Beauregard Parish Death Index Records

The Beauregard Parish death index is maintained at the Clerk of Court office in DeRidder. Certified death certificates are available in person or by mail, with specific cutoff times you need to know before visiting. The clerk has online access to many parish record types going back to 1913 when the parish was established, and death records follow Louisiana's 50-year access restrictions for recent filings.

Beauregard Parish Death Index - Clerk of Court

The Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court is located at 201 West First Street, DeRidder, LA 70634. Clerk Brian S. Lestage runs the office with Chief Deputy Sandy Hyde. The mailing address is PO Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634. The general phone number is (337) 463-8595 and the fax is (337) 462-3196. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

There is one important timing rule for death certificates: "The Clerk does not process birth and death certificates after 3:30 p.m." If you arrive after 3:30 PM, the clerk will not be able to issue your death certificate that day. Plan to arrive well before that cutoff. If you come from a distance, call ahead at (337) 463-8595 to confirm the record is available and that you have everything needed.

"Copies of confidential birth and death records can be obtained by mail or in person (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) from the Clerk of Court." Both methods work, but in-person requests must be submitted by 3:30 PM to be processed the same day. Mail requests have no cutoff time since processing happens during regular business hours after the mail arrives.

Beauregard Parish was created by legislation in 1912 and started January 1, 1913. The clerk's records go back to that founding date. Online records through the clerk's office include conveyance records from 1/1/1913, succession and probate from 1913, marriage records from 1913, mortgage indices from 1978 (images from 1980), civil suit indices from 1983 (images from 2000), and criminal records from 2009. Death certificate requests are handled separately from online records.

Check the clerk's website at beauregardclerk.org for current information on services, forms, and any changes to hours or procedures.

How to Get Beauregard Parish Death Index Records

You can get a Beauregard Parish death certificate in person at the DeRidder courthouse, by mail, through the Louisiana Department of Health, or through VitalChek online. The process is straightforward, but keep the 3:30 PM cutoff in mind if you plan to visit in person.

In-person visits to 201 West First Street, DeRidder are the fastest route to a same-day certificate. Arrive before 3:30 PM. Bring a valid photo ID and know the full name of the deceased and the year of death. If the death occurred less than 50 years ago, also bring proof of your relationship to the deceased. The clerk will look up the record and issue the certified copy.

Mail requests go to PO Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634. Include a completed application form, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Call (337) 463-8595 to get the right form and confirm the current fee before mailing. Mail requests typically take one to two weeks to process.

The Louisiana Department of Health offers a statewide option. LDH at ldh.la.gov/vitalrecords charges $7.00 per certified copy. Their office at 1450 Poydras St Suite 400, New Orleans is open 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday. Call (504) 593-5100 or use the mail order form at ldh.la.gov/page/643.

The image below shows the Louisiana Department of Health vital records portal used for ordering death certificates statewide, including Beauregard Parish.

LDH processes death certificate requests for all 64 parishes at $7.00 per certified copy.

VitalChek at vitalchek.com or (877) 605-8562 handles online orders with a service fee added. This is a good option if you cannot get to DeRidder and prefer not to deal with mail.

Beauregard Death Index Eligibility

Louisiana's vital records law at R.S. 40:41 restricts access to death records less than 50 years old. The Beauregard Parish Clerk follows this law on every request. Once a record is more than 50 years old, it becomes public and can be requested by anyone without restriction.

For recent death records, the people who may request a certified copy are the surviving spouse, a parent of the deceased, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, or an adult grandchild. An insurance beneficiary with the original beneficiary designation letter may also qualify. An attorney acting for any of the above persons can request the record on their behalf. A succession representative or legatee in a probate proceeding also has legal access.

When you go to the DeRidder courthouse, bring your photo ID and any document showing your relationship to the deceased. A birth certificate showing you are a child, or a marriage certificate showing you are a spouse, is usually what the clerk needs. If you are a succession representative, bring the court document naming you in that role. Call ahead at (337) 463-8595 to confirm exactly what to bring for your specific situation.

The state registrar's authority over this system is set out in R.S. 40:40. The Beauregard Parish Clerk operates within the standards set by the state registrar, as do all other parish clerks in Louisiana.

Historical Death Records in Beauregard Parish

Beauregard Parish was formed in 1913, so its official records begin that year. Death records from the parish going back to 1913 are held at the clerk's office in DeRidder. Records more than 50 years old are public and open to all requesters without eligibility requirements.

For records going back to 1913 or earlier in the region that became Beauregard Parish, the Louisiana State Archives is a valuable resource. Contact the archives at (225) 922-1000 or visit sos.la.gov/historicalresources/researchhistoricalrecords. Fees at the archives are $5.00 per photocopy and $10.00 per certified copy of older records.

The online public vital records index at the Secretary of State's online vital records index lets you search for names in the historical index at no charge. Use this before ordering to confirm the record is there.

The image below shows the Louisiana online vital records index, which includes searchable historical records from Beauregard Parish and the rest of the state.

The online index is a free starting point for searching historical Beauregard Parish death records before ordering certified copies.

The image below shows the Louisiana State Archives portal, where researchers can access older death index records for Beauregard Parish and other Louisiana parishes.

The state archives hold historical vital records from all Louisiana parishes and are open to researchers studying Beauregard Parish death history.

Death Record Fees in Beauregard Parish

The Beauregard Parish Clerk is clear about its fees: "Applicants must pay $34 each for Beauregard Parish birth certificates, $48 for a pair of birth certificates and birth cards, and $26 for the death certificate." So a certified death certificate from the clerk in DeRidder costs $26.00. Birth certificates cost more, but this page focuses on death index records.

The Louisiana Department of Health charges $7.00 per certified death certificate, which is less than the local clerk rate. If cost is a factor and speed is not critical, ordering through LDH by mail can save money. The state archives charge $5.00 for a photocopy and $10.00 for a certified copy of older records.

For in-person payments at the DeRidder courthouse, cash, check, and credit card are generally accepted. For mail requests, use a check or money order. Call (337) 463-8595 before mailing to confirm payment methods and the exact amount to include. Getting this wrong can delay your request.

Beauregard Death Records and Louisiana Law

Louisiana statutes govern how the Beauregard Parish Clerk handles death records. These laws cover access, confidentiality, certified copies, and the authority of state-level officials to set standards for all parish clerks.

The 50-year confidentiality period is in R.S. 40:41. This is the main restriction on who can get a death record within the first 50 years after the year of death. The Beauregard Parish Clerk applies this rule consistently. Only the named eligible parties may receive a certified copy during that window.

The rules for what a certified copy must include and the legal weight it carries are in R.S. 40:46. A certified copy from the Beauregard Parish Clerk or from LDH is a legal document. It can be used in estate proceedings, insurance claims, and other legal matters that require proof of death.

Louisiana's general public records law at R.S. 44:1 establishes the baseline right to access government records. Death records older than 50 years are covered by this general access right. Records within the 50-year window are exempt because of the more specific vital records statutes.

The state registrar's authority is set out in R.S. 40:40. This law ensures that all 64 parish clerks, including Beauregard, follow the same statewide standards for managing and releasing vital records. If you think a request was wrongly denied, contact LDH at (504) 593-5100 or consult an attorney.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Beauregard Parish. Each has its own clerk of court and death index for deaths registered within its boundaries.