Lafayette, Louisiana Death Records
Lafayette death records are available through the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court for deaths that occurred after July 9, 2012. The city has no separate vital records office, so all requests go through the parish clerk. For older deaths, Louisiana Vital Records in New Orleans is the correct source.
Lafayette Death Records Quick Facts
Lafayette Death Records - Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court is the local source for death certificates in Lafayette. The office is at 800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. Phone: (337) 291-6400. For death records specifically, there is a dedicated department line at (337) 291-6432. The website is at lpclerk.com.
Death certificate requests are handled from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. This is a walk-in service only. The clerk does not take appointments for death certificates. You must go in person. No online or mail requests for death certificates are processed at the parish level.
The fee is $26 per certified copy. Cash only. The Lafayette Parish Clerk does not accept checks or credit cards for death certificates. Come prepared with cash. If you forget and need to go to an ATM, the clerk's staff can point you toward nearby options. Each additional copy costs the same $26 amount.
Death certificates from the Lafayette Parish Clerk are only available for deaths that occurred after July 9, 2012. If the death you need occurred before that date, the clerk's office cannot help. Their own website says this clearly: contact Louisiana Vital Records at (504) 593-5100 for any death before that cutoff.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk death certificate page has the official instructions for requesting death records in Lafayette, including hours, fees, and what the office can access.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk death certificate page outlines the walk-in process, the cash-only policy, and the July 2012 cutoff date for records available at the local office.
Who Can Request Lafayette Death Records
Louisiana is a closed-record state under R.S. 40:41. Death records are not public records that anyone can request. Only specific individuals qualify. Those who can apply include the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, and grandparents of the person who died.
The surviving spouse must present a marriage certificate. An adult child needs a birth certificate showing the relationship to the deceased. A legal guardian can request a certificate but must show a court judgment of custody -- a notarized document alone does not meet the requirement. Insurance beneficiaries and succession representatives may also be eligible with appropriate documentation.
Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the Lafayette courthouse. You will fill out an application at the counter and state your relationship to the deceased. Making a false statement on that form is a criminal offense under R.S. 40:61. The penalty can be up to $10,000 in fines or up to five years in prison. The clerk takes this seriously.
Older Lafayette Death Records - Louisiana Vital Records
For deaths before July 9, 2012, you must contact Louisiana Vital Records. The state office holds death records from across Louisiana, not just recent ones. Walk-in service is available in New Orleans, or you can request records by mail.
| Address | 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112 |
|---|---|
| P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160 | |
| Phone | (504) 593-5100 |
| Walk-in Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM |
| Fee | $7 per certified copy |
| Website | ldh.la.gov/vital-records |
Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks to process. For faster service, walk in or 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 base state fee.
Lafayette Death Records - State Archives for Historical Records
For deaths 50 or more years old, the Louisiana State Archives holds microfilmed death certificates. Lafayette Parish records are included in the statewide collection covering deaths from 1911 through 1974.
| Address | 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (225) 922-1000 |
| Research Library | (225) 922-1208 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Research Library closes 4:00 PM) |
| Fee | $5 photocopy / $10 certified copy (includes 3-year surname search) |
| Website | sos.la.gov - Historical Records |
Lafayette Parish Clerk - Online Portal
The Lafayette Parish Clerk has an online portal for certain records at lpclerk.com online portal. Note that the online portal is for searching court records and documents, not for ordering certified death certificates. Death certificates must be requested in person at the Buchanan Street office.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk official website provides full details on all services, locations, and contact information for the office.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk website covers all records services, office hours, locations, and how to reach the department that handles death certificates.
Lafayette Death Records - Legal Framework
Louisiana law governs how death records are issued and accessed across the state. Three statutes are central. R.S. 40:40 sets fees. R.S. 40:41 controls who can access records and sets the 50-year confidentiality period. R.S. 40:32 defines vital records. These rules apply to Lafayette Parish the same way they apply everywhere in the state.
Death records are closed for 50 years from the year of death. After that, they are available through the State Archives as part of the historical record. The cash-only policy at the Lafayette Parish Clerk is a local procedure, not something set by state law, but the eligibility requirements and confidentiality rules are all set at the state level.
Lafayette Parish Death Records Page
Lafayette is in Lafayette Parish. For more on how death records work across the full parish, see the Lafayette Parish death records page.
Nearby Cities
Other Louisiana cities with death records pages: