Where to Look in Louisiana
The six most productive places to start a people search in Louisiana. Each links directly to the official record source.
Official Louisiana Sources
State-level databases and agency record portals.
Louisiana Courts
Dockets, civil & criminal case filings, judgments.
Property & Tax Records
Deeds, assessor data, owner history, liens.
Inmates & Offenders
State prison rosters, sex offender registries, jails.
Vital Records
Birth, death, marriage, divorce — certified records.
Louisiana FAQ
Laws, fees, turnaround, and common questions.
1About Louisiana Public Records
Louisiana's public-records framework is governed by the Louisiana Public Records Law, codified at Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:1 et seq. The law presumes all records maintained by state and local agencies are open to any person of the age of majority, a standard somewhat broader than many states' FOIA statutes. Requests generally cannot be denied based on the reason for the request, and custodians must respond within three business days.
Major exemptions include juvenile court records, adoption records, attorney work product, trade secrets, and records involving ongoing investigations. Vital records have their own separate statutory restrictions (100 years for birth records, 50 years for death records), which are stricter than the general public-records law.
2Best Starting Points in Louisiana
Free statewide search for corporations, LLCs, trade names, and registered agents.
State Department of Public Safety & Corrections inmate locator for adult offenders.
Statewide searchable registry of convicted sex offenders and child predators.
Free access to Louisiana Supreme Court opinions, orders, and writ applications.
3Official State Sources
Central hub for business filings, UCC filings, notary records, elections, and archival services.
Historical records, colonial documents, military records, and genealogical collections.
State AG office, consumer protection, and public-records complaint resource.
4Court Records
Louisiana's court system is structured into the Supreme Court, five Courts of Appeal (numbered First through Fifth Circuits), District Courts (the general trial courts), and a variety of lower courts including City Courts, Parish Courts, Justice of the Peace Courts, Mayor's Courts, and Family Courts. Orleans Parish is the outlier: it has separate Civil District Court, Criminal District Court, Juvenile Court, and Municipal/Traffic Courts — each with its own clerk.
There is no statewide unified trial-court search. Case records must be retrieved from the Clerk of Court in the specific parish where the case was filed. Some parishes offer robust online searches; others require phone requests or courthouse visits.
Published opinions, per curiam decisions, and writ dispositions.
Five intermediate appellate courts, each with separate case-search interfaces.
Case search and online records for civil matters in New Orleans.
Docket search and case information for felony and misdemeanor matters.
5Property & Tax Records
Louisiana's property-records system is distinctive because the Parish Clerk of Court — not a register of deeds — maintains conveyance records, mortgages, and successions. Property valuations and property-tax assessments, however, are handled by the separate Parish Assessor. In Orleans Parish, land records are maintained by the Land Records Division of the Civil District Court rather than the Clerk of Court.
Deeds, mortgages, civil court records, and successions for Louisiana's capital parish.
Conveyance, mortgage, and lien records for New Orleans properties.
Civil and land records for Jefferson Parish (Metairie/Kenner suburbs).
Conveyances, mortgages, and civil records for Shreveport and Caddo Parish.
Land records, civil filings, and marriage licenses for the Acadiana region.
Property conveyances and civil filings for Louisiana's fastest-growing parish.
Oversight body for property tax assessments and links to parish assessor offices.
6Business & Licensing Records
The Louisiana Secretary of State operates the centralized geauxBIZ business portal. Professional licensing in Louisiana is decentralized across dozens of individual boards, each with its own licensee lookup.
Free search for corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and trade names.
Statewide search for Uniform Commercial Code filings and liens.
Verification of physicians, physician assistants, and allied health professionals.
Directory of licensed Louisiana attorneys with bar number and status.
Licensure verification for real estate agents, brokers, and appraisers.
Licensure data for dentists and dental hygienists.
7Corrections & Inmate Records
Statewide search for adults under DPS&C custody or supervision.
Public registry searchable by name, zip, or map radius.
Parish jail inmate information for New Orleans detainees.
Sheriff's Office inmate locator for the EBR Parish Prison.
8Vital Records
The Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records Registry maintains statewide birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Birth records are restricted for 100 years and can only be issued to the individual, immediate family, or authorized legal representatives. Death records become open after 50 years. Marriage records from Orleans Parish are specifically held at the state level; marriage records from all other parishes are primarily maintained by the parish Clerk of Court where the license was issued.
State vital records office for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.
9Voter Registration
Louisiana voter records are considered public under state law, but bulk access requires a formal request through the Secretary of State and is restricted for commercial resale. Individuals can verify their own registration through the GeauxVote portal.
Self-service voter registration lookup and polling place finder.
10Archives, Genealogy & Obituary Resources
Colonial documents, military records, and genealogical collections dating to French and Spanish rule.
Municipal records of New Orleans, going back to the 18th century.
Digitized historic Louisiana newspapers from the Library of Congress.
11Parish & City Resources
Louisiana's 64 parishes each maintain their own Clerk of Court, Sheriff, and Assessor, with wide variation in digital access. Research density is highest in the most populous parishes: East Baton Rouge, Orleans, Jefferson, Caddo, Lafayette, St. Tammany, East Baton Rouge, Calcasieu, Livingston, and Rapides. For a comprehensive parish-by-parish directory, visit our Louisiana Parish Public Records index.
12People Search Tips for Louisiana
- Think parish, not county — every local lookup begins with identifying the correct parish.
- Understand civil-law terms — "succession" is Louisiana's word for probate; "usufruct" is a lifetime use right; "community property" is a default marital regime.
- Orleans Parish is its own world — separate courts, separate clerks, and a unique Land Records Division for deeds.
- Clerks of Court do double duty — one office handles court filings, land records, mortgages, marriage, and UCC, so a single visit can yield multiple record types.
- Search the Assessor too — the Clerk has the deed, but the Assessor has the valuation, homestead exemption, and current tax bill — both are needed for full property research.
13Privacy & Legal Framework
Louisiana does not have a comprehensive consumer data privacy act on par with California's CCPA. It does operate an Address Confidentiality Program for victims of domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking, administered by the Attorney General's office.
FCRA Reminder: Records obtained through the free public portals linked on this page cannot be used for employment, housing, or credit decisions unless run through a compliant Consumer Reporting Agency.
More Louisiana Record Tools
Combine a people search with Louisiana-specific record searches for a complete profile. These companion directories are already live on PublicRecordCenter.com:
Search People in Other States
Every state's public records system works differently. Click any state for its dedicated people-search directory.
Frequently Asked Questions — Louisiana
Are Louisiana court records free to search online?
Louisiana has no unified statewide trial court search. Each of the 64 parish Clerks of Court maintains its own case search system — some are free online, others charge a subscription, and some require courthouse visits. Appellate and Supreme Court opinions are freely available through the Louisiana Supreme Court website.
How do I find property records in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, property conveyances and mortgages are recorded by the Clerk of Court of each parish (except Orleans Parish, which uses the Land Records Division of the Civil District Court). Property valuations and tax assessments are maintained separately by the Parish Assessor.
What is a parish in Louisiana?
A parish is Louisiana's equivalent of a county — the state has 64 parishes instead of counties, a legacy of French and Spanish Catholic administrative divisions. Each parish has its own government, Clerk of Court, Sheriff, and Assessor.
Is the Louisiana inmate lookup available online?
Yes, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections offers a free online Offender Search for state prison inmates. Parish jail inmates must be located through the individual Sheriff's website.
Why is Louisiana law different from other states?
Louisiana is the only US state using a civil-law legal system based on the Napoleonic Code, a legacy of French colonial rule. This affects terminology (successions instead of probate, usufruct, forced heirship) and procedure in ways that matter for property and inheritance research.
How do I get a Louisiana birth certificate?
Louisiana birth certificates are restricted for 100 years from date of birth. They can be requested by the individual, immediate family, or legal representatives through the Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records Registry.
Does Louisiana have a sex offender registry?
Yes, the Louisiana State Police maintains a public, searchable Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry covering all parishes.
How do I search for a Louisiana business?
The Louisiana Secretary of State operates geauxBIZ, a free business search portal for corporations, LLCs, trademarks, and registered agents.