Louisiana Parish Property Records
Louisiana has 64 parishes, each maintaining its own property records through the parish Clerk of Court and the parish assessor. Select a parish below to find local deed search tools, assessor portals, contact information, and more.
In Louisiana, property records are filed and stored at the parish level. The Clerk of Court records all conveyance and mortgage documents. The assessor sets property values for tax purposes. These two offices work together to form the backbone of the property record system in each parish. This structure comes from Louisiana's civil law tradition, which differs from the common law counties used in the rest of the United States.
Conveyance records document ownership transfers. Mortgage records show liens and encumbrances. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3338, any instrument that transfers immovable property or establishes a real right must be recorded with the clerk to be effective against third parties. An unrecorded deed has no legal effect on outside parties. Recording is what makes a property transfer legally complete in Louisiana.
The Clerk of Court in each parish indexes records by the names of the parties. The assessor's office typically indexes by address and parcel number. If you are searching by address, start with the assessor. If you know a party's name, the clerk's office is the right starting point. Most parishes now offer some level of online access through their own portals or through statewide systems like eClerks LA.
Several parishes have joined the Clerk Connect system, which provides online document access for a subscription fee. Others use the eClerks LA portal for free index searching with paid document images. Some smaller parishes may have limited online access and require in-person or mail requests for records. Check the individual parish page for specific access options and contact information.
Recording fees vary by parish but follow a general fee structure set by state law. Under Act 173 of 2017, the base fee for recording a document of one to five pages is typically around $105 to $110. Longer documents cost more. Each parish may also charge additional fees for indexing, certification, or special services. Contact the clerk in the parish where the property is located to confirm current fees before submitting any documents.
Original documents submitted for recording are not returned. They become part of the permanent parish archives. Under La. R.S. 44:411, conveyance and mortgage records must be kept permanently. These records are a complete historical record of every property transfer in each Louisiana parish going back to when the parish was formed.
Note: Louisiana uses the term "parish" instead of "county." All 64 parishes are listed below in alphabetical order.