Blog · October 13, 2026 · Louisiana
Orleans Parish Deed Search (LA): Where Deeds Are Recorded
A plain guide to the Orleans Parish deed search: the verified office page, how the indexes work, and what a deed can and can't tell you.
Main page: Orleans Parish, LA GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Orleans Parish facts and neighboring maps).
Platbookmapper is an Amazon Associate. If you buy through an Amazon link on this page, we earn a commission. The link is a product, not the county office.
Doing a orleans parish deed search is mostly about knowing which office to ask and how its index is organized. Below is the verified official link, plus the steps we'd follow to find a deed and connect it to the parcel map.
The Orleans Parish recording office
In Louisiana, land documents are recorded by the Clerk of Court. You can reach the Clerk of Court through the county's site here: Clerk of Court. The page we checked was titled “Services - Public Records - Other Commonly Requested Records - Land Records: Mortgages, Co” and loaded without a login on October 13, 2026.
Searching Orleans Parish deed records step by step
Start with a name or a date range rather than an address. Every deed has a grantor (the party conveying) and a grantee (the party taking title); search both columns. Write down the instrument number or book and page; it is the shortest route back to the document. If the Clerk of Court offers online images, you may be able to view an index for free and pay only for certified copies; if it does not, the page above lists how to request copies in person or by mail.
Start from the parcel map
Our Orleans Parish page links the official county parcel viewer, where you can find owner names, parcel numbers and acreage. For more on using the map itself, see our Orleans Parish map guide.
From deed to parcel and back
Go map first, deed second: the Orleans Parish parcel viewer gives you the current owner, which is the best search term for the deed index. The newest deed should name that owner as grantee. Its legal description is what actually defines the boundary. Louisiana mixes the section grid with old French-style arpent lots that run back from rivers and bayous, so long narrow parcels are common.
More than deeds
Expect a mix: deeds of several kinds, mortgages and their releases, easements, judgment and tax liens, and subdivision plats. An easement or right-of-way can matter as much as the deed itself, so skim any entry recorded against the same names.
When to hire help
A self-serve search is great for research, but a lender or buyer will still want a title company's report. Before you buy or lend, let a title professional run the full chain and issue a policy.
Reading the deed type
A general warranty deed carries the seller's promise that title is good against all claims. A special or limited warranty deed covers only the time the seller owned it, and a quitclaim deed passes whatever interest the grantor had, with no promises at all. You will see quitclaims used in family transfers and to clear up a cloud on title. Trustee's, executor's and sheriff's deeds show up as well, after a foreclosure, an estate settlement or a tax sale.
Finding recorded plats
Subdivision plats and some survey maps are recorded too, often in a separate plat index or cabinet. When a legal description cites a lot number and a plat book, pull that plat next. For acreage without a plat, check whether a survey was recorded with the deed or on its own.
The recorder isn't the assessor
The Clerk of Court keeps recorded documents. The Parish Assessor values property for tax purposes and keeps the parcel and owner roll. The parcel map is usually built from the assessor's data, so it can trail a recent sale by weeks or months. A mismatch between the map and the index usually just means the paperwork is still in transit.
Visiting the office
Have names, years and parcel numbers ready. Staff can show you the public terminals but can't give legal advice. Older records may be on microfilm or in bound books, and staff can show you how to use them. Call ahead for hours and copy prices, since they're set locally.
About Orleans Parish
Roughly 364,136 people lived in Orleans Parish as of 2023, spread over 169 square miles of land. The county seat is New Orleans, which is where the main parish offices usually sit. Neighboring counties include Jefferson Parish, Plaquemines Parish, and St. Bernard Parish, and each keeps its own records.
Quick answers
Where do I search deeds in Orleans Parish?
Use the Clerk of Court page on the county's official site (Clerk of Court). The Louisiana office that records deeds is the Clerk of Court.
Is a Orleans Parish deed search free?
Looking at an index is often free, but certified copies usually cost money. The office page explains what it charges.
Can I search by address?
Recording indexes are organized mostly by party name and date. Look up the address on the county parcel map first to get the owner's name, then search that name.
Does the deed show exact property lines?
The deed's legal description defines the land. Only a licensed survey marks the lines on the ground.
What if the property is near the parish line?
Check the neighboring county as well. Each county records only the land inside its own borders.
Open the official Clerk of Court page Orleans Parish in the Platbookmapper directory
Not legal advice. Office names, links and procedures change. Confirm details with the office before you rely on them, and use a title professional or licensed surveyor for transactions and boundary questions.