North Slope Borough Deed Records

Deed records for the North Slope Borough are filed through the Alaska DNR Barrow Recording District, which is administered by the Fairbanks Recorder's Office. The borough's Assessing Division maintains property tax records separately from recorded deeds. The Barrow Recording District covers all North Slope Borough deed records. Search the DNR online index at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff and select the Barrow Recording District to find deeds by name or date. The North Slope Borough Assessing Division at (907) 852-0355 also handles property ownership and tax records.

Where Deed Records Are Filed

All deed records for property in the North Slope Borough are processed through the Barrow Recording District at the Fairbanks DNR Office. The borough itself does not record deeds. State law places that function with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.

When a deed, mortgage, lien, or other real property instrument is executed in the North Slope Borough, it must be submitted to the Fairbanks DNR Recorder's Office for recording. The document is then indexed in the statewide grantor-grantee system and becomes a public record. The Fairbanks Office handles several remote recording districts across interior and northern Alaska.

The North Slope Borough Assessing Division maintains property ownership records and assessment data. Tax records are maintained by the borough; deed recording is handled by the state DNR.

North Slope Borough Assessing Division

The North Slope Borough Assessing Division maintains all records needed to establish ownership of taxable real property. This includes maps, title documents, and deeds. The Assessing Division is the local starting point for property research, even though deed recording happens at the state level.

The North Slope Borough does not have property data or tax information available online. To access property records, contact the Assessing Division directly by phone or visit the office in Utqiagvik. For deed documents, the Fairbanks DNR Office is the correct source.

The North Slope Borough website at north-slope.org provides department contacts and information about borough services, including the Assessing Division that handles property records for Utqiagvik and surrounding communities.

How to Search North Slope Deed Records

The primary tool for searching deed records in the North Slope Borough is the Alaska DNR grantor-grantee online index. The free database covers 1970 to the present. Visit dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff and select the Barrow Recording District to search by name or document number.

The Alaska Mapper GIS tool at mapper.dnr.alaska.gov lets you view parcel boundaries and helps identify legal descriptions. For records prior to 1970, contact the Fairbanks DNR Office directly. The Assessing Division at (907) 852-0355 can help with current ownership and parcel identification.

Key dates for 2026 assessments: Assessment Date 01/01/2026, Appeal Deadline 04/01/2026, Tax Payments Due 06/30/2026. The borough's assessment schedule is important to note when doing title or due diligence research.

Types of Deed Records

The Barrow Recording District records the same document types as other Alaska recording districts: warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, mortgage satisfactions, liens, lien releases, easements, and subdivision plats. All are indexed in the DNR statewide system.

Land ownership in the North Slope Borough is complex due to Alaska Native land interests under ANCSA, federal oil and gas leases, and state land selections. Many parcels in this region involve the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and village corporations. A full chain-of-title search may involve DNR records, BLM federal land patents, and Native corporation documents.

Recording Fees

Alaska recording fees are governed by AS 40.17.030. The standard fee is $20 for the first page and $5 for each additional page. Documents that do not meet state formatting requirements carry an additional $50 non-standard document fee. These fees apply to all recordings in the Barrow Recording District.

Copies of recorded documents are $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page. Certified copies add a $5 certification fee. The Fairbanks DNR Office at (907) 452-3521 can answer questions about fees and how to order copies of specific documents from the Barrow Recording District.

Chain of Title Research in the North Slope Borough

Title research for North Slope Borough properties is more complex than in most Alaska areas. Private property in the borough is relatively rare. Most land is state, federal, or Alaska Native corporation land. The Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) holds surface and subsurface rights across a vast area under ANCSA. Village corporations in Utqiagvik, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Anaktuvuk Pass, and other communities hold village corporation lands. These corporation conveyances are recorded in the DNR Barrow Recording District when they involve private parties.

For private residential or commercial parcels in Utqiagvik, start with the North Slope Borough Assessing Division at (907) 852-0355 to identify the current owner and parcel information. Then search the DNR Barrow Recording District index at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff under the current owner's name. Work backward through each prior deed. The online index covers 1970 to present. For older records or Native allotment documentation, contact the Fairbanks DNR Office at (907) 452-3521 directly.

Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas

These areas in northern and interior Alaska also use state recording districts for deed records.