Find Death Index Records in Assumption Parish

Assumption Parish death index records are held at the Clerk of Court office in Napoleonville. Certified death certificates are available to qualifying individuals in person, by mail, or through state agencies. The office has preserved records dating back to the 1700s and follows Louisiana's 50-year confidentiality rule for recent death records. This guide covers how to request a record, who is eligible, and what fees to expect.

Assumption Parish Death Index - Clerk of Court

Clerk of Court Erin Hebert leads the Assumption Parish Clerk's office at 4809 LA Highway 1, Napoleonville, LA 70390. The mailing address is PO Drawer 249, Napoleonville, LA 70390. The phone number is (985) 369-6653 and the fax is (985) 369-2032. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The office describes itself this way: "The Assumption Parish Clerk of Court's office is uniquely dedicated to providing extraordinary service to our community in various capacities as well as handling the preservation and management of public records dating as far back as the 1700s." That depth of record-keeping means the clerk can assist with very old death records as well as recent ones.

One important note about how the office operates: "The Clerk of Court's office is self-sufficient and operates from statutory fees acquired from services rendered rather than from taxes, which we do not collect." This means the fees you pay when ordering a death certificate go directly toward running the office and maintaining the records. There is no general tax subsidy involved.

The clerk website at assumptionclerk.com lists the office's services, including an eRecord Search Portal available by subscription and an ePortal for probate records from 1979 to the present. Death certificate requests are handled separately, in person or by mail.

The image below shows the official Assumption Parish Clerk of Court website, your primary local resource for death index records in Napoleonville.

The Assumption Parish Clerk office has preserved vital records, including the death index, dating back centuries.

How to Get Assumption Parish Death Index Records

There are several ways to get a death certificate in Assumption Parish. You can visit the clerk's office in person, mail in a request, order through the Louisiana Department of Health, or use a third-party service. The clerk's office is clear about what each mail request must include: "All requests for certified copies of death records must include proper identification, a $26 fee, and a completed Birth and Death Certificate Application."

In-person visits to 4809 LA Highway 1 in Napoleonville are the most direct method. Bring your photo ID and, if the record is less than 50 years old, bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. Staff can assist you with finding the record and issuing a certified copy the same day in most cases. Cash and credit card are accepted in person.

Mail requests require the completed application form, a copy of your government-issued photo ID, and a check or money order for $26.00 per certificate. Send everything to PO Drawer 249, Napoleonville, LA 70390. Processing times for mail requests vary. Call (985) 369-6653 to confirm the form and payment method before mailing.

The Louisiana Department of Health at ldh.la.gov/vitalrecords is a statewide option. LDH charges $7.00 per certified copy and can be reached at (504) 593-5100. Their New Orleans office at 1450 Poydras St Suite 400 is open 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. You can also order by mail using the form at ldh.la.gov/page/643.

VitalChek at vitalchek.com or (877) 605-8562 allows online ordering with an added convenience fee. This works well if you prefer not to handle paperwork or mail yourself.

The image below shows the LDH vital records portal, which covers Assumption Parish and all other Louisiana parishes for statewide death certificate orders.

LDH is a statewide alternative to the local parish clerk for ordering certified death certificates at $7.00 each.

Assumption Death Index Eligibility and Access Rules

The Assumption Parish Clerk of Court states directly: "Access to death records in Assumption Parish is strictly controlled until 50 years after the year of the death. Only the deceased person's surviving spouse, parents, children, grandparents, siblings, and anyone with a direct interest can obtain confidential death records."

This rule flows directly from R.S. 40:41, the state statute that creates the 50-year confidentiality period. Beyond the family members listed, an insurance beneficiary with the original beneficiary letter may also qualify. Attorneys for qualifying family members, and succession representatives or legatees in a probate proceeding, also have access rights. Once 50 years have passed from the year of death, the record is open to the public.

To prove eligibility, you must bring a valid photo ID and a document establishing your relationship. A birth certificate works for children; a marriage certificate works for spouses. The clerk will ask to see these before releasing a restricted record. This is not bureaucratic friction but a legal requirement under state law. Plan ahead and bring everything you need to avoid a second trip to Napoleonville.

The state registrar's oversight role is defined in R.S. 40:40. The registrar sets the statewide standards that govern how the Assumption Parish Clerk handles and releases vital records, including the death index.

Historical Death Records in Assumption Parish

The Assumption Parish Clerk has preserved records dating to the 1700s, making it one of the older record repositories in the state. For genealogical research or historical work, this is a valuable resource. Records more than 50 years old are public and can be requested by anyone without showing a relationship to the deceased.

For older records, the Louisiana State Archives is the main statewide resource. Contact the archives at (225) 922-1000 or visit sos.la.gov/historicalresources/researchhistoricalrecords. The archives hold death records from across Louisiana's history, and their researchers can help you locate records from Assumption Parish. Fees are $5.00 for a photocopy and $10.00 for a certified copy.

The image below shows the Louisiana State Archives research portal, a key tool for locating historical Assumption Parish death records and vital records from throughout the state.

The state archives complement the Assumption Parish Clerk's records for historical death index research going back generations.

The free online index is at the Secretary of State's public vital records index. Search by name to see whether a specific record appears in the index before ordering a copy. This can save time and money, especially if you are not certain of the exact parish or year of death.

Death Record Fees in Assumption Parish

The Assumption Parish Clerk charges $26.00 per certified death certificate, whether you request it in person or by mail. This is the standard rate for parish-level certified copies in Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Health charges $7.00 per copy for the same record, which is cheaper if you do not need the record quickly or if you are ordering by mail either way.

The clerk is funded by fees, not taxes, so every fee paid goes toward operating the office and maintaining the records. For mail requests, use a check or money order made payable to the Assumption Parish Clerk of Court. Credit cards are accepted in person. Call (985) 369-6653 to confirm current payment options before sending your request.

Order enough copies up front. If you need the death certificate for settling an estate, closing insurance claims, and updating financial accounts, you may need three to five certified copies. It is more efficient to order them all at once than to reorder each time a new need comes up.

Assumption Parish Death Records and Louisiana Law

Louisiana's vital records laws set the rules for how Assumption Parish handles death records. These statutes govern who can get records, what certified copies must contain, and how long records stay restricted.

The 50-year rule is written into R.S. 40:41. This is the core access statute for Louisiana death records. It lists the family members and other parties who may request a certified copy during the confidentiality period. The Assumption Parish Clerk follows this statute for every request.

What a certified copy must include and its legal standing in court or other proceedings is set out in R.S. 40:46. A certified copy issued by the Assumption Parish Clerk is a legally binding document. It can be used in estate proceedings, name change filings, insurance claims, and other legal matters where proof of death is required.

Louisiana's general public records law at R.S. 44:1 establishes the baseline right of access to government records. Death records older than 50 years are covered by this general right and are open to all. Records within the 50-year window are excluded from general public access by the specific provisions of R.S. 40:41.

The authority of the state registrar to oversee all of this is spelled out in R.S. 40:40. The registrar's rules apply to every parish clerk, including Assumption. If you have a dispute about a denied request, you can escalate to LDH or consult with an attorney about your rights under these statutes.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes are adjacent to Assumption Parish. Each has its own clerk of court and death record system.