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How to Verify a Professional's License in Anchorage?

It is important to verify the license of professionals you intend to hire in the Municipality of Anchorage before you commence work. The Alaska Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing issues 50 categories of professional and occupational licenses to qualified professionals in Anchorage. In addition to obtaining state-level professional licenses, building professionals like construction contractors must also obtain the municipal-level licenses issued by the Municipality of Anchorage Development Services. As it is your responsibility to make sure the professional you intend to hire in Anchorage is licensed, you can utilize the online professional license search tool maintained by the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing to verify state-issued licenses. Likewise, you can use the Verify Municipal Contractor License platform of the Municipality of Anchorage Development Services to verify if a professional has been locally licensed.

Also, you may be required to obtain permits that will be relevant to your intended projects. These may include residential or commercial licenses for building projects and several others. The Municipality of Anchorage Development Services offers permits to residents of Anchorage through its Permits & Inspections Office. To prevent city-imposed sanctions for failing to obtain the necessary permits, you can contact the Development Services at (907) 343-8301 or via email for all essential information relating to the permits that you may need for your projects.

Do Anchorage Neighborhood Councils
Issue Permits?

Community councils in the Municipality of Anchorage do not issue permits of any kind to residents within their respective neighborhoods. These 38 community councils are voluntary organizations set up and run by the residents of the municipality to facilitate activities that promote the well-being of their neighborhoods. Through these community councils, members of the neighborhood can advise, petition, influence, and advocate for activities that promote the identity of their different neighborhoods. You can use the city's online map to find out the community council that represents your neighborhood. Community Councils are considered a vital link between residents and their neighborhoods, and they help the residents become more involved with the neighborhoods. In July 2021, the University View Community Council approved a measure opposing the Mayor's plan to construct a mass homeless shelter to be located off Tudor Road and Elmore Road, near the former Anchorage Police Department headquarters. Similarly, for more than ten years, the Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA), in collaboration with the Mountain View Community Council and the Anchorage Community Land Trust (ACLT), has achieved a substantial revitalization program in the Mountain View Village neighborhood, which has, in turn, increased homeownership opportunities.

How to File an Unfair Business
Complaint in Anchorage?

Residents of the Municipality of Anchorage can file complaints concerning business deception, fraudulent representation, and other unfair business practices by reporting these matters to the Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Attorney General's Office. You can file a complaint by downloading and completing the standard consumer complaint form. You will be required to attach copies of relevant documents to the completed form, which can then be sent via mail to the address provided at the top of the form, or submitted via email. Alternatively, you can submit the completed form and all relevant documents in person at:

• Alaska Department of Law
• 1031 W. 4th Avenue
• Suite 200
• Anchorage, AK 99501-1994

The Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Attorney General's Office may adopt an informal mediation method or review the complaints to ascertain if it requires a formal investigation. However, the Attorney General's Office cannot act as your private lawyer in private legal actions, nor can the office provide legal advice to you. Nonetheless, you can retain the services of a private lawyer if you intend to seek damages from the subject of your complaint. If your claim does not exceed $10,000, you can file a small claims action at the following Alaska Court Anchorage locations:

• Nesbett location
• 825 W 4th Avenue
  Anchorage, AK 99501
• Boney location
• 303 K Street
• Anchorage, AK 99501

Note that you do not need the services of a lawyer for your small claims action, and you can use the Alaska Small Claims Handbook to access relevant information before you proceed with your small claims action.