Petersburg Borough Birth Records

Petersburg Borough birth records are kept at the state level by the Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. The borough is one of the newest in the state and has no local office that issues a birth certificate. People in Petersburg, Kupreanof, and the smaller fishing camps must order through the state in Juneau or its branch in Anchorage. This page shows how to search for and obtain Petersburg Borough birth records, who is allowed to order, what each request must include, and how long the wait runs from the day you mail or upload the form.

About Petersburg Borough Birth Records

The Petersburg Borough sits in the heart of southeast Alaska. Petersburg is the borough seat and the largest town. The local nickname is "Little Norway" thanks to the Norwegian fishing families who settled the area in the late 1800s. The total population is about 3,200. The borough was formed in 2013, the newest one in the state. Births in the area, though, have been filed with Alaska for over a hundred years. So Petersburg Borough birth records date well back before the borough itself.

No Petersburg Borough office issues a birth certificate. The borough clerk in Petersburg handles meeting minutes, land records, and local matters, but not vital records. To order a Petersburg Borough birth record, you must go through the Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. The state runs one central system. Every birth in the state, no matter the borough, is filed in Juneau. The Petersburg Borough official site has more on local services.

Petersburg Borough birth records list the full name of the child, the date and place of birth, and the parents' names. People use them to get a passport, prove age, claim benefits, or trace family history. Note: Send a clear photo ID copy with every order, since the state will not fill any request without proof of who you are.

How to Order Petersburg Birth Records

You have four ways to order Petersburg Borough birth records. You can use mail, fax, online, or in person. Online orders go through VitalChek and ship in two to three weeks. Mail orders take two to three months. Fax orders run about the same as mail. Walk-in service is the fastest but the closest state office is in Juneau, which is a short floatplane or ferry trip from Petersburg.

Online orders use the VitalChek Alaska page. Mail orders go to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675. Fax to (907) 465-3618. Walk-in service is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard in Juneau or 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101 in Anchorage. The Juneau office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone is (907) 465-3391. Pick one method per request to avoid double charges.

Lead-in for the borough portal where many residents start their search for local services. The Petersburg Borough hosts community pages and clinic links. See the Petersburg Borough website for community details.

Local clinics file new births with the state right after a baby is born in town. The Petersburg Medical Center is the main hub for births in the borough.

Who Can Order Petersburg Birth Records

Alaska is a closed-record state. Only people on a short list set by Alaska Statute 18.50.310 can order recent Petersburg Borough birth records. The state checks ID for every order to make sure the rule is met.

You may order a Petersburg Borough birth record if you fit one of these:

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

You must send a clear photo ID copy with your order. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID works. Tribal/BIA cards with a photo also count. Expired IDs are OK if they are less than one year out of date. School IDs are valid for minors. Note: The state office returns any order that does not include an ID, so check yours twice before you mail it.

Fees for Petersburg Birth Records

The fee for a certified copy of a Petersburg Borough birth record is $30. Each extra copy ordered at the same time is $25. Heirloom birth certificates are $55 for the first copy and $50 for each extra. The fee is set by state law and is the same for every borough in Alaska.

Other fees may apply. Name changes and amendments to a Petersburg Borough birth record cost $60, which includes one new certified copy. An apostille for a foreign country is $42 plus the cost of the record. Special research is $75 per hour. Make checks payable to the Alaska Vital Records Office. The state takes credit cards in person but not by mail. The full fee list is on the Alaska vital records orders page.

Historical Petersburg Birth Records

Older Petersburg Borough birth records are kept by the Alaska State Archives. The archives in Juneau holds vital statistics from 1816 to 1998. Under Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50, birth records become public 100 years after the date of birth. So records from 1925 and earlier are now open. AS 18.50.160 sets the rules for birth registration in the state.

FamilySearch and the Alaska State Archives worked together to scan more than 1.1 million pages of old vital records. Many old Petersburg births can be viewed for free. See the FamilySearch Alaska Vital Records wiki for the full set. Norwegian Lutheran church books also hold many of the early Petersburg births before 1930. Note: Petersburg is named for Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian who built the cannery, so many of the early files have Norwegian names.

Local Resources in Petersburg Borough

The Petersburg Medical Center is the main hospital for the borough and files most local births with the state. The borough clerk's office in Petersburg handles meeting minutes, land matters, and local elections, but not birth certificates. For old records and family history work, the Clausen Memorial Museum in Petersburg holds files on the early Norwegian families. For changes to a Petersburg Borough birth record, call the Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200.

Note: All amendments to a birth record must be sent by mail or hand-carried, since the state needs the original signed forms.

Nearby Boroughs

Petersburg Borough borders Wrangell to the south and the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area to the west. None of these areas have a local vital records office. All Alaska birth records flow to the state.

Local Help in Petersburg for Birth Records

The Petersburg Medical Center files new births with the state right after delivery. Once the state has the record, parents can order a certified copy by mail or online through VitalChek. The Petersburg Borough Clerk does not issue birth certificates, but the clerk's office can answer general questions about state forms. Petersburg is on Mitkof Island and is known for its Norwegian fishing heritage. Because it is an island town, every Petersburg Borough birth record order must go by mail or through VitalChek. Note: For amendments to a Petersburg Borough birth record, call the Special Services Unit at (907) 465-1200 to get the right form before you send it in.