Alaska Divorce Records: How to Get Certified Copies of Your Decree

You will need certified copies of your divorce decree for nearly every post-divorce task — changing your name at the SSA, updating your driver's license, refinancing the mortgage, filing a QDRO. Photocopies and digital scans are rejected by every agency. Understanding where to get the right type of certified document saves time and unnecessary fees.

Two Different Agencies, Two Different Documents

Alaska splits divorce records between two separate systems, and they are not interchangeable:

Clerk of the Superior Court holds the complete case file, including the final decree of divorce or dissolution, property settlement agreements, custody orders, and any QDROs. The court clerk issues certified copies of the decree with the court's raised seal. This is the document most agencies require.

Bureau of Vital Statistics (part of the Department of Health) holds the Certificate of Divorce, Dissolution of Marriage, or Annulment (Form VS-401). This is a one-page summary vital record — it confirms that the divorce happened but does not contain the property division or custody terms.

For post-divorce administrative tasks (name changes, account closures, property transfers), you almost always need the certified decree from the court clerk, not the vital statistics certificate.

Are Alaska Divorce Records Public?

Alaska court case records, including divorce and dissolution filings, are generally public records accessible through the Alaska Court System's online case database (CourtView). You can look up case numbers, filing dates, and basic docket information.

However, the actual documents — especially the decree — require a records request to the specific clerk's office that handled your case.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics operates differently. Under AS § 18.50.310, divorce certificates held by vital statistics are subject to a 50-year confidentiality window. During that period, only the parties to the divorce, their legal representatives, or authorized government agencies can obtain copies.

How to Order Certified Copies

From the Clerk of Superior Court:

• Request in person at the clerk's office in the judicial district that handled your case
• Request by mail with a written request specifying your case number
• Use TrueFiling (the court's electronic filing portal) where available
• Fees vary by district but are typically $5 to $10 per certified page

From the Bureau of Vital Statistics:

• Mail: Bureau of Vital Statistics, PO Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811
• Online: through VitalChek (third-party vendor, additional processing fee)
• Fee: $30 for the first copy, $25 for each additional copy ordered at the same time

How Many Copies to Order

Order at least 5 to 8 certified copies from the court clerk. Each agency that needs one (SSA, DMV, passport office, mortgage lender, retirement plan administrator) requires an original certified copy — they will not accept a photocopy of a certified copy.

Some agencies return your original after processing (the SSA mails documents back), but others retain them. Having extras avoids multiple trips back to the court clerk.

Fee Waivers

If your household income falls at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for Alaska, file Form TF-920 (Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees) with the court. This waiver covers filing fees, standard document copying fees, and certified copy charges.

The Alaska After-Divorce Checklist includes a records section listing exactly which certified documents each agency requires and the ordering details for both the court clerk and vital statistics.

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