The paperwork · Louisiana
Almost everything that comes after a death, from the bank to the life insurance company, asks for a certified copy. Here is what a copy costs in Louisiana, where to order it, and how many to get.
Order about 10 certified copies at the start. It costs less to buy them together than to come back for more later, and nearly every office will want an original, not a photocopy.
From the state vital records office
Cost of a certified copy: $7.00\* Fees for mail-in services are payable by check or money order. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Center of Vital Records and Statistics”. A copy of a valid photo ID for the applicant is required. \\* A $0.50 state charge must be added to each mail-in order.
Mail requests to: Center of Vital Records and Statistics P.O. Box 60630 New Orleans, LA 70160
Death records are strictly confidential and are maintained by the Center of Vital Records and Statistics for 50 years. Death records older than 50 years are retained at the Louisiana State Archives (PO Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804). For more information on who may obtain a death records, how to submit a request, special requirements, and additional information regarding death records, please visit the Louisiana Center of State Registrar and Vital Records Website.
Louisiana Center of State Registrar and Vital Records Website
If the family cannot afford a funeral, call the county burial assistance program before signing anything with a funeral home. Find your county on the Louisiana help page, and see what else is owed to you in the first 48 hours checklist.
Questions families ask
The state vital records office lists the cost of a certified copy as: $7.00\* Fees for mail-in services are payable by check or money order. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Center of Vital Records and Statistics”. A copy of a valid photo ID for the applicant is required. \\* A $0.50 state charge must be added to each mail-in order. Fees can change, so confirm on the official site before you send payment.
Most families need about 10. Banks, life insurance, Social Security, the vehicle title office, retirement accounts, and property transfers each tend to want an original certified copy, and many will not accept a photocopy.
Yes. Funeral homes file the death record for you and can usually order certified copies at the same time. If you are using a county burial program instead, ask the caseworker how copies are ordered.
Eligibility rules are set by Louisiana. Spouses, children, parents, and the executor named in the will are commonly eligible, and you may be asked for photo ID and proof of your relationship. The state office confirms the exact rules.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Costs and rules come from the official Louisiana vital records listing and can change; confirm with the office before you send payment.
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Reviewed by the Final Steps Help research team.
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