Free Louisiana State Records: Marriage, Divorce, Warrant & More

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Free Louisiana Records Page Search

Access Louisiana Records: warrants, divorce and marriage, arrests, driver's license, and all public records.

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The Louisiana Public Records Act of 1940 allowed all state citizens to check and access free public records through repositories hosted by state, county and municipal agencies.¹ However, knowing where and how to access Louisiana state records is the key to success as there are so many records on file and countless agencies to check with.

This resource provides guidance on navigating various state agencies so citizens can quickly and easily find free information about divorces, marriages, arrests, warrants, criminal records and more. Simply find the record type you’re looking for below and either navigate the agencies’ online database (if available) or get ahold of them in-person, over the phone of via mail.

Louisiana Public Record Requests

The Louisiana State Record Act has not been revised since its enactment in 1940. However, the new Louisiana constitution of 1974 entrenched the presumption of transparency of public information. The Act states that, except in instances prescribed by law, no one shall be denied access to public materials.²

In Louisiana, citizens can access and check public records, which include:

• Court Records
• Criminal Records
• Inmate Details
• Vital Records (e.g., Death, Birth, Marriage & Divorce)

To get the correct information, citizens should know where to search public records, understand the right government body, jail or prison, geographic location, type of court, etc.

There are quite a number of platforms where citizens can search for public records in Louisiana. Some are free, while others are paid versions.

It’s good to try the free methods, as no cost is incurred, but they have drawbacks like some of them are outdated, not always reliable, might miss some crucial information, or one might spend quite a bit of time with little or no results.

On the other hand, the paid methods to check Louisiana state records are, in many ways, the best option as they show all the records a state citizen wants to know about.

They often provide the most current and legally-accurate information in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Louisiana Criminal Record Checks

The state has a system known as the Louisiana Computerized Criminal History System (LACCH). It contains all criminal records, like incarceration, arrest, and disposition information, on all people that have been in a criminal altercation with the state.

The system has data on those who have applied for positions that need fingerprints for background checks.

The Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, which is the custodian of this system, says its purpose is to collect up-to-date, comprehensive, and most accurate disposition and arrest data for all individuals arrested in the state and make it available to all criminal justice authorities in the state.

The criminal record in Louisiana consists of the following individual details:

• Full Name & Aliases
• Date of Birth
• Conviction Status
• A Photograph or Mugshot
• Physical Description (Tattoos, Race, Sex, Height, etc.)
• Pending Charges
• Post-conviction Status
• The Police Department, State Police, Department of Arrest, etc.
• Current & Past Warrants
• Fingerprints³

These criminal records are helpful to individuals, institutions, or businesses that want to conduct a background check for employees, tenants, locate spouse records, etc.

Consequently, they help reduce criminal activities like abuse, theft, fraud, and violence.

Can Anyone Access Louisiana Criminal Records?

Because Louisiana is a closed records state, the general public cannot receive criminal records from the record keeper directly.

The Bureau of Criminal Identification & Information (BCI), on the other hand, transmits Louisiana criminal records to agencies and corporations that are authorized to conduct background checks in the state.

If one wants to access criminal records for a certain individual, this can be done by contacting an authorized background check agency. Because of the limitations on obtaining criminal records and other police documents in Louisiana, public requesters have increasingly relied on third-party websites to access Louisiana criminal records. These websites are run by firms that get official criminal records.

However, some use the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain criminal records from public domains.⁴

How To Access Criminal Records in Louisiana (LA)

Authorized agencies and individuals requesting their own records can access the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information portal to check the official criminal records through the Louisiana State Police; and the three methods to do so is outlined below.

However, individual’s can access other people’s records through other agencies and courts. To find criminal and arrest records in Louisiana, you can contact the relevant state and local agencies, such as the local police departments and the sheriff’s office where the arrest occurred.

Many of these agencies provide methods for obtaining criminal records, either through online databases, in person, by phone, or by mail. You can often find contact information and details on how to access arrest logs and records throughout Louisiana on the official websites of these law enforcement agencies.

Internet Background Check

Any authorized agency can perform an internet background check for criminal information in Louisiana state.

It is important to note that this online method requires account creation on the Louisiana State Police website. Additionally, new users should get authorization from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety before creating their online accounts.

One name-based search for criminal records costs $26.

Mailing Background Check

If in-state agencies or employees want to check criminal records in Louisiana, they should fill out the authorization form. They should also fill in the disclosure form and attach it with the request for payment proof.

One should then package the documents in a self-addressed envelope and send it to the following address:

Louisiana State Police
Bureau of Criminal Identification & Information
P.O. Box 66614 (Mail Slip A-6)
Baton Rouge, LA 70896

In Person Background Check

Those who want to review or check criminal records by themselves can do so by visiting the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in person at the address below:

Louisiana State Police
Bureau of Criminal Identification & Information
7919 Independence Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA

For the above three methods, the requirements are the same. Individuals who want to request criminal records must provide payment in the form of a business check, money order, or cashier’s check.

The bureau charges $10 for fingerprints and $26 for processing Louisiana criminal records. For self-requesters, they should present a driving license or state-issued photo ID for their request to be processed.

On average, mail-in requests can take up to 21 days to process, but they can take 15 days. One may also be required to pay a small fee to get a criminal record check, and this applies to all the three methods stated above.

A requester can wait for the custodian to grant a waiver to access the criminal records for free. This is rare, though. Another free method is to access a third party for a public criminal records check. However, with these free methods, as stated earlier, accuracy is close to impossible and might be illegal at the same time.

Best Way To Find Mugshots in Louisiana

To access and check mugshots in Louisiana for free, one can go to the Department of Public Safety & Corrections website, their local police department’s site, or the local sheriff’s office site.⁵ Most of these sites have a system updated every 24 hours to ensure anyone can locate timely data.

Mugshots of Louisiana arrestees can be found using VINELink. All a person has to do is type in a name and click “Search.” The system will generate the data that includes the mugshot of the individual in question. However, not all individual records contain a mugshot. In that case, one can try third-party agencies that offer more comprehensive searches.

Who Can Obtain Juvenile Criminal Records in Louisiana?

Records about juvenile court procedures are protected under Children’s Code Article 412. Only the juvenile court has the authority to allow the dissemination of documents resulting from court proceedings.⁶

Even so, most juvenile records in Louisiana can be purged and sealed under Louisiana law. If the records are expunged and sealed, there will be no record of the involvement with the juvenile court system. Records and reports from arresting agencies, such as sheriff’s offices and other authorities, are included.

How To Check if You Have a Warrant in Louisiana for Free (Search Anyone Wanted)

A warrant or outstanding warrant can be found using official government portals such as the State Police or the Court.

Individuals can also check official Parish websites for law enforcement pages, such as the sheriff’s office or other police departments. Searchers may look up a warrant through the Louisiana Department of Public Safety.

To do so, they are required to download the right to review form and the right to the disclosure form.

Like the background check, a warrant search costs $26 to process and $10 for fingerprints.

Warrants can also be searched using the Computerized Criminal History (CCH) system. This is an internet-based criminal background check and name-based.

One can also get the warrant case data from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. The data contains the list of the warrant cases, race, birth state, occupation, etc.

Some sheriff’s offices allow citizens to request a warrant in Louisiana. For example, one can do a background check at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, which may have a pending warrant.

One can contact their local sheriff’s office using the Louisiana Sherriff’s Directory. They can also reach out to any other law enforcement body in their parishes for more extensive details.

Another way to search for a warrant in Louisiana is by using the courts or Clerk of Courts. The Louisiana District Court Judicial District Map may be utilized for this type of search. This map helps to locate the judicial courts in each district.

To access the Clerk of Courts’ information, citizens can search using their respective pages for Parish Court, District Court, or City Court.

Third-party websites also keep track of warrants issued or executed in various jurisdictions. While third-party sites make it much easier to acquire these records, the information available on the sites may differ because they are not government-run sources.⁷

The third-party websites may require the following details to process a warrant request:

• Warrant issuing location
• The suspect’s personal details
• Details for the issuing law officer

How Do I Search for Louisiana Sex Offenders?

All states in the United States, including Louisiana, have a registry of registered sex offenders made public after Megan’s Law was passed in 1996.

According to Louisiana sexual offender registration regulations, offenders must register with the sheriff’s office in their respective counties. An offender is booked into this crime registry if they have been involved in the following crimes in Louisiana:

• Molestation
• Kidnapping Children
• Aggravated Rape or Rape
• Children Trafficking
• Sexual Battery

Juvenile sex offenders, who are 14 years of age or older, are also required to register if they are proven to have committed the crimes below:

• Aggravated Kidnapping
• Rape
• Any other sexual crime committed against children under the age of 13 years
• They have been convicted of second-degree kidnapping or other sex offenses

If sex offenders fail to register, they can be fined and sentenced to up to 20 years in jail with hard labor.⁸

The following are steps to conducting an official search in the Louisiana sex offenders’ registry:

• One may go to the official Louisiana State Police online portal.
• Searchers may click on the “BEGIN SEARCHING FOR OFFENDERS” button below the header.
• One is required to read and accept the “Conditions of Use.”
• Then click on “I Agree” and select “Submit.” Searchers will be redirected to Icrime Watch.
• Individuals are required to choose their respective parish found on the sex offenders’ map.
• Next is to click “Click Here to Search for Offenders in Your Area.”
• To finalize the search, one is supposed to fill in all the required details and then click “Search.”

The steps above will only allow requesters to get sex offenders’ information within a specific perimeter.

By entering the relevant information and selecting Search, an individual may also use the City, Non-Compliant, Phone Number, Name, and Email search tabs. While these search results are more targeted, the local sweep is the best for keeping tabs on the safety of your community.

An individual searching Louisiana’s official sex offender registry on their own can be confusing and time-consuming. A third-party website may have a better solution that will give requesters peace of mind while also saving you time.

How To Run a Louisiana Background Check on Yourself or Someone Else

A person can receive an accurate copy of their criminal background by using their “Right to Review” through two methods. In addition to the methods to follow in this section, individuals can perform a public record search through the agencies seen here or through third party providers — which are both forms of background checks.

However, these personal screenings done out of  curiosity can only be done for personal reasons. For screenings that assess a person’s eligibility or creditworthiness, such as for employment, volunteer positions, insurance, extending credit and more, these must be done through the Louisiana State Police or a Consumer Reporting Agency as outlined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

In-Person: One must bring a $26 money order, business check, or cashier’s check for processing and a $10 cashier’s check, money order, or business check to facilitate fingerprinting at the Louisiana State Police Headquarters located at 7919 Independence Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA. Both are made payable to the State’s Department of Public Safety.

Individuals should note that cash or personal checks will not be accepted while searching for any Louisiana state records.

A driver’s license or a valid state-issued ID is required. The service is available from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

If an individual arrives before 3:00 p.m., they may wait and take the certified copy of the response with them, but if they arrive after that time, their response will be mailed to them, or they may return the next working day and pick it up.

By Mail: One must mail an authorization form, a set of fingerprints, and a rap disclosure form, and this costs $26 in the form of a cashier’s check, business check, or money order to:

Bureau of Criminal Identification
P.O. Box 66614 Mail Slip A-6
Baton Rouge, LA 70896

When the payment is entered into our receiving system, the shipping process takes around 15–21 business days. With one credit card purchase, the system permits up to twenty background requests at once.

For Internet-based name checks, agencies authorized to use the Internet-Based Background Check system can submit information via the internet and receive an instant answer if no criminal history information exists.

LA Court Records & Judiciary System

Court documents might be difficult to get because they are typically kept across multiple courts in Louisiana.

Court records may contain the following information:

• Orders of the Court
• Dockets
• Case Files
• Witness Documents
• Jury Records
• Court Minutes
• Judgment Details

There are different levels of courts in Louisiana, and the types of cases they handle are as follows:

Supreme Court: This court handles cases like:

• Appeal by right for limited criminal, civil, administrative agency, and writ
• Appeal by Permission from criminal, civil, and administrative agencies
• Exclusive Death Penalty
• The certified question, exclusive bar judiciary
• Interlocutory appeals in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings

Courts of Appeal: These courts handle appeals by right for:

• Writ
• Civil Cases
• Administrative Agency
• Criminal Cases

District Court: Handles jury trials most of the time, like:

• Torts, Contracts, Civil Appeals, Real Estate & Mental Health
• Exclusive Probate/Estate & Other Civil Matters
• Misdemeanor, Criminal Appeals & Felony Cases
• Traffic and Other Infractions
• Domestic Relations
• Juvenile Issue

Juvenile Court: This court does not hear jury cases. The types of cases include:

• Mental Health
• Adoption
• Matters Relating to Juveniles
• Support

Family Courts: Hears cases on issues relating to:

• Domestic Issues
• Juveniles
• Domestic Relations
• Mental Health

Mayor’s Court: Types of cases may include:

• Traffic Violations
• Other Violations

City and Parish Courts: Hears cases of:

• Contract Disputes that are not over $50,000
• Small Claims not Exceeding $3,000
• Tort
• Conduct Minor Trials
• Juvenile Matters
• Civil Appeals
• Traffic Violations

Justice of the Peace Court: Handles the following cases:

• Civil Lawsuits
• Contract Disputes
• Traffic Violations
• Small Claims – $3000⁹

How Can You Look Up Court Cases in Louisiana?

It might be difficult to obtain court case records in Louisiana. Some courts offer online services, while others do not. Case records can be accessed through the Appellate Court’s Case Search. Records can be searched by subject’s case number, district court no., litigant’s name or attorney barroll no./year.

If people can’t locate the records, or if they are looking for them online, they may go to the courthouse or phone the Clerk of Courts to request them instead. District and family court records are typically found in this manner.

To get justice of peace, city, or parish court records, one can contact the parish clerk of courts. For instance, searches can get Ascension parish court records by contacting the Ascension Clerk of Courts.

Individuals can access the Louisiana Supreme Court cases using the official search tool. The cases detailed here are those available to public citizens.

To find Court of Appeal cases, searchers may contact the records custodian (First Circuit) to access the case files. Some court circuits have online portals to search for public case records. On the other hand, the mayor’s offices are the custodians of their court cases.

Traditional government sources, as well as third-party websites and organizations, provide access to public documents. In many circumstances, third-party websites facilitate the search because they are not geographically or technologically limited. They are regarded as an excellent place to begin when looking for a certain record or a set of records.

How To View Louisiana Bankruptcy Records

Physical copies of Louisiana bankruptcy records can be obtained through the Clerk of Court’s office.

The bankruptcy court clerk including Eastern District Court, Middle District Court, Western District of Louisiana and other courts in the state, offers information about a bankruptcy case to anyone interested. Individuals may go to the clerk’s office and make their requests in person. The courts also feature public access terminals where anybody can look for records for free or print documents for a fee.¹⁰

The clerk offices of the United States Bankruptcy Courts in Louisiana are located at the following addresses:

Louisiana Western Bankruptcy Court
Tom Stagg, the United States Courthouse
300 Fannin Street, Suite 2201
Shreveport, LA 71101-3141
Phone: (318)-676-4267

Louisiana Eastern Bankruptcy Court
500 Poydras Street, Suite B-601
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: (504)-589-7878 (Clerk of Court)
Phone: (504)-589-7822 (Chief Deputy Clerk)

John M. Shaw, the United States Courthouse
800 Lafayette Street, Suite 1200
Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337)-262-6800

Louisiana Middle Bankruptcy Court
707 Florida Street, Room 119
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Phone: (225)-346-3333 (Clerk’s Office)
Phone: (225)-346-3308 (Chief Deputy Clerk)

U. S. Courthouse
300 Jackson Street, Suite 116
Alexandria, LA 71301-8357.
Phone: (318)-445-1890

Louisiana bankruptcy documents are available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) System. Individuals can obtain required bankruptcy information electronically. To use PACER, they must first register an account. Requesters can look up cases using the court that heard them or a nationwide index.

A Look at Louisiana Inmate Records

The Louisiana  Department of Corrections is only responsible for the state prisons in Louisiana while the jails and corrections records are handled by the respective parish sheriff’s departments.

For example, the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center (JPCC) is owned by the Parish government and managed by the JPSO. The Correctional Center mostly houses pre-trial detainees.

Inmate records include criminals detained in parish jails, state prisons, correctional inmate facilities, and other penal institutions. Inmate records may also contain information on punishment, the type of offense, and the inmate’s facility location.

The inmate’s records contain:

• DOC ID
• Mugshot
• Sentence Summary
• Names & Nicknames
• Date of Birth
• Weight and Height
• Social Security Number
• Assigned Location

These records are helpful to individuals and institutions that would like to know the criminal history of their employees, spouses, etc. It reduces the risk of crime and related issues.

How Do I Find an Inmate in a Louisiana Jail?

Individuals can find inmates in Louisiana jails by visiting the parish sheriff’s office websites or calling them. Different parishes have different ways and details needed to search for an inmate. Some sheriff sites might not be updated on a daily basis.

A searcher may have to get official inmate records by contacting the parish sheriff’s office. For example, on the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office official website, one may fill in an online form to locate an inmate, but it’s not the official record. On the Allen Parish Sheriff’s website, inmate records are publicly displayed.

Local police departments typically run city jails. The local police offices may also host an offender search tool on occasion. One may get contact details on the respective police department websites.

How Do I Find an Inmate in a Louisiana State or Federal Prison?

The quickest method to search for a federal prison inmate is by determining which prison an offender is in or where they were detained prior to release, and using the inmate search tool through the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

To find a state prison inmate in Louisiana, one can obtain this information over the phone or by using VINELink, which is endorsed by the state of Louisiana. Call 225-383-4580 to reach the automated Inmate Locator hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The caller needs to have either the inmate’s Department of Corrections number or use the inmate’s name and birth date to utilize this phone line locator to determine which jail the inmate is in.¹¹

Louisiana Vital Records & Health Statistics

The Louisiana Department of Public Health keeps the state’s public vital records. The vital records requests in Louisiana change depending on the agency to whom one submits the request.

The vital records in Louisiana are:

• Divorce Decrees
• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Licenses
• Death Certificates

Can I Access Anyone’s Vital Records in Louisiana? (Free Louisiana Divorce & Marriage Records Search)

Louisiana state records are “closed”. This means that death and birth certificates are not open to the public. All birth and death certificate requests must include sufficient identification, a completed application, and the required fees.

How To Order Vital Record Certificates in Louisiana

There are various ways to order vital records in Louisiana depending on the forms needed and the type of record being requested.

Birth & Death Certificates

A citizen can request a birth record online by completing the Application for Certified Copy of Birth Certificates  or VitalChek and submitting it in person or by mail.

A certified birth certificate costs $15 per copy in Louisiana.

Marriage Certificates

Individuals can access marriage records online using the VitalChek website. Alternatively, one can contact their respective Clerk of Court in the area where the marriage happened.

The only exception is for Orleans Parish. They can request a marriage record online using a Certified Copy of the Orleans Parish Marriage Certificate. They should then submit the document by mail or in person.

In-depth guidance on searching marriage records in Louisiana can be extremely useful in performing a quick and effective lookup.

Divorce Records

To retrieve or view divorce records in Louisiana, one must contact their respective Clerk of Court at the exact court where the decree was issued. To give people an idea of the divorce rates of each Louisiana parish, the image below was made by using U.S. Census Bureau data on divorce rates throughout the state:

Finding a one-stop site to look up Louisiana state records can be challenging, but this resource empowers requestors to find Louisiana public records through state, county and municipal agencies without hassle.