St. Bernard Parish Property Records Search
St. Bernard Parish property records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Chalmette, where deeds, mortgages, conveyances, and other land documents are filed and indexed for all real estate in the parish. Located directly east of New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish uses the statewide eClerks LA system for online access, letting you search records by name at no charge. The index points you to document entries so you can then pull full copies through the clerk's office. Searching St. Bernard Parish property records online is a fast way to check ownership or lien history before buying or refinancing.
St. Bernard Parish Quick Facts
St. Bernard Parish Clerk of Court
The St. Bernard Parish Clerk of Court is located at 1101 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette. The clerk's office records all instruments that affect real property in St. Bernard Parish. Deeds, acts of sale, mortgages, liens, and cancellations are all filed here and kept as part of the public record.
Under La. Civ. Code art. 3338, any document affecting immovable property must be recorded in the parish where the land sits. Once recorded, it is a public record that anyone can search and copy. The clerk's office in Chalmette is the official place to file and find all land records for St. Bernard Parish.
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused significant damage to St. Bernard Parish and its records infrastructure. Recovery efforts over the years have restored most records. Some older documents may have been affected by storm damage. If you are searching for records from before 2005 and have trouble finding them, contact the clerk's office directly for guidance on what is available.
| Address | 1101 W St Bernard Hwy, Chalmette, LA 70043 Mailing: P.O. Box 1746, Chalmette, LA 70044 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (504) 271-3434 |
Searching St. Bernard Parish Records Online
The statewide eClerks LA system at eclerksla.com is the best online tool for searching St. Bernard Parish property records. This platform covers many Louisiana parishes and lets you search recorded instruments by name, document type, or date range.
The screenshot below shows the eClerks LA portal, which provides access to Louisiana clerk of court records including those from St. Bernard Parish.
Visit eClerks LA to search St. Bernard Parish property records online.
The eClerks LA portal gives you online access to recorded property instruments from St. Bernard Parish and many other Louisiana parishes.
You can also use ClerkConnect to look up clerk of court records from multiple parishes at once. For assessor and property value data, the statewide portal at qpublic.net/la/laassessors/ links to all 64 Louisiana parish assessor databases.
The St. Bernard Parish Government assessor page at sbpg.net/assessor provides local property value data. The assessor can be reached at (504) 279-6400. You can look up assessed values, owner of record, and legal descriptions for parcels in the parish.
St. Bernard Parish Assessor
The St. Bernard Parish Assessor's office is located at the St. Bernard Parish Government Complex in Chalmette. The assessor can be reached at (504) 279-6400. The assessor's page is at sbpg.net/assessor.
Property is assessed under La. Const. art. VII § 18. Residential homestead property is assessed at 10% of fair market value. Commercial and industrial property is assessed at 15%. Public utility property is assessed at 25%. These rates apply statewide including in St. Bernard Parish.
After Hurricane Katrina, many St. Bernard Parish properties were damaged or destroyed. The parish has undergone significant rebuilding. Property values and assessments have changed considerably since 2005. If you are searching records from the post-Katrina period, be aware that some parcels may show gaps in ownership or value history tied to the storm and its aftermath.
Appeals of assessed values go first to the assessor, then to the Louisiana Tax Commission at latax.state.la.us if the dispute is not resolved.
Types of Property Records in St. Bernard Parish
The St. Bernard Parish Clerk of Court keeps all recorded land instruments. Under La. R.S. 44:1, these are public records open to any person.
- Acts of sale (deeds)
- Mortgages and acts of mortgage
- Mortgage cancellations
- Judgment liens affecting real estate
- Servitudes and right-of-way documents
- Donations of immovable property
- Road dedication documents
- Subdivision plats
- Succession documents affecting land
St. Bernard Parish has both urban and rural land types. The areas near Chalmette are more developed. The lower parts of the parish toward the Gulf are more rural and include marsh and wetland tracts. Wetland property in Louisiana can involve environmental easements and state or federal restrictions. Check for those types of documents in addition to standard deed and mortgage records.
Judgment liens are filed at the clerk's office. Under La. R.S. 44:411, these are public records. A lien can block a clean title transfer. Search for liens before you buy any property in St. Bernard Parish.
The Louisiana State Land Office at doa.la.gov holds original land patents and grants. Some marsh and coastal tracts in St. Bernard Parish may have titles that trace back to early French or Spanish colonial grants, which are in the state land office archives.
Getting Copies of St. Bernard Parish Records
You can get copies of property records at the Clerk of Court office at 1101 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette. Call (504) 271-3434 to check hours and current copy fees before you go. Staff can print plain copies or certified copies with the clerk's seal.
Certified copies are needed for most legal transactions, such as title transfers, estate settlements, or loan closings. Plain copies work for general research. Ask the clerk which type of copy fits your need before you pay.
For records going back before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, check with the clerk's office about availability. Some records from that era were damaged or destroyed. The clerk can tell you what is on file and what may be missing or reconstructed.
Nearby Parishes
St. Bernard Parish borders Orleans Parish to the west and Plaquemines Parish to the south. If your property is near those parish lines, confirm which parish holds the record before you search.