Alaska · First Judicial District
Alaska Superior Court, First Judicial District Guide
Settled Estate records a $250+ court filing fee and a 4-month creditor claim period for the Alaska Superior Court, First Judicial District, read from 22 linked sources and last verified September 28, 2026.
By Settled Estate Editorial Team
Superior Court information · Updated September 2026
Settling an estate while grieving is hard. This page takes it one step at a time, and free local help is listed below.
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Not sure if you need probate?
Many estates can avoid probate entirely. Assets with beneficiary designations, joint accounts, and trust assets may pass automatically without court involvement.
Immediate Actions
The first days
First: Get Death Certificates
Required for everythingAlaska Health Analytics and Vital Records
Office info
Secure the Property
- Lock the residence and secure valuable items
- Forward mail to a responsible family member
- Make a list of what you find (don't throw anything away yet)
Locate Important Documents
Required by Law
Legal duties
Deposit the Will
'It is not required by law that a Will be deposited with the court.' (form P-100). A deposited will is held under Probate Rule 5 and released to the person the testator named. (AS 13.12.515)
Creditor claim window
Creditors generally have 4 months from the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors to bring claims against the estate. (AS 13.16.450)
Notify Key Parties
- Banks and credit card companies (to prevent unauthorized use)
- Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213)
- Employer (if applicable) for final paycheck and benefits
Assess Your Situation
Before filing anything
Which probate type is right for you?
Small estate? If the estate is worth less than the Alaska small-estate limit (shown on the options below), you may qualify for simplified procedures.
Is there a valid will? If yes, you'll file for probate with will. If no will exists, it's intestate probate.
Complex assets? Business interests, real estate in multiple states, or contested claims may require probate administration.
Select a probate type below to see specific requirements and costs.
Which applies to your situation?
Not sure? Use the free checker at the top of this page - you don't have to decide this alone.
Not a court case. Thirty days after the death, a successor signs the affidavit under oath and presents it to whoever holds the property, who must pay or deliver it. A successor is a person, other than a creditor, entitled to the property under the will or the probate code, so a will does not close the route.
- The entire estate, wherever located, less liens and encumbrances, consists only of vehicles subject to registration under AS 28.10.011 with a total value not over $100,000, and other personal property not over $50,000.
- The person who died owned no real property, whatever its value, unless it passed automatically to someone else (tenancy by the entirety or a recorded transfer on death deed).
- At least 30 days have passed since the death.
- No application or petition for appointment of a personal representative is pending or has been granted in any jurisdiction.
- The person signing is entitled to the property (a successor, not a creditor).
- Qualifies:
- $50,000 of personal property other than vehicles, plus registered vehicles up to $100,000
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
The successor cannot keep the property: it must go to the beneficiaries under the will or the heirs, and to a personal representative if one is appointed later (self-help page; AS 13.16.685 'answerable and accountable'). Nonprobate property such as a joint account does not count toward the caps.
A small estate is a type of informal probate. The personal representative opens an informal probate, prepares the inventory, and if the test is met may distribute at once without giving notice to creditors or paying creditor claims, then files form P-350 to close. The appointment ends one year after the statement is filed if no proceeding is pending.
- An informal probate case with an appointed personal representative.
- An inventory showing the estate, less liens and debts, is within the allowances-and-costs test.
- Distribution to the persons entitled, a copy of the statement to distributees and unpaid claimants, and an accounting (or filed waivers).
- Qualifies:
- No dollar figure. After the inventory, the estate value less liens and debts must not exceed the homestead allowance, family allowance, exempt property, costs of administration, reasonable funeral expenses and reasonable medical and hospital expenses of the last illness.
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
Used when there is disagreement about the will or who should serve, or other contested issues. Notice of the hearing is mailed or personally delivered to each interested person at least 14 days before it; for a person whose address or identity cannot be found with reasonable diligence, the notice is instead published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district, with the last publication at least 10 days before the hearing (AS 13.06.110(a), as reproduced in form P-305). The Court System's formal probate page says to publish for all unknown persons and known persons whose addresses are unknown, in addition to mailing the known ones.
- A petition to the Superior Court in the judicial district where the person who died lived.
- Notice and a hearing.
- After three years from death, limited options remain (a determination of heirs, a limited testacy proceeding, or a personal representative with very limited powers).
- Qualifies:
- No dollar threshold.
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
The ordinary route when everyone agrees who should be personal representative and whether there is a valid will. The application is decided without a hearing in the usual case. For an Alaska resident the court will not appoint a personal representative until 5 days after the death; for a non-resident, 30 days, or 5 days if the will says Alaska law applies or the applicant was already appointed in another state.
- An application filed in the judicial district where the person who died lived.
- Bond addressed: waived by the will, waived by each person eligible to inherit (form P-334), posted, or excused by court order.
- Nominations (form P-306) from anyone with equal or higher priority to serve.
- At least 5 days since the death for an Alaska resident (30 days for most non-residents).
- Generally opened within three years of the death; after that only in limited situations.
- Qualifies:
- No dollar threshold.
- Attorney:
- not required by law, though many families use one
Within 30 days of appointment the personal representative sends form P-340, Information to Heirs and Devisees (AS 13.16.360).
File for Probate
Where to file, forms & fees
Where to File
Free Filing Help Available
Alaska Court System Self-Help: Probate: Estates can help you understand forms and filing requirements at no cost.
Visit Self-Help CenterOther Topics That May Apply
Property & Real Estate
Property transfer after death, recording
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Recorder's Office
WebsiteVehicle Title Transfer
Retitle or transfer the deceased's vehicle. Office, forms, fees.
Wrangell DMV
- Phone:
- (907) 874-3304
- Address:
- 431 Zimovia Highway (2nd floor of the Public Safety Building), Wrangell, AK
- Hours:
- Monday-Thursday 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M. and 2:00-4:00 P.M.; Friday by appointment only; closed state holidays
Contract agent DMV office operated by the Wrangell Police Department.
Alaska vehicle titles are transferred by the State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, not by a borough or a court. A joint title with 'OR' passes to the survivor; a sole title or an 'AND' title goes through the estate, either by a personal representative's letters or by the DMV small-estate affidavit (Form 827) when the estate is small enough.
Transfer scenarios
Joint Ownership: Title Joined by 'OR' (or by 'AND')
Documents needed:
- Original Alaska title (or a duplicate obtained first with Form 809 if it is lost)
- Vehicle Transaction Application (Form V1)
- Title fee ($15) and any registration fees shown by the DMV Registration Fee Calculator
- 'AND' titles only: the personal representative's letters or a Form 827 small-estate affidavit for the deceased owner's share, plus the surviving owner's signature releasing the title
- A certified copy of the death certificate is advisable: the Alaska Court System's vehicle chart lists it for 'OR' titles, although the DMV page says no additional documents are required
'OR' title: the surviving owner signs the title as releasing owner and applies with Form V1 at a DMV office, a contract agent office, or by mail. 'AND' title: the surviving owner and the estate's representative (or the Form 827 successor) both release the title.
Form V1 defines the conjunctions: 'AND' means signatures of all owners are required to sell or transfer; 'OR' means the signature of a single owner is required. The AS 28.10 section behind this rule could not be read (akleg.gov blocks Claude agents).
Surviving Spouse
Documents needed:
- If named on the title with 'OR': the original title and Form V1
- Otherwise: a notarized Form 827 signed by the spouse as successor, or the personal representative's letters
- Vehicle Transaction Application (Form V1)
- Title fee ($15) and any registration fees
Identify which route applies from the title's conjunction and the size of the estate, then follow the joint ownership, small estate or probate steps.
Being the spouse does not by itself let someone sign for a sole-owner vehicle; only a court-appointed representative or a qualifying Form 827 successor can.
Small Estate Affidavit (DMV Form 827)
Documents needed:
- DMV Form 827, Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of $150,000 or Less, notarized (a DMV representative may also witness it), original submitted, with the VIN written on it
- Original title (or Form 809 duplicate application if lost)
- Vehicle Transaction Application (Form V1)
- Title fee ($15) and any registration fees
At least 30 days after the death, and only if no application or petition for appointment of a personal representative is pending or has been granted anywhere, the successor completes Form 827, signs it before a notary or DMV representative, and applies with Form V1. The successor must title the vehicle in their own name before selling it.
The two caps are separate: $120,000 of vehicles plus $10,000 of cash is under $150,000 in total and still fails the $100,000 vehicle cap.
Sole Owner or 'AND' Title: Probate (Personal Representative)
Documents needed:
- Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or Letter of Appointment issued by the Alaska Superior Court
- Original title signed by the representative (or Form 809 duplicate application if lost)
- Surviving owners' release of the title, unless ownership was 'OR'
- Vehicle Transaction Application (Form V1)
- Title fee ($15) and any registration fees
The representative signs the title (or a lost title affidavit) for the deceased owner in one of the DMV's accepted formats, for example '[Representative's name], Executor of the Estate of [Deceased Owner]', and applies with Form V1 at a DMV office, a contract agent office, or by mail.
Probate itself is opened in the Alaska Superior Court in the judicial district where the person who died lived. The DMV does not require a lawyer for the title transaction; whether the probate needs one depends on the estate.
Forms
- Vehicle Transaction Application(V1)(Rev 03/24. Also used to record the 'AND' or 'OR' conjunction for multiple owners.)
- Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of $150,000 or Less(827)(Rev. 1/2018. Notarized original with the VIN. Listed on the DMV Forms page as 'Affidavit For A Deceased Owner with Estate With Assets Of $150,000 Or Less'.)
- Application for Duplicate Title(809)(Rev. 06/08/2018. DMV web pages call it the 'Affidavit of Lost Title' or 'Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title'; the form itself is titled 'Application for Duplicate Title'. Must be notarized or signed before a DMV representative.)
Fees
Fees read on dmv.alaska.gov on 2026-09-28: title $15 (Add or Remove an Owner page), lien recording $15 (Mailed In Title Procedures page), duplicate title $15 (Duplicate Vehicle Title page). A manufactured home title is $100 (DMV Titles page). The statutory fee section was not read (akleg.gov blocks Claude agents).
Small-estate vehicle transfer
Alaska's small-estate affidavit covers vehicles. The DMV accepts its Form 827 (or a similar notarized statement) when the entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, is $150,000 or less, made up of registered vehicles worth no more than $100,000 and other personal property worth no more than $50,000. Any real property in the probate estate closes the route.
This is the general AS 13.16.680 affidavit route in DMV form; Alaska has no separate vehicle-only affidavit with its own threshold. The caps carry no inflation adjustment in the statute text reproduced in P-110 (last amended 2008). The successor must title the vehicle in their own name before selling it.
Lost or duplicate title
If the Alaska title is lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged, a duplicate must be obtained before the vehicle can be sold or transferred.
Submit a notarized Form 809 and the $15 fee in person at any DMV office (cash, check or card) or by mail to State of Alaska DMV, Attn: CORRESPONDENCE, 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503 (check or money order payable to State of Alaska). For a deceased owner, the personal representative (or Form 827 successor) signs in the owner's place. This applies only to titles most recently issued by Alaska.
Fee: $15
If a lienholder is listed on the title, the lienholder of record applies and a lien release is required.
Helpful resources
- Alaska DMV: Deceased Owner
The DMV's own instructions for transferring a vehicle when the owner has died, by probate or by small-estate affidavit.
- Alaska DMV Form 827: Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of $150,000 or Less
Small-estate affidavit for transferring a deceased owner's vehicle without probate.
- Alaska DMV Form V1: Vehicle Transaction Application
Title and registration application required with every transfer.
- Alaska DMV Form 809: Application for Duplicate Title
Replace a lost, stolen or destroyed title before transferring the vehicle.
- Alaska DMV Registration Fee Calculator
Calculates the title and registration fees for a specific vehicle.
- Alaska DMV Office and Contract Agent Locations
Addresses, phone numbers and hours for state DMV offices and contract agent DMV offices.
- Alaska Court System: Transferring Ownership of Assets
The Court System's chart of which document transfers a vehicle title, by how the title was held.
Statewide forms and steps live in the vehicle title transfer guide. If the title cannot be found, see selling a car without a title.
Vehicle sources (10)
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/deceased-owner/
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/lm3pmukk/827.pdf
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/ry4ic0t2/809.pdf
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/ssgb1rnj/v1.pdf
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/duplicate-vehicle-title/
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/add-or-remove-an-owner/
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/mailed-in-title-procedures/
- https://dmv.alaska.gov/locations/state-dmv-office-locations/
- https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/transferring-assets.htm
- https://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-110.pdf
Sources for this page (22)
The facts above come from these official sources. Verify current details with the office before filing.
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/1wr.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/index.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/main/search-cases.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/rules/docs/adm.pdf
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/rules/docs/prob.pdf
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/courtfees.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/affidavit.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/background.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/debt.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/formal.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/informal.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/laws.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/small-estates.htm
- courts.alaska.govhttps://courts.alaska.gov/shc/probate/tax-matters.htm
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-100.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-110.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-305.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-310.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-340.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-341.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-345.pdf
- public.courts.alaska.govhttps://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/forms/docs/p-350.pdf
You've seen what probate involves. Here's how to spare your own family.
A few simple steps (naming beneficiaries, a transfer-on-death deed where your state allows it, or a living trust) can keep your estate out of court.
See how to avoid probate in AlaskaFrequently Asked Questions
How much does probate cost in City and Borough of Wrangell?
How long does probate take in City and Borough of Wrangell?
Do I need an attorney for probate in City and Borough of Wrangell?
More Alaska Resources
Explore the rest of the Alaska probate hub.
Start here
Do I need probate?5 pages
For the executor4 pages
Money and taxes5 pages
Family and inheritance5 pages
Transfer assets5 pages
File and learn5 pages
Verified against Alaska Superior Court, First Judicial District on September 28, 2026
Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Alaska can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.