Find Deed Records in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area deed records are filed through the Alaska DNR Juneau Recording District at 400 Willoughby Avenue in Juneau. Because the census area is not an organized borough, there is no local government recording office. All deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real property documents for land in Hoonah-Angoon must be submitted to the state recorder. The Juneau Recording District office and the statewide online search system are the primary ways to find and access these records. This page covers how to search, what you will find, and what it costs to get copies of Hoonah-Angoon Census Area deed records.
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area Overview
Juneau Recording District
The Juneau Recording District Office at 400 Willoughby Avenue, 4th Floor, Juneau, AK 99801 is the official place where deed records for Hoonah-Angoon Census Area are kept. This office is part of the Alaska DNR Recorder's Office statewide system. It can be reached at (907) 465-3453. The Juneau office handles recording districts for communities along the Inside Passage in Southeast Alaska, including the Hoonah and Angoon areas.
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area is unincorporated. That means there is no borough assembly, no local assessor, and no local recording clerk. All deed recording functions fall to the state. This is a common structure in many rural parts of Alaska. The census area lies in the First Judicial District, which covers Southeast Alaska. Any court-related property matters, such as judgments that affect real property, go through the First Judicial District courts and are recorded at the Juneau Recording District office.
The communities of Hoonah and Angoon are the largest in the census area. Hoonah sits on Chichagof Island and Angoon is on Admiralty Island. Both are accessible only by plane or boat. All real estate documents for property in either community, or anywhere else in the census area, must be recorded at the Juneau office. Under AS 40.17.150, an unrecorded deed does not protect the buyer against a later purchaser who records first.
| Recording District | Juneau Recording District |
|---|---|
| Address | 400 Willoughby Avenue, 4th Floor, Juneau, AK 99801 |
| Phone | (907) 465-3453 |
| DNR Recorder's Office | dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff |
| Judicial District | First Judicial District |
Online Search for Hoonah-Angoon Records
The Alaska Remote Access to Land Records system, known as RALR, provides online access to recorded documents across all Alaska recording districts. You can search the Juneau Recording District records by grantor name, grantee name, legal description, document number, or recording date. The system covers documents from 1970 to the present. It is free to search the index. Copying documents carries the standard per-page fees.
The statewide search index through the DNR Recorder's Office website works the same way. If you have a parcel number or legal description for property in Hoonah-Angoon, you can use the location index to pull all recorded documents tied to that parcel. The grantor/grantee index works by name, which is helpful if you know who owned or sold the property. Both search approaches are available online without a trip to Juneau.
For older records before 1970, you have to search the Historic Books. This requires a visit to the Juneau office or a formal records request. The staff at the recording office can point you toward the right Historic Books volume, but they cannot perform the research for you. See the DNR FAQ page for more on what to expect when searching the older records.
Note: The Alaska Mapper GIS tool provides free interactive maps of Alaska parcel data and land ownership, including the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area. Use it to identify parcels before searching the deed index.
Deed Record Types for Hoonah-Angoon
The Juneau Recording District holds all types of real property documents for the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area. Deeds are the most common type, including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, and deeds of trust. Mortgages and reconveyances go into the record when a property is financed or when a loan is paid off. Liens of all types are filed here as well, including mechanic's liens, federal and state tax liens, and child support enforcement liens.
Easements, covenants, plat maps, and subdivision documents are also recorded. UCC fixture financing statements and court judgments that affect real property are part of the official record too. Once a document is in the record, it is public. Anyone can view or request copies without needing to be a party to the transaction. The DNR does not restrict access to recorded deed documents.
Most of the land in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area is federally managed, either as Tongass National Forest or other federal land. Private land parcels exist within the census area, particularly in and around the villages. Alaska Native land status under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act adds another layer to some title searches in this area. For land that may involve Alaska Native title or federal interest, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Land Titles and Records Office at (907) 271-4593 handles those records separately from the state system.
Fees and Document Requirements
The fees for recording deeds in the Juneau Recording District follow the state schedule set under AS 40.17.030(a)(10). Recording the first page of a document costs $20.00. Each additional page is $5.00. A $50.00 non-standard document fee applies if the document does not meet the paper size or margin requirements. See the full fee schedule on the DNR website. Copies cost $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 per additional page. Certification is $5.00 per document.
Deeds for Hoonah-Angoon property must be on white paper no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches. The first page needs a two-inch top margin. All other margins must be at least one inch. Text must be 10-point font or larger. The document must name all grantors and grantees with mailing addresses, include a legal description of the property, specify the Juneau Recording District, and provide a return mailing address. All grantor signatures must be notarized. Homestead property requires both spouses to sign. See the DNR document preparation page for the full list of requirements.
Electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, or ePN is available for eligible submitters. See the DNR e-recording page for provider contacts and eligibility. Alaska has no real estate transfer tax, so no additional state tax is charged when recording a deed.
Important: Documents are indexed under grantor and grantee names exactly as written on the document. If you search by a name that differs slightly from how it appears on the deed, you may not find the record. Try multiple spelling variations.
Hoonah-Angoon Record Sources Online
The Alaska DNR Recorder's Office is the primary online source for Hoonah-Angoon Census Area deed records. The Juneau Recording District, which serves the census area, is part of this statewide system.
Communities in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area includes the communities of Hoonah on Chichagof Island and Angoon on Admiralty Island. Other communities in the area include Tenakee Springs, Pelican, Elfin Cove, and Gustavus. None have dedicated city-level deed record pages. All property recordings for the entire census area go through the Juneau Recording District.
Most of the census area is covered by Tongass National Forest. Private land is concentrated in and around the villages. Deed research in this area may involve both the state recording system and federal land records, depending on the nature of the property.
Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas
These areas sit near Hoonah-Angoon Census Area in Southeast Alaska. Each uses the Alaska DNR statewide system for deed recording.