Search Union Parish Death Records

The Union Parish death index covers all deaths registered in this north Louisiana parish. The Clerk of Court in Farmerville holds death records from January 2012 to the present. For deaths recorded before that date, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry or one of the State Regional Centers is where you need to go. This page covers both paths, explains who can access restricted records, and lists fees and relevant state law.

Union Parish Death Index - Clerk of Court

The Union Parish Clerk of Court is the local office for death records in Farmerville. Clerk Mary "Shelly" Poole runs the office at 100 East Bayou Street. The mailing address is P.O. Box 368, Farmerville, LA 71241. Phone is (318) 368-3055 and fax is (318) 368-2259. You can email the office at unionclerk@unionparishclerk.com. The clerk's website is at unionparishclerk.com.

An important detail sets Union Parish apart from some other parishes. Death records at the Union Parish Clerk's office are available from January 2012 to the present only. For deaths recorded before January 2012, you need to contact the Louisiana Vital Records Registry or one of the State Regional Centers. This is not a gap in record-keeping. It reflects when the local clerk began holding physical copies for local access. Older records still exist. They are just held at the state level rather than the local clerk.

If you are unsure which office to contact for a specific record, call the clerk at (318) 368-3055 first. Staff can confirm whether the record you need falls within their holdings or whether you should go to LDH. Getting that answer before you go saves a wasted trip. The office follows standard Louisiana parish clerk hours, typically Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

The Louisiana Department of Health maintains a statewide directory at ldh.la.gov/directory/category/320 that lists Union Parish along with contact details for the local vital records office. This is a good reference if you need to verify the right place to send a request.

The image below comes from the LDH ordering page, which covers the process for getting a certified death certificate from the state office for any Louisiana parish including Union.

For Union Parish death records before January 2012, LDH is the correct source. The ordering page explains what to include and how to submit a request.

How to Get Union Parish Death Records

The process for getting a Union Parish death record depends on the date of death. For deaths from January 2012 forward, the local clerk in Farmerville is the right starting point. For deaths before January 2012, go to the Louisiana Department of Health or the Louisiana State Archives for historical records over 50 years old.

In person at the clerk's office at 100 East Bayou Street in Farmerville. Bring a valid photo ID. For deaths within the 50-year restricted window, also bring documents proving your relationship to the deceased. Call ahead at (318) 368-3055 to confirm the record is in their holdings (remember, only records from January 2012 and later), what forms to bring, and current fees. In-person is the fastest way to get a certified copy when the record is held locally.

Mail requests for records the clerk holds go to P.O. Box 368, Farmerville, LA 71241. Include a written request, a photocopy of your ID, any eligibility documents, and a check or money order for the fee. For records before January 2012, mail requests go to the Louisiana Department of Health rather than the local clerk.

The Louisiana Department of Health at ldh.la.gov/vitalrecords is the source for pre-2012 Union Parish death records and for any record where the state office is preferred. Their address is 1450 Poydras St Suite 400, New Orleans. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Phone is (504) 593-5100. The order form is at ldh.la.gov/page/643. LDH charges $7.00 per certified copy.

VitalChek at vitalchek.com or (877) 605-8562 processes online orders. A service fee applies. VitalChek is convenient for remote or after-hours requests. For records before 2012, ordering through VitalChek routes your request to LDH.

Who Can Get Union Parish Death Records

Under R.S. 40:41, death records less than 50 years old are restricted. Only those with a legal right to the record may request a certified copy. Records that are 50 or more years old are public, and anyone may request them without showing any relationship to the deceased.

Eligible requesters for restricted Union Parish death records include the surviving spouse of the deceased, a parent, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, or an adult grandchild. An insurance beneficiary with an original letter from the insurer confirming their beneficiary status may also qualify. An attorney acting on behalf of any eligible person is covered as well. A succession representative or legatee in the estate has the right to request a death record.

Proof is required. A government-issued photo ID must accompany every request. Depending on your relationship to the deceased, you may also need a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or court document. Call the clerk at (318) 368-3055 before you visit or mail anything. For pre-2012 records, call LDH at (504) 593-5100 to confirm eligibility requirements for those specific records. Eligibility rules are the same regardless of which office holds the record.

The state registrar's authority is set out in R.S. 40:40. This law defines how Louisiana's vital records system operates and how records are maintained at the state level. The Union Parish Clerk follows these rules for every request handled at the Farmerville office.

Historical Union Parish Death Records

Death records more than 50 years old are public in Louisiana. No relationship proof is needed. These older records are often valuable for genealogy research and tracing family history in Union Parish.

The Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge is the primary source for historical death records. The archives are at 3851 Essen Lane and are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Phone is (225) 922-1000. Their research page is at sos.la.gov/historicalresources/researchhistoricalrecords. The archives hold Union Parish death records going back into the 19th century.

The image below shows the Louisiana State Archives historical records portal, where researchers can search the death index for Union Parish by name at no charge before ordering a copy.

The archives are a key tool for older Union Parish death records, and the free online index helps you verify a record exists before you pay for a copy.

The online vital records index is at the online vital records index page. Search by name for free. Photocopy fees at the archives are $5.00 per page, and certified copies cost $10.00. For genealogy work needing multiple older records, the archives can be more cost-effective than the parish clerk.

Union Parish Death Record Fees

Fees depend on where you order. The Union Parish Clerk of Court charges approximately $26.00 for a certified death certificate. The Louisiana Department of Health charges $7.00 per certified copy. The Louisiana State Archives charges $5.00 for photocopies and $10.00 for certified copies of historical records.

For deaths before January 2012, going through LDH at $7.00 per copy is often the more direct route since those records are not at the local clerk. Order multiple copies if you need them for different uses. Banks, courts, and insurance companies each typically require their own certified copy. Call the clerk at (318) 368-3055 or LDH at (504) 593-5100 to confirm current fees and payment methods before sending any request.

Union Parish Death Records and Louisiana Law

Louisiana's vital records statutes apply statewide. The rules are the same in Union Parish as in every other Louisiana parish. The only practical difference is where the local clerk's holdings begin, which is January 2012.

The 50-year restriction is defined in R.S. 40:41. Records within that window are restricted to eligible requesters. Once 50 years pass from the year of death, the record becomes public. The Union Parish Clerk and LDH both apply this rule regardless of which office you contact.

Certified copy standards are in R.S. 40:46. A certified copy from any authorized office carries the same legal weight as the original. It is valid for estates, courts, banks, and insurance work. Louisiana's public records law at R.S. 44:1 covers older death records that have passed the 50-year mark. These are fully public under that law. Records within the confidentiality window are exempt. The state registrar's authority under R.S. 40:40 governs how the statewide vital records system operates and sets the framework the Union Parish Clerk works within.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes are near Union Parish in north Louisiana. Each has its own clerk of court handling death records for deaths registered within its boundaries.