How Louisiana Death Records Work
Louisiana keeps death records closed for 50 years from the end of the death year, restricted to an enumerated family list, beneficiaries, and attorneys. Open records shift to the State Archives. No informational copies inside the window.
The central registry sits in New Orleans, not Baton Rouge — and deaths open at 50 years while births wait 100. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.
Where to Order
Louisiana Vital Records Registry (LDH)
Official Free
Where the official record lives. Current forms, fees, and who-can-order rules, direct from the custodian.
CDC — Where to Write for Vital Records
Official Free
The federal directory of every state's vital records office — the authoritative answer to 'where do I order' for any state and any year.
Louisiana Secretary of State Vital Records Index
Official Free
The Louisiana Secretary of State runs a free online index of deaths past the 50-year line.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Louisiana death certificates become public?
Louisiana keeps death records closed for 50 years from the end of the death year, restricted to an enumerated family list, beneficiaries, and attorneys.
What can non-family requesters get?
No informational copies inside the window.
Can I search Louisiana deaths online for free?
The Louisiana Secretary of State runs a free online index of deaths past the 50-year line.
What if I just need to confirm a death or find an obituary?
Skip the certificate entirely: newspaper obituaries (many are indexed by library databases), the Social Security death index carried on the big genealogy platforms, and probate case files in the county court that handled the estate all confirm a death without touching the restricted certificate.
Related Louisiana Records
The Louisiana vital records page covers the full birth-marriage-death picture; birth certificates follow their own (usually longer) privacy clock; probate lives in Louisiana court records; and people search shows how death records fit a full person lookup. County pages list the local offices that issue copies.