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Louisiana public records: who holds what

In Louisiana, deeds are recorded by the Clerk of Court in most places; birth and death certificates come from the State Registrar, LDH Vital Records Registry; and requests for other government records fall under the Public Records Law. Below: who holds every other record, what copies cost and the official link for each office.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Who holds what in Louisiana
  2. Public records law in Louisiana
  3. Divorce records in Louisiana
  4. Probate records and wills in Louisiana
  5. How Louisiana organizes its records
  6. Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps
  7. Parishes in Louisiana
  8. Warnings from official sources
  9. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  10. Official directories
  11. Sources

Who holds what in Louisiana

The office that keeps each record, and the fee the law or the office sets for a copy. Open a record type for the full rules, ordering steps and older records.

RecordWho holds itCopy fee
DeedsParish Clerk of Court (clerk of the district court), who is ex officio parish recorder of conveyances, mortgages and other acts, in each of the 64 parishes; in Orleans Parish, the Land Records Division of the Clerk of Civil District Court1Statutory ceiling: no more than $2.00 per page for copies of official documents (clerks as ex officio recorders, R.S. 13:844(A)(5))2
Property recordsElected parish assessor in each of the 64 parishes values property and prepares the annual tax roll, submitted to the Louisiana Tax Commission3—
Court recordsState court system: district courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction (judicial districts of one or more parishes); each parish's elected clerk of court keeps district court records; Orleans has separate Civil and Criminal District Courts and clerks; plus city, parish, juvenile/family, justice of the peace and mayor's courts4Statutory ceilings for district court clerks (R.S. 13:841): certification of copy $5; copies $1 per page; conformed copies $3; filing first page $6, each subsequent page $45
Marriage recordsLicense issued by the clerk of court in any parish except Orleans; in Orleans by the state registrar of vital records (or a city court judge); certificates are filed with the issuing clerk6$5.00 per certified copy of an Orleans Parish marriage certificate (plus $0.50 state charge on mail/VitalChek orders)7
Divorce recordsClerk of court of the parish where the divorce was granted (district court record); the state Vital Records Registry cannot issue divorce decrees8Clerk copy/certification ceilings: copies $1 per page; certification $5 (R.S. 13:841)5
Birth certificatesLouisiana Department of Health, Vital Records Registry (Center for Vital Records and Statistics), New Orleans; also participating parish clerks of court9$15.00 per certified birth certificate; $24.00 birth certificate plus short-form card (pair); +$0.50 state charge on mail/VitalChek orders; VitalChek adds its own fees7
Death certificatesLDH Vital Records Registry; participating clerks of court for deaths on or after July 7, 201210$7.00 per certified death certificate (+$0.50 on mail/VitalChek orders); clerk-of-court issued death certificate $26.007
Probate and willsSuccessions (probate) are opened in the district court of the parish of the decedent's domicile; records are kept by that parish clerk of court11—

Public records law in Louisiana

Public Records Law (La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.) Read the law12

This law covers records that agencies hold, such as a county office's correspondence or a property file. Recorded deeds, vital records and court files usually have their own rules, set out in each record section.

Who can ask
Any person of the age of majority may inspect, copy or reproduce; any person may obtain a copy; no inquiry except age and identification13
Response time
Immediately if available; if in active use, written certification fixing a time within 3 days (excluding weekends/holidays); if custodian questions whether it is public, written determination within 5 days (excluding weekends/holidays); suit allowed after 5 such days without a written determination or time estimate14
Copy fees
Local custodians (incl. clerks) may set and post a reasonable copy fee schedule and require advance payment; state agencies charge per the Division of Administration uniform fee schedule (R.S. 39:241); no fee to inspect; free/reduced copies for indigent citizens15
If a request is refused
Suit for a writ of mandamus, injunctive or declaratory relief in the district court of the parish where the custodian's office is located, after a denial or after 5 days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) with no written determination or time estimate; tried by preference and in a summary manner; reasonable attorney fees and costs to a requester who prevails; civil penalties up to $100 per day (excluding weekends and holidays) if the custodian unreasonably or arbitrarily failed to respond16
What is exempt
Only exceptions in Title 44 Chapter 1 (incl. those incorporated by R.S. 44:4.1) and the Constitution are valid; examples include pending criminal investigative records (R.S. 44:3), trade secrets, security records, accident reports, protected health information; vital records and state criminal history are confidential by statute17
Official guide
Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Public Records Law FAQ (revised 08/2026) is the official guide used.17
More on the Public Records Law
Inspection fee
No fee to examine or review public records15

How to write a public records request

Divorce records in Louisiana

Who holds it
Clerk of court of the parish where the divorce was granted (district court record); the state Vital Records Registry cannot issue divorce decrees8
Fee
Clerk copy/certification ceilings: copies $1 per page; certification $5 (R.S. 13:841)5

How this works in other states: divorce records by state.

Probate records and wills in Louisiana

Who holds it
Successions (probate) are opened in the district court of the parish of the decedent's domicile; records are kept by that parish clerk of court11
Will registry
Secretary of State will registry records only where a will is kept (not the will itself); confidential until death; $10 to file, $10 to retrieve, $20 certified copy18
Will registry law
La. R.S. 9:2446: registry information available after death to anyone presenting a death certificate or affidavit of death and heirship19

How this works in other states: probate records and wills by state.

How Louisiana organizes its records

  • Louisiana has 64 parishes instead of counties; the parish clerk of court is both court clerk and recorder of conveyances and mortgages (land records), so deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, court cases and most marriage licenses are at one office.4
  • Orleans Parish: land records at the Clerk of Civil District Court Land Records Division (former Recorder of Mortgages, Register of Conveyances, Notarial Archives consolidated); marriage licenses and 50-year marriage records at LDH Vital Records; property taxes collected by the City Bureau of Treasury, not the sheriff.20
  • UCC financing statements are filed at any parish clerk of court, not at the Secretary of State; SOS provides online filing to the clerks and a paid Direct Access subscription to the UCC database.21
  • Clerks of district court (and the Second City Court of New Orleans) can issue state birth and death certificates from the state database, at higher fees than LDH.22
  • Probate is called a 'succession' and is opened in the district court of the parish of domicile.11

Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps

Criminal history checks

State repository
Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (BCII) – Louisiana Computerized Criminal History (LACCH)23
Public access
Closed record state: state criminal history (LACCH) is not released to the public; only statutorily authorized agencies, and individuals for their own record23
Your own record
Individuals may obtain a certified copy of their own record ("Right to Review", R.S. 15:588) by fingerprint appointment through LAPS or by mailing FD-258 cards23
Fee
Right to Review: $26.00 processing fee; $10.00 fingerprint fee if printed at LSP Headquarters (form rev. 9/29/2020); $5 technology fee added to background checks since Dec 1, 202424
Address
LSP BCII, P.O. Box 66614 - Box A-6, Baton Rouge, LA 7089624

Sex offender registry

Official registry
Louisiana State Police State Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry: lsp.org/… (search hosted at icrimewatch.net/louisiana.php after accepting conditions of use)25
Law
BCII maintains the central registry (R.S. 15:542.1.5)26
Contact
1-800-858-0551, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM25

Inmate and jail lookups

State prisons
Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections (doc.la.gov) links 'Locate Imprisoned Person' to VINELink (vinelink.vineapps.com/search/LA/Person)27

Voter records

Public access
Registrar records are public records open to inspection (except early-voting confirmation sheets); SSN, driver's license number, day and month of birth, mother's maiden name, email and others are not disclosed28
How to get it
Buy voter lists from the Secretary of State online (account required); selection criteria defined by purchaser; paid in advance29
Fee
$0.01 per name, minimum $20.00, maximum $5,000.00, plus a $5.00 state fee per order; voter history (last 20 dates voted) at no extra charge30
Registrars
Each parish has a Registrar of Voters (directory on SOS voter portal)31

Business names (DBA)

Assumed names
Sole proprietors/others using an assumed name file a certificate with the parish clerk of court (Orleans: register of conveyances) where they do business32
Secretary of State
Secretary of State registers corporations, LLCs, partnerships and trade names/trademarks/service marks; search via Louisiana Business Filings search (geauxBIZ for filings)33
Trade name fee
SOS trade name, trademark & service mark registration $95 (effective 10/1/26, Act 921 of 2026); certified copies $2034
Cert copy fee
Corporation/LLC certified copies $20; additional certificates $25 (effective 10/1/26)34

Liens and UCC filings

Filing office
UCC financing statements are filed with any of the 64 parish clerks of court (not the Secretary of State), regardless of debtor location; SOS offers online filing to any clerk and a $400/year Direct Access subscription to the UCC database21
Law
R.S. 10:9-501: clerk of court of any parish (titled motor vehicles: Office of Motor Vehicles; certain titled vessels: Wildlife and Fisheries)35
Fees
UCC-1 (one debtor) $30 including $5 prepaid termination; additional debtor names $10 each; non-standard form $1536
Search
Certified UCC search: written request to any clerk of court, $30 per debtor name; SOS Direct Access subscription $400/year37
Real estate liens
Mortgages, liens and privileges on immovables are recorded in the parish clerk's mortgage records; mortgage certificate $20 first name, $10 each additional2

GIS and parcel maps

State GIS portal
Atlas: The Louisiana Statewide GIS (atlas.ga.lsu.edu), a free GIS data distribution site (lidar, imagery) run by the LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology (state university project, not a state agency). By statute the Louisiana GIS Council oversees the Louisiana Geographic Information Center (LAGIC)38
Law
Louisiana GIS Council advises the chief information officer of the Office of Technology Services and oversees the Louisiana Geographic Information Center (LAGIC)39

Historical and genealogy records

Archives
Louisiana State Archives (Secretary of State), 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge: births 100+ years, deaths 50+ years, Orleans Parish marriages 50+ years; indexes searchable online40
Fees
Photocopied vital record $5; certified vital record $10; letter of no record $20 per name; $5 per bankcard transaction (listed under mail-in & email research requests)41
Orleans marriages
Orleans Parish marriages more than 50 years old: State Archives, certified $1042
Orleans notarial
Orleans notarial archives (historic notarial acts, notaries 1731-1970) held by the Clerk of Civil District Court Research Center43

Parishes in Louisiana

12 parishes with a full guide

Each guide lists the office for every record type, the official online searches, copy fees, phones and hours.

All 64 parishes

Names in bold open our guide. Names with an arrow go to the parish's own website, where the US Census Bureau lists one and it opened when we checked.44

Warnings from official sources

  • Secretary of State warned (July 24, 2025) of fraudulent letters to businesses from 'Business Filing powered by Firstep' threatening dissolution unless annual reports were filed through that platform; official correspondence comes via geauxBIZ or SOS letterhead.45
  • State law prohibits solicitations that look like bills and imply a Louisiana government or Secretary of State connection (R.S. 51:391).46
  • LDH does not take online/credit-card orders directly; VitalChek is its only authorized online vendor and charges extra fees.9
  • SOS: third-party election results are not official.29

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Louisiana office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Official directories

Lists that name the office in every parish.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 49 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. La. Const. art. V, §28 – Clerks of CourtLouisiana State Legislature
  2. La. R.S. 13:844 – Fees of ex officio recordersLouisiana State Legislature
  3. Louisiana Governmental Audit Guide 200-1030 AssessorsLouisiana Legislative Auditor
  4. Louisiana Governmental Audit Guide 200-1040 Clerks of CourtLouisiana Legislative Auditor
  5. La. R.S. 13:841 – Enumeration of clerk fees in civil mattersLouisiana State Legislature
  6. La. R.S. 9:221 – Authority to issue marriage licenseLouisiana State Legislature
  7. Service Fees (Vital Records)Louisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  8. Marriage Certificates & LicensesLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  9. How To Order Birth RecordsLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  10. How To Order Death RecordsLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  11. La. C.C.P. art. 2811 – Court in which succession openedLouisiana State Legislature
  12. La. R.S. 44:1.1 – Short title (Public Records Law)Louisiana State Legislature
  13. La. R.S. 44:31 – Right to examine recordsLouisiana State Legislature
  14. La. R.S. 44:33 – Availability of recordsLouisiana State Legislature
  15. La. R.S. 44:32 – Duty to permit examination; copies; feesLouisiana State Legislature
  16. La. R.S. 44:35 – EnforcementLouisiana State Legislature
  17. Public Records Law FAQ (R.S. 44:1–44:42)Louisiana Legislative Auditor
  18. End of Life Registry ProgramsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State)
  19. La. R.S. 9:2446 – Will information registrationLouisiana State Legislature
  20. Mortgages, Conveyances, Notarial ArchivesCity of New Orleans
  21. File Financing StatementsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Business Services
  22. La. R.S. 40:39.1 – Certified copies of birth and death certificates; clerks of district courtsLouisiana State Legislature
  23. Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (BCII) – Background Checks / Right to ReviewLouisiana State Police
  24. Right to Review Authorization formLouisiana State Police, BCII
  25. State Sex Offender and Child Predator RegistryLouisiana State Police
  26. La. R.S. 15:542.1.5 – State Sex Offender and Child Predator RegistryLouisiana State Legislature
  27. Access the Louisiana Sex Offender & Child Predator RegistryLouisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections
  28. La. R.S. 18:154 – Registrar records open to inspection; exceptionsLouisiana State Legislature
  29. Purchase Voter ListsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Elections
  30. Voter List Charges and Other InformationLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Elections
  31. Registrar of Voters directoryLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State)
  32. La. R.S. 51:281 – Assumed business names; registrationLouisiana State Legislature
  33. Search Business FilingsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Business Services
  34. Fee Schedule Effective 10/1/26 (Act 921 of 2026)Louisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Commercial Divisionarchived copy
  35. La. R.S. 10:9-501 – Filing office (UCC)Louisiana State Legislature
  36. UCC Forms & Fee ScheduleLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Business Services
  37. Search for Financing StatementsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), Business Services
  38. Atlas: Louisiana statewide GIS data distributionLouisiana State University (state university)
  39. La. R.S. 49:1054 – Duties of the Louisiana GIS CouncilLouisiana State Legislature
  40. Historical Birth RecordsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), State Archives
  41. Archives Forms & Fee ScheduleLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), State Archives
  42. Historical Marriage RecordsLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State), State Archives
  43. Land Records DivisionOrleans Parish Clerk of Civil District Court
  44. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
  45. Secretary Landry Warns Business Owners About Fraudulent LettersLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State)archived copy; the page is no longer on the office's site
  46. La. R.S. 51:391 – Solicitations; misleading governmental appearance prohibitedLouisiana State Legislature
  47. Clerk of Court contact informationLouisiana Secretary of State (Department of State)
  48. eClerks LA (statewide portal)Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (LCRAA)
  49. Marriage - Another ParishLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics