Big Lake Death Records
Death records for Big Lake are maintained by Alaska's Health Analytics and Vital Records Section at the state level. Big Lake is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and all requests for certified death certificates must go through the state HAVRS office rather than any local agency.
Big Lake Overview
Big Lake Death Records and the State System
Big Lake is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, located northwest of Wasilla in the Mat-Su Valley. All death records for Big Lake residents are maintained by the Health Analytics and Vital Records Section (HAVRS) at the state level. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough at matsugov.us provides local government services but does not store or issue death certificates.
Alaska Statute AS 18.50 governs all vital records statewide. Death records are restricted for 50 years from the date of death. Records from before 1975 are now publicly available. Records from 1975 onward require proof of an eligible relationship to the deceased. Big Lake is primarily a lakeside residential and recreational community in the Mat-Su Valley, with most of its growth occurring in the latter part of the 20th century. Because of this, most records requested for this community will fall within the 50-year restriction window.
The Big Lake Chamber of Commerce at biglakechamber.org provides community information. Statewide death registration in Alaska began in 1913, and the Mat-Su Valley was brought into compliance with that system over the following decades. The broader Mat-Su Borough collections at the state archives are the relevant source for historical research in the Big Lake area.
Requesting Big Lake Death Certificates
Certified death certificates for Big Lake residents are ordered through the state HAVRS portal. You can submit in person at a state office, online through VitalChek, or by mail or fax. Email is not accepted.
The Anchorage office at 3901 Old Seward Hwy, Ste. 101, Anchorage, AK 99503, phone (907) 269-0991, is the most convenient state walk-in location for Big Lake residents. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Juneau office at 5441 Commercial Blvd., Juneau, AK 99801, phone (907) 465-3391, fax (907) 465-3618, is open the same hours. Mail requests go to Health Analytics and Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, AK 99811-0675.
The first certified copy costs $30. Additional copies at the same time cost $25 each. An apostille for international use costs $42. A record verification costs $2.50. VitalChek orders take 2 to 3 weeks. Mail and fax take 2 to 3 months. All submissions need a completed form, a government ID copy, and payment.
Note: Submit through one method only to avoid duplicate charges and delays.
Historical Records and Research Resources
Historical death records for Big Lake and the broader Mat-Su Valley area are held at the Alaska State Archives in Juneau, at 395 Whittier St., phone (907) 465-2270. The statewide Alaska Vital Records 1816-2005 collection at FamilySearch includes Mat-Su records from across the territorial and early statehood period. The Archives has digitized over 1.1 million Alaska documents through its FamilySearch partnership.
The Alaska State Library genealogy resources page provides statewide research tools applicable to Mat-Su Valley families. Cemetery records for the Big Lake area are indexed at Find a Grave and BillionGraves. The Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch covers deaths from 1962 to present statewide. The FamilySearch wiki entry for Matanuska-Susitna Borough describes available record groups and helps researchers identify which collections cover the Big Lake area.
The Wasilla Public Library at 391 N Main St., Wasilla, AK 99654, phone (907) 376-7420, and the Palmer Public Library at 655 S Valley Way, Palmer, AK 99645, phone (907) 745-4690, maintain local history collections that may include materials relevant to Big Lake area families. The Mat-Su Borough covers a large geographic area, so researchers should also consult the borough archives for any locally held materials.