Washington Parish Property Records
Washington Parish property records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Franklinton and are open for public inspection and copying. The clerk records deeds, mortgages, conveyances, liens, and other land instruments for all real estate in this southeastern Louisiana parish near the Mississippi border. You can search Washington Parish property records online through the statewide eClerks LA system, which lets you look up document entries by name at no cost. For actual copies -- whether deeds, mortgage releases, or conveyance files -- the Franklinton clerk's office is the official source.
Washington Parish Quick Facts
Washington Parish Clerk of Court
Johnny D. Crain Jr. serves as the Washington Parish Clerk of Court. The clerk's office records and maintains all property instruments for the parish. Under La. Civ. Code art. 3338, a deed, mortgage, or other instrument affecting immovable property must be filed with the clerk in the parish where the land is located to have legal effect against third parties.
The office is at 908-B Washington Street in Franklinton. You can reach the clerk by phone or email before your visit. The office handles recording, certified copies, lien searches, and any other public record request. Keep your parcel number or grantor and grantee names ready. That speeds up the search process.
The screenshot below shows the Washington Parish Clerk of Court homepage at washingtonparishclerk.org.
Source: washingtonparishclerk.org
The clerk's site at washingtonparishclerk.org lists office information, services offered, and links to statewide record search portals that include Washington Parish documents.
| Clerk of Court | Johnny D. Crain Jr. |
|---|---|
| Address |
908-B Washington St. Franklinton, LA 70438 P.O. Box 607 |
| Phone | (985) 839-4663 |
| Fax | (985) 839-3116 |
| washparcoc@yahoo.com | |
| Website | washingtonparishclerk.org |
Online Access to Washington Parish Records
eClerks LA at eclerksla.com covers Washington Parish and provides a statewide index of recorded instruments. This is a free tool. You can search by name and get basic index data on documents filed with the Washington Parish Clerk. It is a good first step before going to the courthouse or ordering copies.
The clerk's own website at washingtonparishclerk.org is also worth checking. It may link to online search tools or give you guidance on how to request records remotely. For older records, an in-person visit may be needed. The courthouse is in Franklinton, and staff can direct you to the right index books or digital files.
Clerk Connect at clerkconnect.com is another statewide portal that may carry Washington Parish data. Use all three tools when doing a thorough title search. Cross-checking sources gives the most complete picture of what is on file.
Washington Parish Assessor
The Washington Parish Assessor maintains valuation records for real property across the parish. Assessor data shows fair market value, assessed value, and homestead exemption status for each parcel. Under La. Const. art. VII § 18, residential homestead property is assessed at 10% of fair market value. Non-homestead property is assessed at 15%, and public service companies at 25%.
The assessor's office is at the Washington Parish Courthouse in Franklinton. Contact the clerk's office at (985) 839-4663 for current assessor contact details. Checking both the clerk and assessor records gives you a full view of any Washington Parish parcel. The assessor data is public and free to review.
Types of Property Records in Washington Parish
The Washington Parish Clerk records all instruments affecting real property. These are public records under La. R.S. 44:1 and are kept permanently under La. R.S. 44:411. Anyone can view or request copies.
Common documents on file in Washington Parish include:
- Acts of sale and cash sale deeds
- Mortgage acts and collateral pledges
- Mortgage cancellations and releases
- Judgments filed as property liens
- Servitudes, rights-of-way, and easements
- Donations and gifts of immovable property
- Succession and estate transfers
- Lis pendens notices
- Timber leases and timber conveyances
- Subdivision plats and boundary agreements
Washington Parish has significant timberland. Timber leases and mineral rights instruments are common in the record set. If you are researching rural tracts, check for these types of documents in addition to the standard deed and mortgage records.
Statewide Property Record Resources
The Louisiana Tax Commission at latax.state.la.us publishes statewide assessment data and tax rolls. This is a useful check on any Washington Parish property. The QPublic portal at qpublic.net/la/laassessors/ may also carry Washington Parish assessor data depending on what the local assessor has submitted.
The Office of State Lands at doa.la.gov/doa/osl/document-access/ holds records for state-owned land. For tracts near state forests in Washington Parish, those records could be relevant. Washington Parish is in the Florida Parishes region and borders Mississippi, so some federal land records may also exist through the Bureau of Land Management.
Louisiana Property Recording Law
Louisiana follows a civil law recording system. Under La. Civ. Code art. 3338, all instruments affecting immovable property must be recorded with the clerk of the parish where the land is located. Recording gives notice to future buyers and lenders. A document that is not recorded may not be enforceable against a third party who records first.
The clerk indexes by grantor and grantee. Title researchers use these indexes to trace ownership from one party to the next over time. For Washington Parish, the courthouse in Franklinton is the place to go for a complete title chain. Online tools can get you started, but the full record set is at the clerk's office.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border Washington Parish. If a property is near a parish line, check records in both clerk's offices.