Jefferson Parish Death Records
Jefferson Parish death records are available at three Clerk of Court locations across the parish, where eligible family members and authorized representatives can obtain certified death certificates in person for deaths occurring after July 2012, with the Louisiana Vital Records Registry handling older records and remote requests.
Jefferson Parish Death Records Quick Facts
Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court
Clerk Jon A. Gegenheimer oversees the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, which partners with the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Records to offer death certificate service at three separate locations across the parish. That's unusual for Louisiana, where most parishes have just one clerk location. Jefferson Parish serves a large and spread-out population on both sides of the Mississippi River, which is why multiple offices are available.
Applicants must appear in person. No appointments are necessary. Cash, check, or money order are the accepted forms of payment. The fee is $26 per death certificate. You'll need to show identification and confirm your eligibility under Louisiana's closed-record rules before the clerk will process your request.
- Main Office: 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, LA 70053
- Mailing: P.O. Box 10, Gretna, LA 70054
- Phone (Main): (504) 364-2900
- Website: jpclerkofcourt.us
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
The screenshot below shows the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's official website, which lists services and office details.
Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court official website
This site lists all three office locations, their hours, and information about services including death certificate requests and vital records access.
Three Office Locations for Death Certificates
Jefferson Parish residents don't have to make the trip to Gretna if another location is closer. Death certificate service is available at three distinct parish clerk locations, all operating Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The First Parish Court in Metairie is located at 924 David Drive, Metairie, LA 70003. Phone: (504) 736-8972. This is often the most convenient option for East Bank residents. The Second Parish Court in Gretna is at 100 Huey P. Long Avenue, Gretna, LA 70053. The Juvenile Court office in Harvey is at 1546 Gretna Boulevard, Harvey, LA 70058. If you're unsure which location is best for your needs, call the main number at (504) 364-2900 and ask before you drive over.
Jefferson Parish Health Unit
The Jefferson Parish Health Unit operates under the Louisiana Department of Health at 1855 Ames Boulevard, Marrero, LA 70072. Phone: (504) 349-8855. The health unit handles public health services and can answer general vital records questions, but certified death certificate copies need to come from the Clerk of Court or the state Vital Records Registry directly.
Who Can Request a Jefferson Parish Death Certificate
Louisiana treats death records as closed. They are not public until 50 years after the date of death. Before that, access is limited to people with a defined legal or family connection to the deceased.
Eligible requestors include immediate family members such as adult children, the legal spouse, siblings, parents, adult grandchildren, and grandparents. Legal guardians may request with a certified custody judgment. Non-family members may request with proper letters of authorization. Authorized legal representatives with documentation of their role, including attorneys who provide their bar roll number, may also request. Insurance beneficiaries who show a signed copy of the relevant policy and succession representatives with certified letters of testamentary or administration are also eligible. Licensed funeral directors can request within the first year after death.
The clerk's office will verify your identity and your connection to the record before issuing any certificate. Suspicious or potentially fraudulent requests will be refused.
Notes on Record Updates
Most birth records prior to 1983 may require electronic updating by the Bureau of Vital Statistics, which can take up to an hour. Applications requiring updates must be submitted before 3:00 PM daily. This applies to birth records, not death certificates. It's worth knowing if you plan to request both in one visit. For death certificates specifically, the same-day processing rules apply without this complication.
Deaths Before July 2012
For deaths that occurred before July 9, 2012, the Jefferson Parish Clerk's offices cannot issue certified copies. Those records are held by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. The state charges $7 per copy and accepts both walk-in and mail requests. Mail orders take 8 to 10 weeks.
State office address: 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Mailing: P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Phone: (504) 593-5100. Walk-in hours: 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Main portal: ldh.la.gov/vital-records.
The state's certificate request page, shown below, walks through the process for requesting a death certificate at the state level.
Louisiana death certificate service request page at ldh.la.gov
This page from the Louisiana Department of Health explains how to submit a request for a death certificate at the state level, which is the right route when the local parish office can't help.
Historical Records at the State Archives
For deaths 50 years old or older, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge is the right place to look. Their research library can be reached at (225) 922-1208, and their address is 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge. The online public vital records index is at sos.la.gov. Photocopy fees are $5, and certified copies are $10 with a three-year search included. VitalChek is available for authorized online ordering with expedited options for an added fee.
Relevant Louisiana Statutes
Death records in Louisiana are governed by R.S. 40:40 for fees and R.S. 40:41 for access rules. These statutes establish the 50-year confidentiality period and define who may request certified copies. They apply in Jefferson Parish just as they do throughout Louisiana. Providing false information to obtain a certificate is a criminal offense under state law.
Cities in Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish includes several large communities on both the East Bank and West Bank of the Mississippi River. The following cities have dedicated death records pages:
Other communities in the parish including Westwego, Harvey, Elmwood, and Avondale do not have separate city pages. Residents there should use one of the three Clerk of Court locations listed above.
Nearby Parishes
Jefferson Parish borders several other southeast Louisiana parishes. Records for people who lived near parish boundaries may be found in neighboring offices: