Deeds, mortgages, conveyances and recorded instruments via Louisiana Clerks of Court (parishes) and the Orleans Parish Land Records Division.
How to Search Louisiana Recorded Documents (Start Here)
Recorded documents in Louisiana — deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other land records — are filed with the Clerk of Court (Conveyance Office) in each parish.
What this page covers: Louisiana recorded document searches — deeds, mortgages, assignments, liens, plats, and other instruments filed in the public land records. What it does not cover: Property valuations or tax data (those are on the Property Records page).
Where to start: Go to the Clerk of Court (Conveyance Office) in the parish where the property is located. Many parish clerk of court (conveyance office)s offer online document search by grantor/grantee name, book/page, or instrument number.
Common mistake: Recorded documents show what was filed — they do not confirm current ownership or lien status without a full title search. A deed in the index does not mean it is the most recent transfer.
County equivalent
Parish (64 parishes)
Recorder of deeds
Parish Clerk of Court (Custodian of Notarial Records in Orleans)
Indexed in
Mortgage Records + Conveyance Records (two parallel books)
UCC-1 (non-real-estate)
Louisiana Secretary of State
Legal system
Civil law (Napoleonic Code), not common law
Number of parishes
64
How Louisiana Recorded Documents Work — Deep Dive
Parish Clerks of Court — Louisiana's recorder of deeds
Each of Louisiana's 64 parishes elects a Clerk of Court who serves as the recorder of real-property and related documents. Jefferson Parish's Mortgage & Conveyance/UCC division publishes a full description of the document types handled — sales, mortgages, building contracts, judgments, oil-and-gas leases — and the indexing scheme [jpclerkofcourt.us]. Calcasieu Parish maintains a UCC records portal showing the typical fee schedule and how to request certified copies [calcasieuclerk.gov]. Smaller parishes (e.g., Natchitoches, Bienville) provide in-person and limited online access to their indexes.
Two parallel indexes — Mortgages and Conveyances
Unlike most states' single grantor/grantee index, Louisiana law preserves the historic French-civil-law division between the Mortgage Records (covering mortgages, judicial liens, building-contract bonds, and other security devices) and the Conveyance Records (covering sales, donations, exchanges, leases over 90 days, and other transfers of ownership). A title examiner must search both books in the parish where the property is located. Each book is independently indexed by name, instrument type and date.
UCC and business filings — Secretary of State
While mortgages on real property and fixture filings are recorded with the parish Clerk of Court, freestanding UCC-1 financing statements on personal property (equipment, inventory, accounts) are filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State through the File UCC Online portal. Searches of pending and lapsed UCCs are available there as well — this is the same office that handles corporate, LLC and nonprofit filings.
Frequently Asked Questions: Louisiana Recorded Documents
Does Louisiana use counties or parishes?▼
Parishes. Louisiana is the only U.S. state that does not use the term "county" — its 64 subdivisions are called parishes, a legacy of its French/Spanish colonial church-parish boundaries.
Who records deeds and mortgages in Louisiana?▼
The elected Clerk of Court in each of Louisiana's 64 parishes is the recorder of deeds and mortgages. In Orleans Parish the function is split with the Custodian of Notarial Records and the Land Records Division [jpclerkofcourt.us].
What's the difference between Mortgage Records and Conveyance Records?▼
Conveyance Records hold transfers of ownership (sales, donations, exchanges, long leases). Mortgage Records hold encumbrances and security interests (mortgages, judicial liens, surety bonds). Louisiana title examiners must check both — the indexes are independent.
Where do I file or search a UCC-1 in Louisiana?▼
Statewide UCC-1 financing statements (non-real-estate) are filed and searched at the Louisiana Secretary of State File UCC Online portal.
Are Louisiana parish records online?▼
Larger parishes (Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, Caddo, Lafayette, Calcasieu, Orleans) publish online indexes; many require a paid subscription to view document images. Smaller parishes are typically search-in-person at the Clerk of Court office.
Last reviewed:
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Louisiana recorded documents URL verified against the official state publisher at www.sos.la.gov on the review date. 6 primary .gov sources cited below.
Louisiana Recorded Documents — Key Facts (2026)
Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, liens, military discharges in Louisiana — what gets recorded and where in 2026.
County
Where deeds live
Permanent record
SoS
Where UCC live
Secretary of State
Article 9
UCC governs
Secured transactions
Public
Most recorded docs
With redaction
Federal
DD-214 / IRS liens
National-level
Common recorded document types — typical volume
Deeds
100
Mortgages
95
Liens (property)
70
UCC (business)
55
Powers of attorney
25
Military DD-214
10
Unit: relative volume (deeds=100).
What Changed in 2026 — Louisiana Recorded Documents
2026
Louisiana recorded documents portal active
The official Louisiana portal at www.sos.la.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for recorded documents in 2026.
For 2026, Louisiana continues to publish recorded documents information through state-authorized portals; check www.sos.la.gov for current fees and processing times.
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Louisiana's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for additional official portals.
ANY DOCUMENT FILED FOR RECORDATION MUST BE EITHER LETTER OR LEGAL SIZE · New Fee Schedule to download a PDF copy of our Fees effective on July 1, 2024 · Civil Fees to download a PDF copy of our Fees effective on ... The Desoto Parish, Louisiana Clerk of Court is pleased ...
The Recording Department receives, files and records all land records, UCC filings and miscellaneous documents . They issue marriage licenses and birth certificates. These records include all land records. RECORDING FEES JACKSON PARISH CLERK OF COURT Effective Date: August 1, 2017 ACT 173 of ...
The office records all real estate transfers, mortgages, liens, judgments, releases, etc. affecting all immovable property located in Jefferson Parish. Additionally, the office records military discharges, medical certificates, corporation charters, partnerships, business trade name affidavits, and documents concerning oil and gas or other mineral leases, interest transfers, and liens.
The Recording Desk is where conveyances, mortgages, and other documents become part of the public records of Livingston Parish . When a document is received at the recording desk, the deputy clerk stamps it with a unique instrument number and an Index Book and Page number.
The First City Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana is a court of limited jurisdiction. The territorial jurisdiction of First City Court is the Eastbank of Orleans Parish. The First City Court Clerk's Office is the clerical and processing branch of the First City Court. The Clerk's Office is the initial step when filing lawsuits within the jurisdiction of First City Court. The office is charged with the responsibility of recording, filing, and maintaining the proceedings of First City Court and is the repository of the court’s case files, dockets, and other journals relating…
We strongly encourage all residents to sign up for eClerksLA Alerts, which offers the ability to receive recording alerts across all 64 Louisiana parishes with a single account. ... Monitor recording activity on your property and identity with Recording Activity Alerts from the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court.
For your benefit, you will find ... transaction or recording will be located on the fees page. Please Note: We cannot respond to specific or general legal questions or issues. We can only respond to specific questions about the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court...
Welcome to the Clerk of Court Office where we provide timely access to those in need of records, information, and documents. Know where to Vote Check Your Court Date Fraud Alerts Public Notices · The Clerk of Court’s office does not receive ad valorem taxes. Our office operates through fees collected for the services we provide. The fee schedules are set by the Louisiana Legislature. "The Iberia Parish Clerk of Court Office is dedicated to serving those within the court and legal system.
Yes, even our oldest indices and record book images are online. Click the tab “Index Prior to 1964” to search and view: Conveyance Indices and Images from 1843–1963 & Mortgage Indices and Images from 1843–1968. The following address is a link to the Louisiana Clerks of Court Statewide Portal to access Conveyance & Mortgage Indices and Marriage Indices for participating parishes. Document ...
The Clerk's Office keeps the records for Caddo Parish, including Mortgages, Conveyances, Marriage Licenses, Civil Suits, Criminal Cases, and Minutes for the First Judicial District Court . We are also responsible for training election commissioners and tabulating election results for the parish.
It is our goal to bring the information you need to your office thus saving you the time and expense of visiting ours. We are delighted to provide this new and improved service to users of our office. If we can assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court is located in the parish seat of Lafayette. Lafayette Parish is one of the three parishes of the Fifteenth Judicial District of Louisiana .
