Search Caddo Parish Death Index
The Caddo Parish death index covers deaths registered in the parish through the Louisiana Department of Health and older records held at the Louisiana State Archives. Shreveport is the parish seat and the most populous city in northwest Louisiana. This page explains how to find and request death records tied to Caddo Parish through every available channel.
Caddo Parish Quick Facts
Caddo Parish Clerk of Court Records
The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court keeps the official records for Caddo Parish, including mortgages, conveyances, marriage licenses, civil suits, criminal cases, and minutes for the First Judicial District Court. The clerk's office has about 70 employees and serves the public from the parish courthouse in downtown Shreveport.
Mike Spence serves as Clerk of Court, with Dianne Doughty as Chief Deputy. The office is on the first floor in Room 103 at 501 Texas Street. Hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Civil e-Filing is available for attorneys and parties who prefer to submit documents electronically rather than in person.
For death-related records such as probate filings, succession documents, and court orders tied to a death in Caddo Parish, the clerk's office is the place to start. These records are public under R.S. 44:1, Louisiana's Public Records Law, and any person may request access during office hours.
The screenshot below is taken from the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website, which lists all available services and online tools.
Visit caddoclerk.com to access online records, check case status, or find contact information for specific departments.
The clerk's office also handles succession records, which are often the first legal step taken by a family after a death in Caddo Parish.
| Clerk of Court | Mike Spence |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | Dianne Doughty |
| Address | 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101 |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 2009, Shreveport, LA 71101 |
| Phone | (318) 226-6776 |
| Fax | (318) 227-9080 |
| mike.spence@caddoclerk.com | |
| Hours | 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday |
| Website | caddoclerk.com |
Louisiana Department of Health Death Certificates for Caddo Parish
The Louisiana Department of Health is the state agency responsible for registering all deaths in Caddo Parish. Under R.S. 40:40, the Vital Records Registrar keeps a permanent record of every death that occurs in Louisiana, including those in Caddo Parish. LDH has maintained statewide death records since 1914.
Certified death certificates can be obtained in person at LDH's Vital Records office in New Orleans, by mail using the form on the LDH website, or through the VitalChek online ordering system. The office address is 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. The main phone number is (504) 593-5100.
The fee for a certified death certificate from LDH is $7.00 per copy. Requests by mail take longer than walk-in visits. If you need the record fast, VitalChek at (877) 605-8562 can process your request and ship it to you, though a service fee applies on top of the state fee.
R.S. 40:41 restricts access to death records for 50 years after the date of death. Within that period, only the surviving spouse, parent, adult child, sibling, grandparent, adult grandchild, insurance beneficiary with a company letter, attorney for any of those parties, or a succession representative may obtain a certified copy. Deaths older than 50 years are open to all requesters.
Below is a screenshot from the LDH page where you can order a Caddo Parish death certificate online or by mail.
Use the LDH death certificate order page to submit a mail or walk-in request for a Caddo Parish death record.
The rules for the format and content of certified copies are set in R.S. 40:46. LDH follows these rules for every copy it issues.
Free Online Death Index for Caddo Parish
The Louisiana Secretary of State runs a free online vital records index that includes many Caddo Parish deaths. You can search by name and get basic details such as the year of death, the registration number, and the parish. This is not a certified copy, but it confirms whether a record exists and helps you request the right document.
The index is available at the Louisiana Vital Records Online Index. This tool is especially useful for genealogy research on older Caddo Parish deaths. The Louisiana State Archives also holds original death registers and microfilm collections that can be searched in person. The Archives are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (225) 922-1000 before your visit.
For records not in the LDH system, the Louisiana State Archives is the best place to look. Staff can help trace deaths in Caddo Parish from the 1800s through the early statewide registration period. Plain copies from the Archives cost $5.00, and certified copies cost $10.00.
Cities in Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish includes Shreveport and several surrounding communities. Shreveport is the parish seat and by far the largest city. All deaths in the parish, whether in Shreveport or a smaller community, are registered under Caddo Parish through the LDH vital records system.
Nearby Parishes
Death records for each of these parishes are maintained separately. Check the correct parish if you are not sure where a death was registered.