How to Get a Louisiana Death Certificate (2026)

You get a Louisiana death certificate from the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, part of the Department of Health. Certified copies cost $7.00 each, plus a $0.50 state charge on mail and online orders, and are restricted to eligible family members, beneficiaries, and legal representatives.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Louisiana?

You get a Louisiana death certificate from the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, which is part of the Office of Public Health within the Louisiana Department of Health. The Registry keeps the state record for every death registered in Louisiana.

There are four main ways to request a certified copy.

Order online

You can place an order online through VitalChek, the authorized service provider for Louisiana vital records. VitalChek accepts major credit cards and can also be reached by phone at 1-877-605-8562. This is usually the fastest option.

Order by mail

Mail a completed application, a copy of your photo identification, and the correct fees to: Vital Records Registry, PO Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Allow approximately 8 to 10 weeks for mail orders to be processed and returned.

Order in person

You can visit the Vital Records Central Office at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Walk-in hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding state holidays. Bring photo identification and the correct fees. Cash (exact amount), check, and money order are accepted.

Order at a Clerk of Court

For deaths that occurred after July 7, 2012, select Clerks of Court across Louisiana can issue certified death certificates. A Clerk of Court issued death certificate costs $26.00 per copy, more than the $7.00 charged by the state Registry. Availability varies by parish, so confirm with the local clerk before you go.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Louisiana Death Certificate?

Only people with a direct and tangible interest in the record may obtain a certified Louisiana death certificate. Louisiana limits access to protect families and prevent fraud.

Eligible requesters include:

• The surviving spouse of the person named on the certificate
• Parents, adult children, and siblings of the deceased
• Grandparents and grandchildren of the deceased
• Beneficiaries of an insurance policy, trust, pension, or retirement account
• Succession representatives with certified court documentation
• Attorneys and notaries assisting with a small succession
• Other family members named by a court order

Every applicant must show valid photo identification with each request. If you are not on this list, you generally cannot obtain a certified copy while the record is still confidential.

Louisiana Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A certified Louisiana death certificate costs $7.00 per copy. Each additional copy you order at the same time is also $7.00. Mail-in and VitalChek orders add a $0.50 state charge to each order, and VitalChek may add its own service and expedited-shipping fees.

Fees are set by Louisiana statute and are not subject to waiver. They can change during a legislative session, so confirm the current amount before you send payment.

Processing time depends on how you order. Mail requests take about 8 to 10 weeks. Online orders through VitalChek and in-person visits are typically faster, and expedited shipping is available through VitalChek for an extra fee.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Louisiana

Louisiana primarily issues certified copies of death certificates. A certified copy carries the official seal and is the version you need for legal and financial matters such as settling an estate, claiming life insurance, accessing bank accounts, or closing benefits.

Louisiana death records are confidential for 50 years after the year of death. During that period, only eligible requesters can obtain a certified copy.

After 50 years, the record becomes a public record. At that point, older death records are available to anyone through the Louisiana State Archives rather than the Vital Records Registry. These archived records are most often used for genealogy and historical research.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

You can request additional or replacement copies the same way you order the first one: online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person. Each copy from the state Registry is $7.00, whether you order several at once or come back later for more. (A copy issued by a Clerk of Court instead costs $26.00.)

Ordering extra certified copies up front is usually wise. Estates, insurers, banks, and government agencies often each want their own certified copy, and getting them together by mail avoids waiting another 8 to 10 weeks. If you lose a certified copy, you simply order a replacement from the Registry as a new request.

Louisiana Death Certificate Facts

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Vital-records fees, processing times, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify the current requirements directly with the Louisiana Vital Records Registry before ordering.

Sources

This page draws on the Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records Registry ordering instructions, fee schedule, and identification requirements.

Related: Louisiana Death Records and Death Records by State.