Find Death Records in Union Parish

Union Parish death records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Farmerville, Louisiana, and cover deaths that occurred from January 2012 to the present. If the death you are researching happened before that date, you will need to contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry or the Louisiana State Archives depending on how old the record is.

Union Parish Clerk of Court - Death Records

Death records are now available at the Union Parish Clerk's office from January 2012 to the present. The office is located at 100 East Bayou Street in Farmerville, with a temporary court location at 207 East Bayou Street. Dodi Eubanks has served as Clerk of Court since July 1, 2008. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

All birth and death records are physically in the custody of the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics in New Orleans. The clerk's office acts as a local access point. Birth and death records are confidential and may be obtained only by certain related individuals as defined by state law.

The office also offers 24/7 online records access, e-Filing through eClerks LA, e-Recording, and an online marriage application system. These tools make it easier to handle certain business remotely, though certified death certificate requests still require identity verification in person or by mail.

The Union Parish Clerk of Court website has details on vital records access and all services offered at the Farmerville office.

The site covers vital records information, online services, and contact details for the Union Parish Clerk of Court office.

Union Parish Death Certificate Fees and Eligibility

A certified death certificate costs $26.00 at the Union Parish Clerk's office. Each copy costs the same amount. If you are handling an estate or insurance matter that requires several copies, budget $26 for each one you need.

Louisiana is a closed-record state. Death records are not public records in the same way as property records. Access is limited by law to close family members and legal representatives. Those who qualify include the surviving spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal guardians with a court judgment, insurance beneficiaries, and succession representatives.

You will need to show valid photo identification when you apply. A surviving spouse must also bring a marriage certificate. If you are a legal guardian, a notarized document alone is not enough -- you need a court judgment. The clerk's staff must follow these requirements under state law and cannot make exceptions.

Union Parish Death Records - Statutes and Privacy Rules

Louisiana law sets clear rules on who can get death records and how long they stay sealed. Under R.S. 40:41, death certificates are confidential for 50 years from the year of death. After that window, records become accessible through the Louisiana State Archives.

The Union Parish Clerk's office is explicit about this: you can find death records more than 50 years old at the Louisiana State Archives, and birth records more than 100 years old are also held there. The archives' online index lets you search for records that have passed the confidentiality threshold before making a trip to Baton Rouge.

Fees for vital records are set by R.S. 40:40. Definitions covering what counts as a vital record, including death records, appear in R.S. 40:32. Anyone who knowingly submits false information to get a death certificate can face fines up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison.

Older Union Parish Death Records - State and Historical Sources

For deaths before January 2012, the Union Parish Clerk does not hold records. All others must be obtained through the Louisiana Vital Records Registry or State Regional Centers. You may apply for a certified copy by appearing in person with proper identification, or by mailing a request.

Mail requests to the Vital Records Registry typically take 8 to 10 weeks. For faster service, visit in person or use VitalChek at (877) 605-8562. VitalChek adds a service fee beyond the state's $7 per copy charge.

For very old Union Parish death records -- those that are more than 50 years old -- the Louisiana State Archives holds photocopies and certified copies. Photocopies cost $5 and certified copies cost $10, which includes a three-year surname search. The search can be done in person at the Baton Rouge research library, or you can start with their online index to see if your record is there before visiting.

Online Ordering - Union Parish Death Certificates

The Union Parish Clerk does not offer online ordering for death certificates. For records held by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, VitalChek is the authorized online ordering option. You can reach them at vitalchek.com or call (877) 605-8562.

For deaths from January 2012 forward that are on file with the Union Parish Clerk, in-person or mail requests are required. The office provides 24/7 online access for other public records through their portal, but certified vital records require a formal request process.

Nearby Parishes

Union Parish borders several other Louisiana parishes. Each has its own clerk of court handling death records locally.

• Morehouse Parish
• Ouachita Parish
• Lincoln Parish
• Claiborne Parish
• Jackson Parish