Lafourche Parish Obituary Records

Lafourche Parish obituary records and death certificates are accessible through the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court, which operates three offices across the parish, and the Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. The clerk in Thibodaux offers an online record search portal available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which makes Lafourche Parish one of the easier parishes to search for death-related succession records and civil filings. This page covers what is available, who qualifies to receive certified death certificates, and how to use the online and in-person resources.

Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court Offices

The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court operates three offices to serve residents across this geographically long parish. The main office is temporarily located at 200 W. 2nd Street, 3rd Floor, Thibodaux, LA 70301. The mailing address is PO Box 818, Thibodaux, LA 70302. The Thibodaux office can be reached by phone at 985-447-4841 or toll free at 866-447-4841. Business hours for the Thibodaux office are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Lockport office is at the Lockport Civic Complex, 710 Church Street, Lockport, LA, and can be reached at 985-532-7361. The Galliano office is at 131 East 91st Street, Cut Off, LA 70345, with a phone number of 985-632-8111. Having three locations spread across the parish means residents in the lower parts of Lafourche do not have to drive to Thibodaux for basic clerk services.

For public records requests, email the clerk at clerk@lafourcheclerk.com. The online record system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is especially useful for searches outside of office hours.

The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court website provides access to the online record search and details about each office location.

The Lafourche Clerk's website gives access to the online records portal and provides contact details for all three office locations across the parish.

Online Record Search for Lafourche Parish

The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court offers an online public record search portal for both conveyance and mortgage records and civil and criminal records. Civil and criminal record indexes are available online from July 1, 1982 to the present. Minute entries are available from January 1, 2001 to the present, and document images from March 2018 forward. This makes Lafourche Parish one of the better parishes for online research in Louisiana.

Search fees apply for the online system. A one-day access pass costs $20.00. A 30-day unlimited plan is $50.00. A full-year subscription is $550.00. These subscriptions are useful for attorneys, title companies, genealogists, and anyone who needs regular access to Lafourche Parish court records. Individual searches cost $20.00 per name. Certified copies are $5.00 each, and photocopies are $1.00 per page.

The Lafourche Clerk records search portal provides online access to civil, criminal, conveyance, and mortgage indexes available from 1982 forward for Lafourche Parish.

Note: Online access covers indexes from July 1, 1982. Records before that date require an in-person visit or written request to the clerk's office in Thibodaux.

Succession Records and Death-Related Filings

When a person dies in Lafourche Parish, their estate may go through a succession process in the local courts. The Lafourche Parish Clerk handles these filings as part of its court record responsibilities. A succession for one decedent costs $300.00 through the clerk. A succession involving two decedents costs $500.00. These fees are set by the Louisiana Legislature and apply across the state, with local clerks collecting them as part of their services.

Succession records are part of the public court file and can be searched at the clerk's office or through the online system for filings after 1982. They document the legal transfer of a deceased person's property and assets to heirs. These records often contain useful information for researchers, including the date of death, names of heirs, and details about the deceased person's property in Lafourche Parish.

The Lafourche Clerk contact page lists all three office locations, phone numbers, and email contacts for public records requests and succession inquiries.

Death Certificate Access in Lafourche Parish

Louisiana's closed-record rule under R.S. 40:41 makes death certificates confidential for 50 years after the year of death. During that period, only the surviving spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased may request a certified copy. Attorneys representing eligible parties, succession representatives, and insurance beneficiaries with proper documentation may also qualify.

For deaths on or after July 7, 2012, the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court can issue certified death certificates as a participating Louisiana clerk. The main Thibodaux office at 985-447-4841 handles these requests. This is the fastest option for recent deaths. For older deaths, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans issues certified copies.

After 50 years, Lafourche Parish deaths enter the public domain. The Louisiana Secretary of State's Online Vital Records Index allows anyone to search these older deaths and order copies. Photocopies are $5.00 and certified copies are $10.00, both delivered by mail from Baton Rouge.

Ordering Lafourche Parish Death Certificates Through the State

The Louisiana Vital Records Registry at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112 handles statewide death certificate requests. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mail requests go to PO Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Allow 8 to 10 weeks for mail processing. The base fee is $7.00 plus a $0.50 state charge. Checks and money orders only for mail requests.

Phone and online orders are handled by VitalChek at 1-877-605-8562. VitalChek charges its own processing fees in addition to the state fee. Full ordering details are at ldh.la.gov/page/how-to-order-death-records. Under Louisiana Administrative Code tit. 48, Section V-11707, all requests must state the requestor's relationship to the deceased and include identifying data for the record.

For Lafourche Parish deaths between 1911 and 1974, the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, holds microfilmed certificates. Call (225) 922-1206 or visit sos.la.gov/archives for details. Deaths between 1918 and 1948 should typically be requested from the Archives rather than the current state registry.

Cities in Lafourche Parish

Thibodaux is the parish seat and largest city in Lafourche Parish. Other communities include Lockport, Houma (which is in neighboring Terrebonne Parish), Cut Off, and Golden Meadow. All residents should contact one of the three Clerk of Court offices or the state Vital Records Registry for death record needs.

Nearby Parishes

Lafourche Parish is bordered by several south Louisiana parishes. The links below lead to nearby parish death record pages.