Caddo Parish Marriage Records

Caddo Parish marriage records go back to 1835, making this one of the oldest and most complete marriage record collections in Louisiana. The Clerk of Court in downtown Shreveport handles all marriage licenses, certified copies, and record searches for the 1st Judicial District. If you need to find a Caddo Parish marriage record, this guide covers where to look and how to get what you need.

Caddo Parish Clerk of Court

Mike Spence serves as the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. His office is in downtown Shreveport on the first floor of the Parish Courthouse at 501 Texas Street. The clerk keeps records for Caddo Parish including mortgages, conveyances, marriage licenses, civil suits, criminal cases, and court minutes for the First Judicial District Court. This office is the official source for Caddo Parish marriage records.

The clerk office is open until 5:00 PM on weekdays, which is later than most parish clerk offices in Louisiana. That extra half hour can make a big difference if you are trying to get in before the close of business. The copy department has its own phone line at (318) 226-6642. For certified copies of marriage licenses, you can also email copies@caddoclerk.com with your request details.

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website at caddoclerk.com provides access to the online records portal, department contacts, and information about marriage license services in Shreveport.

Search Caddo Parish Marriage Records Online

Caddo Parish has solid online access through the Clerk Connect portal. This system lets you search marriage records, civil suits, criminal cases, and land records from home. Civil e-filing is also available for attorneys. The portal at clerkconnect.com provides subscription-based search and print access for all record types maintained by the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court.

Clerk Connect provides remote access to Caddo Parish marriage records, land filings, civil cases, and criminal records through a statewide subscription portal.

For certified copies, the best approach is to call the copy department at (318) 226-6642 or email copies@caddoclerk.com. Include the names of both parties, the approximate year of the marriage, and how you want to receive the copy. The certified copy fee is $6.00 plus postage and any credit card convenience fee if you pay by card. Confirm the current fee before sending payment.

Additional information about Caddo Parish marriage records, including historical data and search guidance, can help narrow down your search before contacting the clerk directly.

Note: Online portals provide index-level data. A certified copy must come directly from the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court.

Marriage License Requirements in Caddo Parish

Both parties must appear in person at the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court to apply for a marriage license. The office is at Room 103 on the first floor of the courthouse at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport. Each person must bring a valid photo ID. If either party was previously married, a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for a deceased prior spouse is required.

Louisiana law under R.S. 9:241 sets out the requirements for a marriage license. R.S. 9:242 requires both applicants to sign in front of the clerk. You cannot send a proxy or sign for someone else. Under R.S. 9:222, a Louisiana marriage license expires 30 days after the issue date. You must have the ceremony within that window or apply again. There is no waiting period, so you can marry the same day you get the license if you are ready.

R.S. 9:225 sets the minimum age at 18 for marriage without parental consent. Caddo Parish follows all Louisiana state statutes. If you have questions about what documents you need for your specific situation, call the clerk at (318) 226-6780 before your visit. Staff can walk you through the requirements over the phone.

Historical Marriage Records in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish began keeping marriage records in 1835. That is nearly 190 years of continuous recorded history, which makes the parish archive one of the most valuable in Louisiana for genealogy research. If you are tracing family history in northwest Louisiana, Caddo Parish records are often a key stop.

For older records, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge holds historical collections from all 64 parishes. Their staff can help you search for pre-digital records by name and date. Some materials are available online through the Archives digital collection. For physical access to original documents, you can visit in person or request microfilm copies by mail.

More recent records are searchable through the Clerk Connect portal or directly through the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. The clerk office at 501 Texas Street can search the entire index by name for both current and historical records. For the oldest marriages, combining a search at the State Archives with a direct call to the clerk gives you the best chance of finding what you need.

Requesting Copies of Caddo Parish Marriage Records

You can request copies of Caddo Parish marriage records in person, by phone, by mail, or by email. In-person requests are handled at Room 103 on the first floor of the courthouse. The copy department phone line is (318) 226-6642. Email requests go to copies@caddoclerk.com. Give the clerk the full names of both parties, the year of the marriage, and your contact information.

The certified copy fee is $6.00. Postage applies for mail delivery. If you pay by credit card, a convenience fee may be added. Plain copies cost less but are not accepted for most legal or government uses. Certified copies carry an official seal and are the right format for name changes, insurance, government applications, and legal proceedings.

Mail requests go to the Clerk of Court at 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101. Allow extra time for mail processing. In-person or email requests may be processed faster depending on office volume. If you need the record quickly, calling ahead to ask about turnaround time is worth doing.

Louisiana Marriage Record Resources

The eClerksLA portal is a statewide search tool that covers many Louisiana parishes. This is useful if you are not sure which parish issued a particular license. The Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority provides similar statewide coverage and may index some records not found on eClerksLA.

The Louisiana State Archives at sos.la.gov is the go-to source for historical records. Their collections include marriages from many parishes going back into the 1800s. For Caddo Parish specifically, records go back to 1835, which means the Archives may hold some of the earliest available marriage data for this area of Louisiana.

Note: Always verify record details with the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court before ordering a certified copy. The clerk can confirm whether a record exists in their system before you pay for a copy.

Cities in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish is home to Shreveport, the largest city in the parish and the third-largest city in Louisiana. The parish seat is also Shreveport, where the courthouse and Clerk of Court are located. All marriage licenses issued in Caddo Parish, whether in Shreveport or smaller communities, are recorded at the clerk office at 501 Texas Street.

Nearby Parishes

Caddo Parish is in the far northwest corner of Louisiana. If a marriage took place near a parish line, the record may be in a neighboring parish's clerk office. Check the address listed on the license to confirm which clerk has jurisdiction.