Jefferson Davis Parish Marriage Records
Jefferson Davis Parish marriage records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Court in Jennings. The 31st Judicial District Court serves this parish. If you need to apply for a marriage license, search for a past record, or request a certified copy, the Clerk's office on W. Plaquemine Street in Jennings handles all of it. Online access is available through the eClerksLA statewide portal, with records covering the parish from 1913 to the present.
Jefferson Davis Parish Quick Facts
Jefferson Davis Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court in Jennings is the official keeper of Jefferson Davis Parish marriage records. The office sits at 300 W. Plaquemine Street. Staff there handle marriage license applications, record searches, and certified copy requests. You can reach the office at (318) 824-1160 or by fax at (337) 824-1184.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan your visit during those hours. The office is closed on state and federal holidays. If you need to apply for a license, arrive with enough time before closing so that staff can process your application fully. The Clerk of Court maintains marriage records from 1913 to present, covering the full history of the parish since its founding.
Note: Jefferson Davis Parish was created in 1913 from Calcasieu Parish, so records begin that year. Older marriage records for this area may exist in Calcasieu Parish records prior to 1913.
| Office Address | 300 W. Plaquemine Street, Jennings, LA 70546 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (337) 824-1160 |
| Fax | (337) 824-1184 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Judicial District | 31st Judicial District |
Getting a Marriage License in Jefferson Davis Parish
Both parties must appear in person at the Clerk of Court office to apply for a marriage license. You cannot send a representative. Both people need to be there at the same time and bring the right documents.
Each person must bring a valid photo ID, a certified birth certificate, and Social Security number. If either party was previously married, you need proof that the prior marriage ended. That means a certified copy of the divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Missing any of these means you will have to come back.
Under Louisiana law at R.S. 9:222, a marriage license issued in any Louisiana parish is valid statewide. You can get your license in Jefferson Davis Parish even if you plan to have your ceremony elsewhere in Louisiana. Under R.S. 9:241, a waiting period applies before you can use the license. Contact the Clerk's office to confirm the current wait time. The license is valid for 30 days from issuance.
The license is only valid for ceremonies held in Louisiana. It does not carry over to other states. If you miss the 30-day window, you must reapply and pay the fee again.
Search Jefferson Davis Parish Marriage Records Online
Records are available through eClerksLA, the statewide online records portal used by Louisiana clerks of court. Jefferson Davis Parish participates in this system. You can search marriage license indexes from 1913 to the present without visiting the courthouse. The portal is open at all hours and does not require a login for basic name searches.
The eClerksLA portal above provides online access to Jefferson Davis Parish marriage license records from 1913 to the present. Use it to search by name or date before making a trip to the Jennings courthouse.
The Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal offers an additional online option. LCRAA was established to give the public access to court indexes from parishes across Louisiana in one place. Marriage license indexes from Jefferson Davis Parish may appear in this system as well.
The LCRAA portal shown above is another route for searching Jefferson Davis Parish marriage indexes along with records from other Louisiana parishes.
For certified copies of a marriage record, you still need to contact the Clerk of Court directly. Online portals give you index information, but the office issues the official certified copies.
Historical Marriage Records in Jefferson Davis Parish
Jefferson Davis Parish was created in 1913 from Calcasieu Parish. Marriage records for this parish start from that year. For marriages before 1913 in this geographic area, you would need to check Calcasieu Parish records.
The Louisiana State Archives holds historical vital records and documents from across the state. If you are researching an older marriage from this parish, the archives may have supplementary records. Their collection can be a useful starting point for genealogical research involving Jefferson Davis Parish families.
The Louisiana State Archives shown above holds historical vital records and documents that may supplement Jefferson Davis Parish marriage records for older searches and genealogical research.
Note: The Louisiana Department of Health at LDH vital records issues certified marriage certificates for events after 1946. These are shorter documents confirming a marriage took place. For full license details, the Clerk of Court in Jennings is the right contact.
Cities in Jefferson Davis Parish
Jefferson Davis Parish includes Jennings, Welsh, Lake Arthur, Elton, and other small communities. All marriage licenses for residents are issued by the Clerk of Court in Jennings.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border Jefferson Davis Parish. Each has its own Clerk of Court that handles marriage records. If you are not sure which office to contact, use the parish where the license was issued.