Yakutat City and Borough Deed Records

Deed records for Yakutat City and Borough are maintained by the City and Borough Clerk, who also serves as the local recorder under Alaska Statute 40.17. The Yakutat Recording District handles all real property instruments for this small coastal borough. Unlike most Alaska boroughs, Yakutat has the City and Borough Clerk serve as the local recorder for all deed documents. There is no online deed search system for Yakutat at this time. Researchers must contact the Clerk's office directly to look up recorded property documents and request copies.

Where Deed Records Are Filed

The City and Borough Clerk at 100 Max Italio Drive, Yakutat, AK 99689 functions as the local recorder for real property documents. Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, easements, and plat maps affecting Yakutat property are recorded with the Clerk's office. Recording fees follow Alaska Statute 40.17, typically $20 for the first page and $5 for each additional page.

Due to the small size of the borough and limited digital infrastructure, there is currently no online property record search system for Yakutat. Researchers must contact the Clerk's office directly by phone, mail, or in-person visit to request document searches and copies. The Juneau DNR Office also serves the Yakutat Recording District for state-level recording functions.

Yakutat deed records are maintained at the local level through the City and Borough Clerk's office. The Alaska DNR online index may have limited records for this district; contact the Clerk directly for the most complete access to recorded documents.

How to Search Yakutat Deed Records

The primary way to search deed records in Yakutat is to contact the City and Borough Clerk directly at (907) 784-3323. The Clerk's office can search the local records index by party name and provide copies of recorded documents. Call ahead to confirm hours and what information you'll need before making a request.

The Alaska DNR grantor-grantee index at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff may have some records for the Yakutat Recording District, but the local Clerk's office is the more complete source for this small borough. For records from before 1970, the Clerk's office is the only place to look.

Mail requests to the City and Borough Clerk at 100 Max Italio Drive, Yakutat, AK 99689. Include the property address or legal description, the approximate date range, and the names of the parties involved. Allow extra time for mail requests given the remote location. The Alaska Mapper at mapper.dnr.alaska.gov can help identify parcel boundaries and legal descriptions before you contact the Clerk.

Types of Deed Records

The Yakutat Recording District records and indexes the same types of real property documents as all Alaska recording districts. This includes warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, satisfactions, releases, liens, easements, and plat maps. Recording fees are set by Alaska Statute and apply uniformly.

Land in Yakutat City and Borough includes a mix of private holdings, Alaska Native corporation land, federal forest service lands, and national park lands. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park borders the borough. Title research for properties in this area may require checking federal land records through the BLM at glorecords.blm.gov in addition to the local deed index.

Recording Fees

Recording fees for Yakutat follow Alaska Statute under AS 40.17.030. The standard fee is $20 for the first page of a document and $5 for each additional page. Non-standard documents carry an additional $50 fee on top of per-page charges. These rates apply to documents recorded with the Yakutat Recording District.

Copies of recorded documents are $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page. Certified copies add $5. To request copies, contact the City and Borough Clerk at (907) 784-3323. The Clerk can confirm current fees and any special requirements for copy requests in this small borough.

Document Requirements

Documents submitted to the Yakutat Recording District must follow Alaska's standard requirements. Paper must be white, 8.5 x 11 inches. The first page needs a 3-inch top margin for the recording stamp. Font must be 10 points or larger. A document title identifying the type must appear at the top.

Deeds must include the full names of grantor and grantee, the property's legal description, the consideration amount, and a notarized grantor signature. A return mailing address for the recorded original must be on the first page. Documents that don't meet formatting standards are accepted but assessed the $50 non-standard fee. Full requirements are available at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff/PreparingDocs. E-recording through Simplifile, CSC, and ePN is available as an alternative to mail submissions for the Yakutat Recording District. Title companies and attorneys working on Yakutat transactions can use e-recording for faster processing without mailing physical documents to the Anchorage DNR Office. For chain-of-title research, start with the City and Borough Clerk at (907) 784-3323 to identify current ownership, then search the DNR index at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff and work backward through each prior deed. The Alaska Mapper at mapper.dnr.alaska.gov shows current parcel boundaries for Yakutat properties.

Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas

These neighboring areas in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska use the state recording district system.