Access Free Louisiana Marriage Records (License Search) 

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Free Louisiana Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in Louisiana, free of charge.

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Track down free Louisiana marriage records and licenses seamlessly and efficiently.

Marriage certificates and licenses in the United States are issued and managed by state governments and local authorities, such as the county clerk’s office. A marriage license gives an individual the state’s permission to get married, while a marriage certificate verifies that a couple is legally married.

To find out if someone is married in Louisiana or to get a certified copy of that record, a searcher must know where to look and how to address their inquiries to the appropriate custodian.

This article provides streamlined and up-to-date guidance on how to look up marriage records in Louisiana.

Accessing Marriage Records in Louisiana for Free

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Louisiana Public Records Act, everyone has the right to request access to public records such as marriage documents in Louisiana.

Louisiana marriage records are considered private for 50 years, after which they become public, enabling anyone to check the official information on marriages completely free. 

Marriage records in the state, not falling under subsection (C) as per § 40:41(C) (3) of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, are typically allowed to be disclosed as public records, as suggested in § 40:41(A).¹

However, a certified copy of vital documents such as marriage certificates can be released only to certain eligible individuals e.g., the parties to the marriage, an immediate family member, attorney or legal representative.

Also, a public records information request should be made along with a completed request form, proof of identity and payment of fees if any.

The certificate of marriage serves as a proof of marriage. A certified copy can be used for various legal or official purposes (for example, changing names after marriage). A non-certified marriage record copy costs less and may be available for free online. However, it can only be used for personal reasons, such as genealogical research (i.e., to trace family history).

According to the CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, a small increase was noted in the marriage rate in Louisiana from 2022 (4.4 per 1,000 residents), to 2021 (3.4).

In many states, romantic partners who live together are considered to have entered a “common law marriage”. Although no nuptial ceremony was performed, they enjoy some basic spousal rights similar to legally married couples.

However, Louisiana does not follow this practice. Common law marriages are not recognized in the state. In order to have a marriage recorded, couples are required to file their marriage with the state and follow a formal legal process to get married.

The process of how to look up marriage licenses in Louisiana varies depending on the parish or local jurisdiction where the marriage occurred.

How To Search Louisiana Marriage Records for Free

In Louisiana, public marriage records are created and safeguarded by the parishes (the term ‘parishes’ are used here instead of counties). The state is divided into 64 parishes.

All Louisiana marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in the parish where the marriage originally happened.³

Orleans Parish, however, stands as an exception. For marriages that happened in Orleans Parish within 50 years, the records fall within the ambit of Louisiana Vital Records Registry, in custody of the Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics in New Orleans.

There are three ways to access an Orleans Parish marriage record, to find someone’s marital status, or to get a certified copy. Each option is outlined below.

In-Person Requests: Requesters should submit their photo ID, a completed form, and pay the fees in cash at the Vital Records Central Office during walk-in hours (8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.) to Apply for a Certified Copy of an Orleans Parish Marriage Certificate.⁴

Mail Requests: Users should mail a copy of their ID, the completed marriage record application form and exact fees ($5.00 for each copy plus a $0.50 state charge per mail order) at:

Vital Records Registry
P.O. Box 60630
New Orleans, LA 70160

Online Requests: To order a copy online using a credit card, anyone can visit the VitalChek website. VitalChek is an authorized service provider that has partnered with numerous government agencies. The company handles online orders from the public and delivers them government-issued vital records such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.

Ordering a Louisiana marriage certificate through the Louisiana Department of Health costs $5 for each copy while ordering online through VitalChek may cost higher (e.g., $20.95 for a marriage record, excluding the costs of shipping and expedite fees).

Free Public Search Portal for Louisiana Marriage Licenses: For individuals looking to search marriage records online for free without the need to physically visit the parish courts or offices, the Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (“LCRAA”) provides a valuable free resource – the LCRAA online portal.

LCRAA was formed by the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association in 2014. It offers many official parish records, including indexes pertaining to land, marriage, and civil suits, available for public viewing.

To browse through the website, users need to create a free account by providing details such as their name, state, phone number, address etc. Once registered, they can access the clerk of court’s marriage license data, utilize various eRecording and eFiling services, and also submit marriage applications online.

To find a marriage record in the Louisiana statewide marriage database, click the “Statewide Portal” option in the homepage, enter the name and date range, check the “marriage” box and then click Search.⁵

The portal search results will show records from multiple parishes at once, including the dates, record numbers and names of the parties involved.

To find additional information on a specific record, the user can click to view details such as marriage license, issuance date and the parish address along with a website link. Hard copies can be requested by directly contacting the respective parish.

Through the eClerks LA portal statewide search, anyone can search through all 64 parishes at the same time. However, not all participating parishes on the portal have the same index availability. For example, marriage information from Orleans Parish is not available on this site, while Catahoula Parish has provided records dating back to 1808 (the earliest available marriage record on this site).

Furthermore, through the Louisiana Parish Search system, users have the option to buy a subscription for a parish they choose. This subscription not only gives them access to its marriage records, but also allows them to acquire copies of their desired documents.

Same-sex marriage is legally recognized in Louisiana, complemented by a domestic partner registry created by the city of City of New Orleans. A cohabiting couple (whether same sex or opposite sex) can register their partnership with the Clerk of Council Office to get health care and other benefits.

Covenant marriages are also legal in Louisiana. This type of marriage typically involves a higher level of commitment and additional requirements compared to traditional marriages. For additional details, refer to the Covenant Marriage Information on the Louisiana Department of Health website.⁶

Searching the County (Parish) or City in Louisiana Where the Marriage Occurred

Searching for marriage records at the state level in Louisiana may provide broader results while Parish register indexes are more comprehensive, and traditionally cover a longer period of time.

In-person applications and visits to the parish clerk’s office can be more effective because a request is processed on-the-spot. How long it takes to get a marriage certificate copy also depends on whether a person is doing the search at the state or county level. Ordering from the Louisiana Department of Health, State Registrar of Vital Records may involve a waiting period of 8 to 10 weeks.

Counties, on the other hand, do not deal with a large volume of search requests so a faster response can be expected. Visiting a courthouse and directly reaching out to the clerk of the court may help obtain the copy on the very same day.

Below are some of the largest parishes, cities, or municipalities in Louisiana, where public marriage information can be obtained:

Baton Rouge (East Baton Rouge Parish) – serves as the capital and the second-largest municipality in Louisiana. The eClerks LA portal shows records of marriage licenses issued in the East Baton Rouge Parish, beginning in 1980. The Copy Department is responsible for providing copies of official documents including marriage licenses.⁷ Certified marriage license copies costs $10 while non-certified ones are available for $5.

Downtown Clerk of Court
Downtown Main Office (City Hall)
222 Saint Louis St.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

Phone: 225.389.3950

Clerk of Court Airline Highway Branch Office
Public Service Department
9050 Airline Hwy. (Formerly the Entrance of Woman’s Hospital Admissions)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816

Phone: 225.293.2933

St. Tammany Parish – is one of the most populated counties in the state. Upon locating a record on the LCRAA online portal, an inquirer can request certified marriage license copies (those recorded in St. Tammany Parish) from the Personal Document Services department.⁸

Send the completed form, a payment of $3.50 for every copy and an additional postage fee of $1.00. The postage fee does not apply if the requester chooses to pick up the documents in person.

Justice Center
701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA
Ground Level

Phone: (985)809-8745

Shreveport – is Louisiana’s third largest municipality. After finding a record on LCRAA marriage indexes, an interested person can order a certified copy of a marriage license online by calling 318-226-6642 or sending a mail to [email protected]. The charges will include $6.00, in addition to postage and credit card convenience fee.

For more information, visit the Caddo Parish Clerk of County website or the office at:⁹

Caddo Parish Clerk of Court
501 Texas Street, Room 103
Shreveport, LA 71101

Phone: 318-226-6789

Lafayette – is the fourth largest municipality in Louisiana. A requester can apply for a certified copy of a marriage certificate from the Lafayette Marriage Department and submit a payment of $5.00 per certified copy.¹⁰

Physical Address: 

Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court
800 South Buchanan St.
Lafayette, LA 70501-6853

Phone: 337-291-6400

Mailing Address:

Marriage License Department
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court
P.O. Box 2009
Lafayette, LA 70502

While fees may vary slightly and depend on the number of copies requested, the core search process remains the same across all the parishes.

How To Find Archived Family Marriage Records in Louisiana for Free

Individuals trying to trace family history or relationships may explore old Louisiana marriage records stored in various government repositories of archived records.

Orleans parish marriage records that are older than 50 years are archived by the Louisiana Secretary of State, housed at Louisiana State Archives. The general public can access the information for free at Orleans Parish Marriage Index Database.¹¹

Free marriage license searches can be done using parts of names, for example, with variations like “Jane, Smith” “Smith” and “Jane Smith”.

The advanced search option gives searchers the flexibility to use multiple fields such as the groom’s last name, groom’s first/middle name, the bride’s maiden name, parish, month and year of marriage.

Once the desired record is identified, searchers can order the hard copies from the State Archives and receive them by mail.¹² Certified copies of marriage licenses from this database can be requested for $10 per each copy while non-certified photocopies are $5 each.

The Louisiana State Archives also offer an online catalog allowing interested individuals to browse through its archival collections.¹³

For other parishes, as previously noted, eClerks LA — the statewide portal — keeps historical marriage records from as early as the 1880s. Genealogists (experts who study family histories or do ancestry research) can find valuable information by going through historical marriage and land records available on this site.

Government databases, archives and local court and clerk offices are the primary sources for obtaining accurate official records. There are also other rich sources of information that can help find family marriage records in Louisiana for free.

Checking with local churches or religious institutions, visiting local libraries and contacting historical societies are some other options that can give the searcher an idea of the community’s history and help them find marriage information in Louisiana.

How To Secure a Marriage License in Louisiana

To secure a marriage license, and have authorization to get married in Louisiana, first make sure both parties are eligible for marriage.

Marriages at the age of 18 and above are valid and do not require parental consent. For individuals ages 16 to 18, the consent of parents or a court order from a Juvenile Court is mandatory.

A marriage license can be purchased from any parish in Louisiana, regardless of where the couple lives or where the wedding is going to take place.

Each parish has its own offices that keep and issue marriage licenses.

For them to issue the license, interested persons should check all the criteria before filling out a marriage application, for instance, Marriage License Requirements in Orleans Parish.¹⁴ If either party was married before, they must provide valid proof of divorce, annulment or death of the former spouse.

Once the required documentation has been presented at the clerk’s office, the application form needs to be filled out. The presence of both parties are usually required at the office while making this application. Couples receive the marriage license during this application process.

The marriage license fees vary from parish to parish. The applicants should check with the specific office for the current fees required.

In Louisiana, the parties must observe a 24-hour waiting period, from the time the license is purchased from the office to the actual ceremony where the license is signed/used.

Once issued, the marriage application is valid only for a period of 30 days. A ceremony must be performed within this timeframe, otherwise, the validity of this application expires and a new application is needed.

For any official matrimony filing that takes place in Louisiana, both parties must be present. An authorized third party or an “officiant” (e.g., a religious figure such as priests, ministers, rabbis or public officials such as court clerks or judges) is required to perform the ceremony.

At least two adult witnesses must be present at the ceremony.

When the ceremony is complete, the parties and the officiant must sign the marriage license and return it to the clerk’s office for records.

Certified copies of the marriage certificate can be requested while paying additional fees.

These are the steps to get a marriage legally recognized in Louisiana while getting legal copies of a marriage license. For additional information on marriage registration, check the State Registrar & Vital Records.¹⁵

A secure, complete site to look up a marriage license in Louisiana may seem to be challenging.

This resource is designed to empower users to gather all necessary information in one place so they can find Louisiana marriage records in an easier, more efficient manner.