Find Sitka Birth Records
Sitka City and Borough birth records are held by the State of Alaska at its central vital records office in Juneau. Sitka is a consolidated city-borough on Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska with about 8,500 residents. It was the capital of Alaska during the Russian era. No local office in Sitka issues birth certificates today. To search for or order a copy of a Sitka birth record, you go through the Alaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records Section. Orders can be placed by mail, fax, online through VitalChek, or in person at state offices. Use the search tool below to begin.
Sitka City and Borough Birth Records Overview
About Sitka Birth Records
Sitka City and Borough is a unified city-borough on Baranof Island. The area has deep roots in Alaska history. Sitka was the capital of Russian America from 1808 until the United States bought Alaska in 1867. The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Michael still stands in town. Today about 8,500 people live in the borough. Despite its size and history, Sitka does not issue birth certificates at the local level. All Sitka birth records are kept by the Alaska Department of Health in Juneau.
Every birth in Sitka is filed with the state within five days. SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital and other local clinics send birth data to the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section in Juneau. The state logs the child's name, date and place of birth, the names of both parents, and a file number. This file is the legal record of the birth.
Sitka birth records are closed for 100 years under Alaska Statute Title 18, Chapter 50. Only the person named on the record, a parent, a legal guardian, or a few other parties can get a certified copy of a recent Sitka birth record. AS 18.50.310 sets the rules on disclosure. After 100 years, the record is open to anyone.
Order Sitka City and Borough Birth Records
You have four ways to order Sitka birth records. Each method has a different speed and cost. Pick one per request. The state warns that sending the same order through two channels can cause a double charge.
Online orders go through VitalChek for Alaska. This is the only web service the state has approved. You fill in the form, upload a copy of your ID, and pay with a card. There is an extra service fee on top of the $30 base cost. Orders ship in two to three weeks. For people in Sitka, this is often the fastest choice since the walk-in offices are not on the island.
Mail orders cost less. Print the state form from the Alaska Department of Health vital records orders page. Fill it out, sign it, send it with your photo 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 takes two to three months. Fax orders go to (907) 465-3618 and have the same wait time.
Walk-in service is open in Juneau and Anchorage. The Juneau office at 5441 Commercial Boulevard is the closest to Sitka. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone is (907) 465-3391. The Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101 is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone is (907) 269-0991. Both can issue a Sitka birth record the same day.
Who Can Order Sitka Records
Alaska is a closed-record state. Recent Sitka birth records are not open to the public. The state checks your ID against the record before it sends a copy. You must 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
- An attorney or government agency with a letter on official letterhead
The state also sells heirloom birth certificates. The cost is $55 for the first copy and $50 for each extra. Two designs by Alaska artists are on sale. Friends and family can order one as a gift for a person who would also qualify to order on their own. Read more on the Alaska Department of Health about vital records page.
Historical Sitka Birth Records
Sitka has one of the longest recorded histories in Alaska. The Russian-American Company ran the area from the early 1800s. Many births were noted in the records of the Russian Orthodox Church. These church books are among the oldest birth records in the state. The Bureau of Vital Statistics later used some of them to build delayed birth records for people who had no state filing.
The state did not begin to file births until 1913. By 1945, most births in Sitka were filed with the state. For events before 1913, church records are the main source. FamilySearch has digital scans of many Russian-era Sitka records. The FamilySearch Alaska Vital Records wiki has indexes and links to these images.
The City of Sitka government website has links to local services and community info. While the city does not handle vital records, the site can point you to local resources that may help with research.
The Alaska State Archives in Juneau holds vital statistics from 1816 through 1998. Many of these old files name people who were born in or near Sitka during the Russian and early American periods. The Alaska State Archives collection guides list all the records held by the archives. Researchers can plan a visit or call for help.
Note: Sitka birth records more than 100 years old are open to anyone, but the state still charges $30 for a certified copy.
Local Resources in Sitka
SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital is the main health care center in Sitka. The hospital files each new birth with the state. New parents get their first copy of the birth certificate free through the hospital packet. Extra copies cost $25 each.
If you need to fix a Sitka birth record or file a delayed birth, call the state 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 the wait is about three months. All papers for paternity, adoption, or name changes must be mailed or hand-carried because the state needs originals. The CDC where to write page for Alaska has the full contact info for the state vital records office.
The Sitka Historical Society and the Sitka branch of the Alaska State Library may also help with old birth records research. These groups keep local records, photos, and indexes that can fill in gaps from the early years.
Nearby Boroughs
Sitka is near a few other boroughs and census areas in the Alaska Panhandle. Each one uses the same state system for birth records. Browse nearby borough pages below.
You can also search the FamilySearch Alaska vital records catalog for older records from all parts of Southeast Alaska.