at its central office in Juneau. The Mat-Su Borough is the fastest growing part of the state, with about 110,000 residents in Palmer, Wasilla, Houston, and the areas around them. No borough office in the Mat-Su issues birth certificates. All birth records for this area are filed with and held by the Alaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. You can search for and order copies by mail, fax, online through VitalChek, or in person at state offices in Juneau or Anchorage. Start a search with the tool below.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Birth Records Overview
About Mat-Su Borough Birth Records
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is the second most populated area in Alaska. It was set up in 1964 and has grown fast in the past two decades. The borough seat is Palmer, and the largest city is Wasilla. Houston, Big Lake, and Meadow Lakes are also in the borough. Despite its large population, the Mat-Su has no local office that issues birth certificates. The state runs the whole system from Juneau, with a walk-in branch in Anchorage that is about an hour south of Palmer by car.
Every birth in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough is filed with the state within five days. Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and other clinics in the area send birth data to the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. The state logs the child's name, date and place of birth, parents' names, and file number. This is the legal record.
Mat-Su Borough birth records are closed for 100 years. Only the person named, a parent, a legal guardian, or a few other parties can get a copy of a recent record. This rule is set by Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50. After 100 years, the record is open to anyone.
The borough itself keeps some local records through the Palmer Court Clerk, including probate files. But birth certificates are not among them. For all Mat-Su Borough birth records, you must go through the state.
Order Matanuska-Susitna Birth Records
Mat-Su Borough residents have a big edge over most Alaskans when it comes to getting a birth record in person. The Anchorage walk-in office is close. It sits at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101, about 40 miles south of Palmer and about 45 miles south of Wasilla. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone is (907) 269-0991. You can walk in, show your ID, pay the fee, and get a Mat-Su Borough birth record the same day.
Online orders go through VitalChek for Alaska. You fill in the form on the site, upload a copy of your ID, and pay with a card. There is an extra service fee. Orders ship in two to three weeks. This is the fastest way if you do not want to make the drive to Anchorage.
Mail orders work too. Print the state form from the Alaska Department of Health vital records orders page. Fill it out, sign it, and send it with your ID copy and a check for $30. Each extra copy costs $25. Mail the packet to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675. Mail orders take two to three months. Fax orders go to (907) 465-3618.
Note: Pick one method per request to avoid a double charge.
Who Can Order Mat-Su Records
Alaska is a closed-record state. Recent Mat-Su Borough birth records are not open to the general public. The state checks your ID against the record before it sends a copy. You need to be one of these people:
- The person named on the record, age 14 or older with a photo or school ID
- A parent listed on the birth certificate
- A legal guardian with court papers
- A third party with a notarized consent letter from the person on the record
- An attorney or government agency with a letter on letterhead
Heirloom birth certificates can be ordered as gifts. The cost is $55 for the first copy and $50 for each extra. The state sells two designs made by Alaska artists. Friends and family can order one for a person who would qualify to order on their own. The Alaska Department of Health about vital records page has the full list of who can order and what is sold.
Accepted forms of ID include a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, Tribal or BIA card with a photo, or a school ID for minors. Expired IDs are OK if they have been expired for less than one year. Make sure the copy is clear and large enough to read.
Historical Mat-Su Borough Birth Records
The Mat-Su Valley was settled by farmers in the 1930s as part of the New Deal colony project. Before that, the area was home to Dena'ina Athabaskan people. The state did not require birth filing until 1913, and many births in the valley before 1945 were never filed. Church records and school logs are the best source for early Mat-Su Borough birth records.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough government website has links to local services, though vital records are not among them. For old birth records, the best resource is the Alaska State Archives in Juneau.
FamilySearch and the Alaska State Archives have scanned more than 1.1 million pages of vital records. Many old birth, marriage, death, and probate files from the Mat-Su region are free online. The FamilySearch Alaska Vital Records wiki has indexes and digital scans. You can search by name, date, or place. Fairbanks birth records from 1904 to 1967 may also hold data on people who later moved to the Mat-Su area.
Older Mat-Su Borough birth records that are more than 100 years old are open to anyone. The Alaska record dates page lists what years are open for each type of vital record.
Local Resources for Mat-Su Birth Records
New parents in the Mat-Su can file a birth through the hospital. Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer handles most births in the borough. The hospital sends the data to the state, and the first copy of the birth certificate is mailed free to the parents. Extra copies cost $25 each.
If you need to fix a Mat-Su Borough birth record or file a delayed birth, contact the Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200. A delayed record is for someone born in Alaska who never had a filing. The cost is $60, and it takes about three months. All papers for corrections, paternity, or adoptions must be mailed or hand-carried because originals are needed. The CDC where to write page for Alaska has more info on the state office and current fees.
The Palmer Court Clerk keeps probate records and other local filings but does not handle birth certificates. For all Matanuska-Susitna Borough birth records, the state office in Juneau or the Anchorage walk-in branch is where you go.
Nearby Boroughs
The Mat-Su sits near several other boroughs in Southcentral Alaska. Each one uses the same state system for birth records. Browse nearby pages below.
You can also search the FamilySearch Alaska vital records catalog for older records from boroughs across the state.