Search Washington Parish Death Records
Washington Parish death records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Franklinton, Louisiana, and cover deaths recorded after July 2012. Deaths that occurred before that date are held by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry or the Louisiana State Archives, depending on how old the record is.
Washington Parish Death Records Quick Facts
Washington Parish Clerk of Court - Death Records
The Washington Parish Clerk of Court in Franklinton handles death certificate requests for deaths within the parish after July 2012. Johnny D. Crain, Jr. serves as the current Clerk of Court. The office is at 908 Washington Street in Franklinton and is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
The clerk's office has recently updated filing procedures. Filing changes went into effect January 1, 2026. Copy fees also increased effective May 1, 2025 -- the price for copies is now $1.00 per page. These changes apply to general public records copies, not to certified vital records certificates, which have fees set by state statute.
Death certificates typically take about 30 days from the date of death to appear in the system. Call ahead before visiting if you are requesting a certificate for a recent death. The office cannot process a request for a record that has not yet been registered.
| Address | 908 Washington Street, Franklinton, LA 70438 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | P.O. Box 607, Franklinton, LA 70438 |
| Phone | (985) 732-7189 |
| Fax | (985) 732-8509 |
| Clerk | Johnny D. Crain, Jr. |
| Website | washingtonparishclerk.org |
The Washington Parish Clerk of Court website has current information on filing changes, fees, and services.
The site posts notices about procedural and fee changes as well as contact information for the Franklinton courthouse.
Washington Parish Death Certificate Fees and Eligibility
A certified death certificate costs $26.00 per copy at the Washington Parish Clerk's office. Each additional copy costs the same amount. If you need several copies for estate or insurance purposes, plan on $26 per copy.
Louisiana is a closed-record state for vital records. Not everyone can request a death certificate. State law limits access to close relatives and legal representatives of the deceased. Those who qualify include the surviving spouse (with marriage certificate), adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal guardians with a court judgment, insurance beneficiaries, and succession representatives.
Bring valid photo ID when you visit. Surviving spouses also need to bring a marriage certificate. Legal guardians must have a court-issued judgment -- a notarized document is not accepted in place of one. These requirements are set by Louisiana state law and are not subject to exceptions at the local level.
Washington Parish Death Records - Statutes and Privacy Rules
Louisiana law controls access to death records statewide. Under R.S. 40:41, death certificates are sealed for 50 years from the year of death. Once that window closes, the records can be accessed at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge.
Submitting false information to obtain a death certificate is a criminal offense in Louisiana. Penalties can include fines up to $10,000 and prison time up to five years. The Washington Parish Clerk's office applies these rules in line with state requirements.
The fee structure for vital records is established by R.S. 40:40. The definition of what constitutes a vital record, including death certificates, is found in R.S. 40:32.
Older Washington Parish Death Records - State and Historical Sources
Deaths before July 2012 are not on file with the Washington Parish Clerk. Those records are held by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. You can request copies in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek.
| 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 requests to the Registry take about 8 to 10 weeks. For faster processing, visit in person or use VitalChek at (877) 605-8562. VitalChek adds a service fee on top of the $7 state fee per copy.
For Washington Parish death records older than 50 years, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge is the appropriate source. You can check their online index before making the trip. Photocopies cost $5 and certified copies cost $10, including a three-year surname search.
| Address | 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (225) 922-1000 |
| Research Library | (225) 922-1208 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri 8AM-4:30PM (Research Library closes 4PM) |
| Fee | $5 photocopy / $10 certified copy (includes 3-year surname search) |
| Website | sos.la.gov - Historical Records |
Online Ordering - Washington Parish Death Certificates
The Washington Parish Clerk does not offer online ordering for death certificates directly. For records in the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, VitalChek is the state's authorized online ordering partner. You can reach them at vitalchek.com or by phone at (877) 605-8562.
For deaths after July 2012 on file with the Washington Parish Clerk, in-person requests at the Franklinton office are the standard method. Call (985) 732-7189 ahead of time to confirm the record is in the system and ask about current wait times.
Nearby Parishes
Washington Parish borders several other Louisiana parishes. Each has its own clerk of court handling death records locally.