Jackson Parish Death Records
Jackson Parish death records are accessible through the Clerk of Court in Jonesboro, which provides in-person death certificate services connected to the Louisiana Vital Records system for deaths occurring after July 2012, with older records available through the Louisiana State Archives and Vital Records Registry.
Jackson Parish Death Records Quick Facts
Jackson Parish Clerk of Court
Clerk Rachel Shively oversees the Jackson Parish Clerk of Court office in Jonesboro, which provides access to birth and death certificates through the Louisiana Vital Records system. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. In-person requests are the only option at the local level. You'll need valid photo identification and proof of your relationship to the deceased before the clerk can process your request.
The office has maintained parish records since Jackson Parish's founding in 1845. Marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records from that era are on file. Death certificates, though, are limited to those registered after July 9, 2012. For older death records, you'll need to go through the state.
- Address: 500 E. Court Street, Jonesboro, LA 71251
- Mailing: P.O. Box 730, Jonesboro, LA 71251
- Phone: (318) 259-2424
- Fax: (318) 259-5570
- Website: jacksonparishclerk.com
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
How to Get a Death Certificate
Walk into the clerk's office on East Court Street in Jonesboro during business hours. Bring a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. You'll also need documentation showing your relationship to the person named on the certificate. If you're an attorney, bring your bar roll number. If you're a succession representative, bring your certified letters of testamentary or administration.
The fee is $26 per certificate. Confirm payment method with the office when you call ahead, as most parish clerks in Louisiana accept cash and money orders. Processing is typically done the same day for in-person requests.
Who Is Eligible to Request Records
Louisiana law restricts access to death records. They are closed to the public for 50 years from the date of death. Only specific individuals may request certified copies before that period ends.
Eligible parties include the surviving spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased. Legal guardians with a certified custody judgment may also request. Attorneys with an active bar roll number, insurance beneficiaries with a signed policy copy, succession representatives, and licensed funeral directors within one year of the death may all request as well. If you don't fall into one of these groups, you'll need to wait until the record is 50 years old. At that point, it becomes available through the Louisiana State Archives.
Louisiana State Archives for Historical Records
Jackson Parish was created on February 27, 1845, and named for President Andrew Jackson. Statewide registration of deaths started in 1914. Records from 1845 to 1913 exist at the parish level, but documentation can be spotty for deaths in that early period. Church records, cemetery files, and old probate documents may help fill gaps.
For death records 50 years old or older, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds an indexed database. The archives research library number is (225) 922-1208, and their address is 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge. The online death records index can be searched at sos.la.gov.
Photocopy fees at the archives are $5 per page, and certified copies cost $10 with a three-year search. The online index shown below allows researchers to look up historical death records for Jackson Parish and other Louisiana parishes from home before making a trip to Baton Rouge.
Louisiana State Archives online death records index
This index covers death records that have passed the 50-year confidentiality period and are now publicly accessible through the archives.
Louisiana Vital Records Registry
For deaths that occurred before July 2012, contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. The state office handles statewide requests for certified copies and charges $7 per copy, which is less than the local parish fee of $26.
The state office is located at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Walk-in hours are 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Mail orders typically take 8 to 10 weeks. Call (504) 593-5100 for help. The portal is at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.
The screenshot below shows the Louisiana Vital Records portal where Jackson Parish residents can access state-level vital records services.
Louisiana Vital Records Registry portal
This portal covers both walk-in and mail request processes for certified death certificates for Jackson Parish and all other Louisiana parishes.
Online Options
The Jackson Parish Clerk of Court does not offer online death certificate ordering. The state Vital Records Registry accepts mail requests for those who can't visit either Jonesboro or New Orleans. VitalChek is an authorized online ordering platform with faster processing times. They charge a service fee on top of the state's $7 base charge.
Relevant Statutes
Death record access in Louisiana is defined by R.S. 40:40, which covers the fees for certified copies, and R.S. 40:41, which sets the rules for who may access them. These statutes apply uniformly across all Louisiana parishes. Submitting false information to obtain a death certificate is a criminal offense and may result in fines or imprisonment.
Cities in Jackson Parish
Jonesboro is the parish seat and main community in Jackson Parish. No cities in this parish currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. Residents throughout the parish, including those in Hodge, Chatham, and Quitman, should contact the Clerk of Court in Jonesboro for death record requests.
Nearby Parishes
Jackson Parish is in north-central Louisiana. Its neighboring parishes and their clerk offices may be relevant when researching records across parish lines: