Access Bossier City Death Records

Bossier City death records are handled by the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court in Benton, Louisiana. Bossier City has no city-level vital records office, so all death certificate requests go through the parish. Bossier City is across the Red River from Shreveport, but records for Bossier City residents are filed in Bossier Parish, not Caddo Parish.

Bossier City Death Records - Bossier Parish Clerk of Court

Bossier City is the second largest city in northwestern Louisiana and sits directly across the Red River from Shreveport. Despite its proximity to Caddo Parish and the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court, Bossier City residents use the Bossier Parish Clerk for death records. The death occurred in the parish where the person lived or died, and for Bossier City, that is Bossier Parish.

The Bossier Parish Clerk of Court is located in Benton, the parish seat, at 204 Burt Boulevard, Benton, LA 71006. Phone: (318) 965-2336. The clerk's website is at bossierclerk.com. Benton is a short drive north from Bossier City. If you are coming from Bossier City, take US-71 or Airline Drive north toward Benton. The clerk's office handles death certificate requests for deaths that occurred in Bossier Parish after July 2012.

The fee for a certified death certificate is $26 per copy. Each additional copy of the same record costs the same amount. You must appear in person. Louisiana does not allow parish-level death certificate requests by mail or online -- you must go to the office. Bring a valid photo ID and documentation showing your relationship to the person who died.

For deaths that happened before July 2012, the Bossier Parish Clerk does not have access to those records. You must contact Louisiana Vital Records in New Orleans for older death certificates. The clerk's office cannot pull records from the state system for dates before the 2012 cutoff.

The Bossier Parish Clerk of Court official website has current information on office hours, contact numbers, and services available for Bossier City death records requests.

The Bossier Parish Clerk website covers vital records services available at the Benton courthouse for Bossier City residents seeking death certificates.

Who Can Request Bossier City Death Records

Louisiana is a closed-record state under R.S. 40:41. Death records are not open to the public. Only qualified individuals can request a certified death certificate. This applies in Bossier Parish the same as anywhere else in the state.

Those who qualify include the surviving spouse of the deceased, adult children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, and grandparents. A surviving spouse must present a marriage certificate. An adult child needs a birth certificate proving the relationship. A legal guardian may also qualify but must bring a court judgment of custody -- a notarized document is not accepted in place of a court order. Beneficiaries named on insurance policies and succession representatives may also be eligible with appropriate documentation.

Making a false statement on a death certificate application is a criminal offense. Louisiana law under R.S. 40:61 sets penalties of up to $10,000 in fines or up to five years in prison. The Bossier Parish Clerk takes these rules seriously and follows state law on eligibility. If you are uncertain whether you qualify, call the office before making the drive to Benton.

Military families at Barksdale Air Force Base, located in Bossier City, should note that a military ID may help in expediting service. Contact the Bossier Parish Clerk directly to ask about any special procedures for active duty military personnel or their families.

Older Bossier City Death Records - Louisiana Vital Records

For deaths before July 2012, you must go through Louisiana Vital Records. The Bossier Parish Clerk cannot access those older records at the parish level. The state Vital Records office holds death records from across Louisiana going back decades.

Bossier City is about 300 miles from New Orleans. Mail requests are an option and take about 8 to 10 weeks. For faster service, use VitalChek at vitalchek.com or (877) 605-8562. VitalChek is the state's authorized online ordering partner and processes requests faster than mail. A service fee applies in addition to the $7 base cost.

Bossier City Death Records - Historical Sources

For deaths 50 or more years old, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds microfilmed death certificates from across the state. Bossier Parish records are included in the statewide microfilm collection covering deaths from 1911 through 1974.

Bossier City Death Records - Legal Framework

Death records in Bossier City and across Louisiana are governed by three key statutes. R.S. 40:40 sets fees for certified copies. R.S. 40:41 defines access rules and the 50-year confidentiality window. R.S. 40:32 defines what a vital record is under Louisiana law. These rules apply statewide and are not subject to local variation.

Death records are closed for 50 years from the year of death. After that period, they become part of the public historical record and can be accessed through the Louisiana State Archives. This means a death from 1975 or earlier may now be accessible, while a death from 2000 would not be.

Bossier Parish Death Records Page

Bossier City is in Bossier Parish. For more on how death records work across the full parish, see the Bossier Parish death records page.

Nearby Cities

Other Louisiana cities with death records pages:

• Shreveport
• Monroe
• Alexandria