Fairbanks North Star Borough Property Records
Fairbanks North Star Borough property records come from two main sources. The borough's own Assessing Department keeps property tax records, assessed values, ownership data, and parcel information for all land within the borough boundaries. For recorded instruments like deeds, mortgages, and liens, the Alaska DNR Fairbanks Recording District is the official repository. Both offices make records available to the public, and the borough provides free online access through its property search system and Geographic Information Network. Whether you are checking an assessment, searching ownership history, or looking up a recorded document, this page walks you through the right offices and tools for Fairbanks North Star Borough property records.
Fairbanks North Star Borough Overview
FNSB Assessing Department
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assessing Department is the local office that handles property assessment records for the borough. The department is responsible for determining the value of all taxable property within the borough boundaries. It administers state and borough exemptions, maintains ownership records, and keeps detailed property descriptions and assessed values on file for each parcel.
The Assessing Department is located at 907 Terminal Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701. Phone: (907) 459-1428. Staff can help with questions about assessed values, exemption applications, property appeals, and how to access parcel records. Assessment notices are mailed in late January each year and show the current year valuation along with a five-year historical table of appraised values for the parcel. Property owners who disagree with an assessment can request an informal review or file a formal appeal with the Borough Board of Equalization.
The FNSB Assessing Department page provides details on the assessment process, exemption programs, and how to access borough property records online.
| Office | Fairbanks North Star Borough Assessing Department |
|---|---|
| Address |
907 Terminal Street Fairbanks, AK 99701 |
| Phone | (907) 459-1428 |
| Records Available | Ownership data, assessed values, property descriptions, exemption records |
| Website | fnsb.gov/162/Assessing |
Online Property Search for Fairbanks North Star Borough
The Fairbanks North Star Borough provides free online access to property records through its property search system. You can look up any parcel in the borough by owner name, address, or parcel account number. The system is designed around a "less is more" approach. Entering one word or one part of a name returns a broad set of results. You can then narrow things down by adding more search terms.
The FNSB Property Search page explains how to use the borough's online property lookup tool, covering name search, location search, and account number search methods.
When searching by name, the system distinguishes between corporate name and business name. The corporate name is the legal entity under which taxes are paid. The business name is the operating name displayed at the property location. For example, a corporation might own a property under one legal name while the business at that address has a different name. Entering either one may return results, but the corporate name is the one tied to the tax record.
The location search accepts partial street addresses. If you type just a house number without a street name, the system shows all borough properties with that number. This is useful when you know the address number but are unsure of the exact street name spelling. The Property Account Number (PAN) search uses seven-digit parcel numbers. You do not need leading zeros. Entering just the numeric portion is enough to pull up the record.
The Geographic Information Network (GINA) provides a map-based way to search borough property records. You can access it at the FNSB website. GINA lets you search by address, owner name, or parcel number and see results overlaid on aerial photography, topographic maps, or street maps. The tool includes layers for zoning districts, flood zones, utility service areas, school attendance zones, and emergency service districts. You can measure distances, calculate areas, and view historical aerial photos going back decades.
Fairbanks Recording District - Deeds and Liens
For recorded instruments affecting land in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the official repository is the Alaska DNR Fairbanks Recording District. This office handles the recording, indexing, and storage of deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, plat maps, and UCC filings. The DNR recording district list shows the Fairbanks office at 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709-4699, phone (907) 452-3521.
The Fairbanks Recording District covers a large area of Interior and Northern Alaska. In addition to the Fairbanks North Star Borough, it serves Barrow, Bethel, Cape Nome, Fort Gibbon, Kotzebue, Kuskokwim, Manley Hot Springs, Mt. McKinley, Nenana, Nulato, and Rampart districts. All recorded documents are indexed in the statewide DNR system and are searchable online through dnr.alaska.gov/landrecords.
The DNR recording district list identifies the Fairbanks Recording District as the document recording office for the Fairbanks North Star Borough, with office details and contact information for the public.
| Office | Alaska DNR Recorder's Office - Fairbanks Recording District |
|---|---|
| Address |
3700 Airport Way Fairbanks, AK 99709-4699 |
| Phone | (907) 452-3521 |
| Records Covered | Deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, UCC filings |
| Website | dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff |
Property Taxes in Fairbanks North Star Borough
The Fairbanks North Star Borough levies a property tax on real and personal property within the borough boundaries. The median property tax in the borough is $2,693, with an effective tax rate of approximately 1.17%. This rate is applied to the assessed value of each parcel. Alaska law requires properties to be assessed at 100% of market value as of January 1 of each assessment year. Certified appraisers in the Assessing Department analyze market conditions, property characteristics, and comparable sales data to set values.
The borough offers several exemption programs that can reduce the taxable value of a property. Senior citizen exemptions are available to property owners age 65 or older who meet income and residency requirements. Disabled veteran exemptions provide relief for veterans with service-connected disabilities. Charitable organization exemptions apply to nonprofit groups using property for qualifying purposes. Applications for these exemptions must be submitted by the statutory deadline each year, along with required supporting documents.
Assessment notices go out in late January. Property owners have 30 days from the mailing date to file an appeal with the Board of Equalization. The first step is requesting an informal review from the Assessing Department at (907) 459-1428. If the informal review does not resolve the issue, a formal appeal can be filed. The Assessing Department has educational brochures and FAQ materials to help property owners understand the process. City of Fairbanks properties carry both borough and city mill rates, so the total tax bill reflects both.
Property assessment records in Fairbanks North Star Borough are public records available for inspection at the Assessing Department office or through the borough's online property search system.
Recording Fees and Document Requirements
Recording documents in the Fairbanks North Star Borough follows the same DNR statewide fee schedule used across all 34 Alaska recording districts. The fee is $20 for the first page of any document and $5 for each additional page of the same instrument. Non-standard documents add a $50 fee. Certification costs $5 per document. Copies are $1.25 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page when made after the time of recording.
Documents submitted to the Fairbanks Recording District must meet standard preparation requirements. Paper must be white and opaque, no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches. The first page needs a two-inch top margin. All other margins must be at least one inch. Type size must be 10-point or larger. Every document must clearly state the recording district name on its face. Conveyances must include complete mailing addresses for all grantors and grantees, original signatures, and a notarized acknowledgment. Any document referencing a prior recorded instrument must include its book and page number or serial number. The recording staff cannot notarize documents. Legal authority for the recording system comes from Alaska Statute Title 40, Chapter 17.
Note: Documents must clearly identify the "Return To" name and complete mailing address outside the margin area. Missing return address information will cause the document to be rejected.
Cities in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Several qualifying communities are within the Fairbanks North Star Borough. All of them use the FNSB Assessing Department for property tax records and the Fairbanks Recording District for recorded documents.
Other communities in the borough include North Pole, Eielson AFB, Moose Creek, Salcha, and Two Rivers. All property records for these communities are maintained by the FNSB Assessing Department and the DNR Fairbanks Recording District.
Nearby Boroughs and Census Areas
These jurisdictions border or are near the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Property records for each are handled through Alaska's DNR recording system, though different recording district offices may apply.