Frequently Asked Questions

To help you get the most from our services, we have compiled answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. Of course, if you don’t see the answer you’re looking for, please feel free to contact us (link to contact page) directly.

What information can a people search provide?
What information can an asset search provide?
What types of custom marketing lists can you provide?
How do you compile your marketing lists?
How long does it take to compile a customized marketing list?
What are the most common ways your marketing lists are used?
Am I eligible to access a telephone list?
What types of market share reports can you provide?
What are some of the types of data processing you do?
What are my options for completing a search?
How much does an online account cost?
How do I request an in-house search?
What is the charge for an in-house search? How long does it take?
What information do I need to complete a people search?
How do I search for a person’s current address?
How can I find a person’s date of birth?
How can I find family members or roommates of my subject?
How do I complete a search of the court files?
What is the difference between a civil case and a criminal case?
How do I complete a civil court case search?
How do I complete a criminal background search?
How do I complete an occupational license search?
What information can I find in the business license and corporations files?
How can I locate someone with an alias or maiden name?
What options do I have for screening tenants?
What options do I have for screening employees?
What files do I have access to for asset searches?
How do I complete a search of property tax files?
What is included in the Recorder’s Office files?
How do I complete a search of the Recorder’s Office files?
What information can I access through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) file?
How can I search for information about boats?
How can I search for information on aircraft?
Where can I find information on judgments/liens or bankruptcies?

Q. What information can a people search provide?

A. People searches can provide you with information regarding your subject’s:

Current address
Date of birth
Residents at particular address
Civil court cases
Criminal backgrounds
Occupational licenses
Relatives, neighbors, roommates
Aliases
Maiden names
Tenant screening
Employment screening

Q. What information can an asset search provide?

A. An asset search can provide you with information regarding:

Real property
Motor vehicles
Boats
Aircraft
Judgments/liens
Bankruptcies

Q. What types of custom marketing lists can you provide?

A. We can provide you with custom marketing lists based on:

Homeowners by value/location – Target homeowners of certain types of properties.
Licensed professionals – Find potential customers who have a particular need or financial resources.
Business/corporation owners – Target owners by area and type of business.
Age – Target customers by age.
Gender – Target customers by gender.
Interest – Target outdoor enthusiasts, political contributors, aircraft owners, and more.
Investors – Target individuals likely to be interested in investment opportunities.
ZIP code – Target everyone in a certain area.
Phone lists – Available only to organizations exempt from telephone marketing restrictions.

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Q. How do you compile your marketing lists?

A. We compile our marketing lists using information from the most recent local, state and federal public files. These lists are customized to fit your specific needs.

Q. How long does it take to compile a customized marketing list?

A. Our normal turnaround time is 48 hours for most marketing lists.

Q. What are the most common ways your marketing lists are used?

A. Our lists are used in a wide variety of ways, including business or consumer direct mailings, fundraising, political walking lists, and telemarketing.

Q. Am I eligible to access a telephone list?

Q. Due to the restrictions on direct telephone marketing, we restrict the use of our phone lists to organizations that are exempt from the phone marketing restrictions. These organizations include political candidates, pollsters and non-profits.

Q. What types of market share reports can you provide?

A. Each month, we compile information from the Recorder’s Office or DMV files to create a snapshot of the prior month’s business in different segments. Some of the most commonly requested reports are:

Mortgage company – A look at monthly mortgage company activity. Mortgage companies find this information helpful to ascertain their market share.
Title company – Similar to the mortgage company report, except for title companies.
Vehicle lien holders (new and used) – A report showing new and used vehicle loans, created from DMV data.
UCC reports – Provide a snapshot of all the UCC filings by a lender or an area.
Notice of defaults – Information on all defaults, which lenders are required to record against the borrower as the first step in a foreclosure proceeding.

We can also create a customized market share report, based on your needs.

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Q. What are some of the types of data processing you do?

A. Our data processing services include:

Updating customer address files – Keep your mailing list addresses up-to-date and purge addresses that are no longer valid.
Appending phone numbers – Match phone numbers to marketing lists. Please note this service is only available to organizations that are exempt from telephone marketing restrictions.
Data entry – Database creation, keying in data, digital matching and custom reporting.
File matching – Match information in public files. For example, find all people in Anchorage who have held a hunting/fishing license for the last seven years, who also own a single-engine airplane, and a home valued at $400,000.
Data parsing – Parse data and re-save in a format usable by most applications. For example, separate first and last names that are combined in one field.

Q. What are my options for completing a search?

A. You can either perform people searches yourself, by creating an online account, or we can complete the search for you. If you have an ongoing need, signing up for an account (link to online account page) will be the most economic and expedient choice.

Q. How much does an online account cost?

A. There is a one-time $35 sign-up fee. Then, there is a $1.25 per minute usage fee. Typical searches can usually be completed in a minute or two.

Q. How do I request an in-house search?

A. To have us complete a search for you, simply call (link to contact page) or fill out our online request form (link to form).

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Q. What is the charge for an in-house search? How long does it take?

A. People or address searches typically cost $3 - $5 per subject. An “all files” search starts at $30. There is a $15 minimum charge. There is a typical turnaround time of 24 hours on business days. However, we can complete same-day searches upon request.

Q. What information do I need to complete a people search?

A. You should have at least a first and last name for your subject. Ideally, you will also have their middle initial, date of birth, and last known address. This information will help you differentiate between your subject and others who share the same name.

Q. How do I search for a person’s current address?

A. It is recommended you start your search by looking in the most recent Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) file, which will tell how many people share the same first and last name as your subject. Then, begin searching current files for your subject’s last known address. Files you may want to look at include:

Voter registration file – See when the person last voted or registered to determine the timeliness of the information.
Property appraisal files – These are updated monthly or bi-monthly for each area that has tax records.
DMV file – If you have approval to access this file, look for the vehicle that has the latest expiration date and see when the registration was last updated.

By comparing activity dates from each of these files, you can determine which address is the most accurate.

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Q. How can I find a person’s date of birth?

A. It is recommended you start your search by looking in the most recent PFD file, which will tell how many people share the same first and last name as your subject. Next, check to see if your subject is included in the:

Hunting and fishing license file
Occupational license file
Criminal court records

Typically, a search of the criminal court records is used as a last resort, as there is no address to help you confirm the identity of your subject.

Q. How can I find family members or roommates of my subject?

A. If you can’t find a current address for your subject, it is sometimes helpful to search for family members or past roommates, who may be able to help you locate the person.

You can often find family members or roommates of your subject by searching for several of your subject’s last known addresses in the PFD, voter registration, hunting and fishing license or DMV files (if you are eligible for access). In these files, note the names of people who shared your subject’s address, then search for current addresses for these individuals.

Q. How do I complete a search of the court files?

A. First, it’s important to note the court cases on our online system are only for Alaska. They do not include federal court cases or cases from other states. Court cases can be searched by name or case number. Case numbers include:

The region (1 digit)
Location (2 letters)
Year of the case
Unique case number
Type of case

For example, 3AN-90-00720CI is an Anchorage civil case from 1990.

Q. What is the difference between a civil case and a criminal case?

A. Civil law deals with relationships between individuals, including corporations, which are considered “individuals” under the law. Examples of civil cases include suits to collect money, suits for divorce and suits to recover property.

Criminal law involves the federal, state, city or borough government bringing a case against a person who has done something against the interest of all people, as opposed to an individual. Murder, assault, disorderly conduct and drunk driving are all examples of criminal cases.

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Q. How do I complete a civil court case search?

A. Begin by searching the PFD or voter registration file to find out how many people have the same first and last name as your subject. Next, search the civil court cases by your subject’s name and/or the location of the court.

It’s also important to note that, normally, there are two people involved in a civil court case. If you know the name of the other person involved, it can help you confirm which records belong to your subject.

Q. How do I complete a criminal background search?

A. When completing a criminal search, you should have a first name, last name and approximate age at minimum. Ideally, you should also have the subject’s middle initial and date of birth.

As in other searches, begin by searching the PFD or voter registration file to find out how many people have the same first and last name as your subject. If there are numerous people with the same name, narrow your search by date of birth. You can also narrow the search by using the location of the crime, although this is a less reliable method.

Q. How do I complete an occupational license search?

A. As in most other states, Alaska requires professionals in several occupations to hold licenses. You may search Alaska’s occupational license file by first name, last name and address. You may also access the national FAA pilots’ license file.

Q. What information can I find in the business license and corporations files?

A. In the business license file, you can find the names of business owners, sole proprietors and partnerships. In the corporations file, you can access the names of corporation officers and shareholders.

Q. How can I locate someone with an alias or maiden name?

A. If your subject’s name no longer shows up in current records, they may have changed their name. Begin by searching for your subject’s name in the PFD file. Access the earliest record for your subject, noting the address your subject used. Then, review more recent files to see if your subject used the same address with a different last name.

You can also search the hunting and fishing license file by keying in your subject’s mailing address, and seeing what names were used at that address during a series of years.

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Q. What options do I have for screening tenants?

A. Tenant screening is normally curtailed to criminal or civil searches. Searches can also be performed on individuals associated with the tenant. For example, you may want to search for information on an undesirable family member who may attempt to move in with the tenant.

Q. What options do I have for screening employees?

A. Employment screening is normally curtailed to criminal or civil searches. A search of the occupational license, business license or corporation file may also be appropriate, however, to find out if the employee is involved in other businesses that could be competitive with your own.

Q. What files do I have access to for asset searches?

A. Most asset searches have to do with real property, such as real estate, vehicles, boats and aircraft. There are several files that can be helpful in an asset search, including property tax, Recorder’s Office, DMV, registered boats, commercial fishing vessels, merchant vessels, and aircraft files. A search of business licenses and corporations, judgments/liens and bankruptcies may also prove helpful.

Q. How do I complete a search of property tax files?

A. Our online database includes property tax files for Anchorage, Mat-Su Borough, Fairbanks, Kenai Peninsula, Juneau, Kodiak and Ketchikan. These files can be searched by name, address, subdivision, site address or tax ID. Searching the Recorder’s Office files may also be helpful.

Q. What is included in the Recorder’s Office files?

A. The Recorder’s Office records a large range of documents. The most common documents are deeds, mortgages, assignments, modifications, reconveyances, notice of liens, claim of liens, release of liens, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statements, security agreements, judgments and decrees from courts, federal and state tax liens, and child support enforcement liens, satisfactions and releases.

The Recorder’s Office files may be searched by name, document number, legal description, subdivision, no plat subdivision, book and page, and recent activity. As there are many abbreviations used in these documents, we have compiled a table (link to table) of the most common abbreviations, to assist you in your search.

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Q. How do I complete a search of the Recorder’s Office files?

A. When searching the Recorder’s Office files, you are typically looking to answer six questions, including:

Does the subject own property outside the property tax boroughs?
Have they had a property transfer since the last update of the property tax assessment files?
What mortgages are on the property?
Who holds the title for the mortgage?
Are there judgments/liens on your subject? Or has your subject filed judgments/liens against someone else?
Is your subject a borrower or lender of a Universal Commercial Code (UCC) loan?

Q. What information can I access through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) file?

A. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) file is considered a confidential file, and there are exemptions that must be met in order to access the file. If you are qualified to access the file, you can search by name, address, plate number or vehicle identification number (VIN).

As company-owned vehicles are not considered confidential, anyone may access this information. However, you must complete an in-house search request (link to in-house search request page) to access this information.

Q. How can I search for information about boats?

A. There are three files that can be searched for information on boats, including:

Registered boats file – Contains licenses required by the State of Alaska for Alaska residents who own boats weighing less than five tons. Licenses are good for three years.
Commercial fishing vessels file – National file containing licenses on commercial fishing vessels registered to any port. It’s important to note that many vessels used in Alaska are registered to out-of-state ports. This file can be searched by owner name, vessel name, Coast Guard license number, or Alaska Department of Fish and Game number.
Merchant vessels file – National file containing information on ships that weigh five or more tons. This file can be searched by owner name, vessel name or registered number.

Q. How can I search for information on aircraft?

A. Through our database, you can access the national Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) file, which contains information on all registered aircraft in Alaska – from hot air balloons to jet planes. This file can be searched by owner name, owner’s mailing address, aircraft number, or serial number.

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Q. Where can I find information on judgments/liens or bankruptcies?

A. Information on judgments/liens can be found by searching the civil court or Recorder’s Office files. The bankruptcy file contains information on all filings in Alaska since 1986.

Q: Is there a manual for using the Online System?

A: Download the user manual here (hyper link the user manual with document)