Juneau City and Borough Deed Records
Juneau City and Borough deed records are filed through the Alaska DNR Juneau Recording District at 400 Willoughby Avenue in downtown Juneau. As Alaska's state capital and a consolidated city-borough, Juneau maintains both municipal and borough government functions under one unified structure. You can search recorded property documents online through the statewide DNR system or use the Juneau-specific property records portal. The Assessor's Office and the Lands and Resources Office maintain additional records for taxation and land management. This page covers how to find, search, and request copies of deed records in Juneau City and Borough.
Juneau City and Borough Overview
Juneau Recording District
The Juneau Recording District Office handles all deed recordings for the City and Borough of Juneau. This office is part of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Recorder's Office system, which maintains the official public record for all deed transactions in the state. Documents recorded here include warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, mechanic's liens, UCC financing statements, easements, covenants, and plat maps.
The recording office is located on the fourth floor of the state office building in downtown Juneau. Staff accept original documents for recording and process them according to Alaska Statute AS 40.17. Once recorded, documents go into the official public record and are accessible through the statewide online database. Recording fees are set by state law: $20 for the first page and $5 for each additional page of the same instrument.
| Office | DNR Juneau Recording District |
|---|---|
| Address | 400 Willoughby Avenue, 4th Floor Juneau, AK 99801 |
| Phone | (907) 465-3453 |
| State Recorder | dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff |
The Juneau Recording District serves the City and Borough of Juneau and the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area. It is part of the First Judicial District, which covers Southeast Alaska. Documents recorded here go into the statewide DNR database, which covers all 34 recording districts across Alaska.
The Alaska DNR Recorder's Office records approximately 1,000 new documents per day statewide. Millions of documents have been added to the official record since before statehood. All official records are public information. Anyone can view or get copies of recorded documents.
How to Search Juneau Deed Records
You have two main ways to search deed records in Juneau: online or in person. Online searches are the fastest option for most people. They let you look up recorded documents from home without a trip to the office.
The Juneau online property records portal at publicrecords.onlinesearches.com gives you access to two search tools. The Recorded Document Search lets you look up Alaska Recorder's Office documents by plat, name, date, or document type. The Property Search lets you find City and Borough of Juneau property tax and assessment records by name, parcel number, legal description, or address. Both tools are free to use and updated regularly.
The statewide DNR land records system at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff covers all 34 recording districts. You can search the Grantor/Grantee index, which covers documents recorded from 1970 to the present. Searches can be done by name, date, document type, or legal description. Documents recorded before 1970 are in Historic Books and require an in-person visit or direct contact with the office.
For in-person searches, visit the Juneau Recording District at 400 Willoughby Avenue. Staff can help you find documents and make copies. Certified copies carry the official seal and cost more than plain copies. The certification fee is $5 per document. Copies are $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page.
You can also use the Alaska Mapper GIS tool to view property boundaries and land ownership data on an interactive map. Alaska Mapper is useful when you need to locate a parcel geographically before looking up the recorded documents.
Note: The online Grantor/Grantee index covers documents from 1970 to present. For records older than 1970, contact the Juneau Recording District office directly.
Juneau Assessor's Office
The City and Borough of Juneau Assessor's Office maintains property assessment records for all taxable real property within the municipality. The Assessor handles property valuations, exemption applications, and assessment appeals. This office is a separate resource from the DNR Recorder and focuses on tax assessment rather than the official deed recording function.
Assessor Mary Hammond leads the office at 155 South Seward Street in Juneau. The office can be reached at (907) 586-0330, fax (907) 586-4520, or email Mary.Hammond@juneau.org. An alternate phone number for the office is (907) 586-5220. The Assessor provides an online property search tool where you can look up assessed values, property characteristics, and sales history by owner name, parcel number, legal description, or address.
The Juneau Lands and Resources Office is also located at 155 South Seward Street, phone (907) 586-5252. This office manages CBJ land records and can help with questions about public land, easements, and city-owned property in Juneau.
The following images show key resources for Juneau property records. The DNR Recorder's Office is the official keeper of all recorded deed documents in the state.
The DNR Recorder's Office statewide system indexes all recorded documents filed in the Juneau Recording District, from deeds and mortgages to liens and plat maps.
The Juneau online property records portal provides free access to both recorded documents and property tax assessment data for the City and Borough of Juneau.
The Juneau property search portal allows name-based, parcel number, and legal description searches, connecting the assessor's records with the state's recorded document database.
Types of Documents Recorded in Juneau
The Juneau Recording District records a wide range of real property instruments. Deeds are the most common. A warranty deed conveys property with a full guarantee of clear title. A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor holds without a title warranty. Both types must meet the formatting requirements in AS 40.17.030 before they can be accepted for recording.
Other documents recorded at the Juneau district include:
- Mortgages and deeds of trust
- Assignments and modifications
- Reconveyances and releases
- Mechanic's liens and notice of liens
- UCC financing statements
- Federal and state tax liens
- Easements and covenants
Alaska law at AS 40.17.150 explains why recording matters. An unrecorded conveyance is void against a subsequent purchaser in good faith whose conveyance is first recorded. This race-notice rule means recording your deed promptly is the only way to protect your ownership against future claims. Once a document is recorded, it serves as constructive notice of its contents to all subsequent buyers and lenders.
The DNR also records other instruments when they meet minimum acceptance criteria. These include last wills and testaments, birth certificates, military discharge papers (DD-214), death certificates, and marriage licenses. However, the recorder's office is not the standard place for these records. They will be accepted and placed in the public record if they meet the formal requirements.
The statewide DNR records database gives researchers access to all documents recorded in Juneau from 1970 forward, with search options including name, date, and document type.
Recording Fees in Juneau City and Borough
Recording fees at the Juneau Recording District are set by Alaska Statute under AS 40.17.030(a)(10) and 11 AAC 05.200. The fee for recording any document is $20 for the first page or fraction thereof. Each additional page of the same instrument costs $5. If a document has more than six names to be indexed, each extra name costs $2.
A non-standard document fee of $50 applies when a document cannot meet the margin or formatting requirements. Documents with two-hole punches at the top also trigger this fee. The certification fee is $5 per document. Conformed copies made at the time of recording cost $2 for the first copy. Any copy made after recording costs $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page of the same document. Checks should be made payable to the Department of Natural Resources.
E-recording is available in Juneau through authorized providers. The DNR e-recording page lists approved providers including Simplifile, CSC, and ePN. Most title companies in Alaska are authorized submitters and may be able to submit documents electronically for a fee. Individual submitters with only a few documents per year may find the service unavailable or impractical without going through a title company.
Note: Make checks for recording fees payable to the Department of Natural Resources — not to the borough or city.
Document Requirements for Recording
All documents submitted to the Juneau Recording District must meet the formal requirements set by AS 40.17.030(d) and 11 AAC 06.040. Documents must be printed or typed on opaque white paper no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches. The first page must have a two-inch top margin. All other margins — sides and bottom on each page — must be at least one inch. Text must use a minimum 10-point font size and must be clear and legible.
Each document needs a title that reflects its overall intent. If a document has multiple functions, it is indexed under the first function listed unless the submitter pays additional fees to record it under multiple categories. All indexing information must be in English. Deed documents must contain complete mailing addresses for all persons who grant or acquire an interest in the property under AS 40.17.030(a)(8).
Documents that cannot meet the margin requirements can still be recorded by paying the $50 non-standard document fee in addition to the regular recording fee. Taping or stapling one page onto a bigger page to meet margin requirements is not acceptable. The recording office will charge the non-standard fee if documents are submitted in that manner. The DNR document preparation page has the full list of requirements.
Cities in Juneau City and Borough
The City and Borough of Juneau is a consolidated municipality. All property deed recording for the municipality goes through the Juneau Recording District. The city of Juneau has its own dedicated page with more detail on city-specific deed record resources.
Nearby Counties
These boroughs and census areas border or are near Juneau City and Borough in Southeast Alaska. Each has its own recording district for deed documents.