St. Tammany Parish Background Check Records

St. Tammany Parish sits on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and is one of the fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana. Background check records here come from two main places: the Clerk of Court in Covington, which holds civil and criminal court filings, and the Louisiana State Police, which runs the statewide criminal history database. This guide covers where to search, what you will find, how the local clerk's office works, and what notices you need to know before you go or call.

St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court Records

The Clerk of Court for St. Tammany Parish is Jessica Jenkins Brewster. Her office is the primary local source for court-based background check records. The office is at 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. You can call them at (985) 809-8700 or send a fax to (985) 809-8712. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The official website is sttammanyclerk.org.

The clerk's office holds civil and criminal court records for the 22nd Judicial District Court. These include case filings, judgments, docket entries, minute entries, and other public documents tied to legal proceedings in the parish. If you need to verify whether someone has a court record in St. Tammany Parish, this is where you start. Staff can help you search by name, case number, or party type. In-person visits allow you to view records at the public terminals in the clerk's office.

The screenshot below is from the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court website, which is your main local resource for background check court records.

See sttammanyclerk.org for search portals, fee schedules, and contact details by department.

The site gives access to online case searches, document ordering tools, and information about what the clerk's various departments handle.

Important Notices for St. Tammany Parish Background Check Searches

Before you search, there are several things to know. Sealed records do not appear in the reSearchLA online portal. If you think a record may be sealed and need access, call the clerk directly at (985) 809-8700. The office will tell you what steps to take from there. This is a common issue, and staff handle these requests regularly.

Protective Orders have a hard cutoff. The clerk's office does not process Protective Orders after 3:00 PM on any day. If you need immediate help related to a protective order or safety concern, contact Safe Harbor at 985-626-5740. They can assist when the courthouse is no longer processing documents for the day.

Birth certificates for individuals born before 1983 can take up to one hour to pull. If you need one, submit your request before 3 PM so staff have time to locate the record before the office closes. This cutoff applies on weekdays only.

Starting January 1, 2026, a 2.75% credit card fee applies to all transactions on the Land Records (Legacy) site. Plan accordingly if you are ordering records online and prefer to avoid the surcharge. Some users switch to check or money order for larger purchases to keep costs down.

Online Access to St. Tammany Parish Court Records

St. Tammany Parish is part of Louisiana's statewide eClerksLA system. The old portal was shut down on January 31, 2025. It has been replaced by eClerksLA Alerts, available at evaultla.com. This new system covers all 64 Louisiana parishes in one place. You can sign up for alerts tied to specific names or case numbers. The tool works well if you need to monitor ongoing litigation or track new filings in the parish over time.

The eClerksLA portal shown below provides access to court records across Louisiana, including filings from St. Tammany Parish's 22nd Judicial District.

Visit evaultla.com to set up an account and search or subscribe to parish-level court records.

The portal works for one-time searches and ongoing monitoring, which makes it useful for attorneys, researchers, and individuals doing due diligence on court history.

ClerkConnect is a second tool for accessing public records across the state. The screenshot below shows the ClerkConnect portal login and search interface.

Access ClerkConnect at clerkconnect.com for additional search options tied to Louisiana parish court records.

ClerkConnect offers document retrieval and index searches that supplement what you find through the clerk's office directly or the eClerksLA system.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Office Records

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement across unincorporated parts of the parish. They maintain arrest records, incident reports, and inmate information. Their website is at stpso.com. Arrest records from the sheriff are separate from court records held by the clerk. You may need to check both sources for a complete background check picture. An arrest record from the sheriff tells you about the charge. The clerk's records tell you what happened in court after the arrest.

Keep in mind that an arrest does not equal a conviction. If you find an arrest in the sheriff's data, check court records to see how the case ended. Charges can be reduced, dismissed, or result in acquittal. Only the clerk's case records show the final disposition.

Louisiana State Background Check for St. Tammany Parish Residents

For a statewide criminal history check, the Louisiana State Police manages the process. Louisiana is a closed-record state under RS 15:587. That means criminal history records are not fully open to the public the way court indexes are. The state police process requests through the Louisiana Identification Bureau and Criminal Records system, known as IBC, at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov.

The standard fee is $31 plus a $5 technology fee, for a total of $36. Mail requests take 15 to 21 business days. IBC responses are valid for only 14 days from the date of issue. No cash or personal checks are accepted. You can review your own criminal history in person for $41, or request a self-review by mail for $31. Full instructions are on the Louisiana State Police background check page.

The screenshot below shows the Louisiana State Police background check landing page, where you start the official state-level request.

Go to lsp.org/services/background-checks/ for the form, instructions, and mailing address.

This is the official entry point for all state-level criminal history background check requests in Louisiana, including for St. Tammany Parish residents.

IdentoGO handles fingerprint-based submissions for Louisiana. Schedule an appointment at uenroll.identogo.com. Fingerprint checks go through the FBI and return federal criminal history data in addition to Louisiana state records. Some licensing and certification programs require fingerprinting. Check your specific program's requirements before deciding which type of check to order.

The IBC FAQ page covers common questions about the state background check process. Check it before you submit to avoid delays.

Read the IBC FAQ at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov/faq.aspx for answers about what records are included, how to correct errors, and how long results take.

Reading the FAQ first saves time and helps you avoid common mistakes when submitting a background check request.

Cities in St. Tammany Parish

St. Tammany Parish includes several incorporated cities and towns. Slidell is the largest city and has its own background check resource page with additional local details.

Nearby Parishes

St. Tammany Parish shares borders with several other Louisiana parishes. If you need background check records from a neighboring area, use the links below to go to those parish pages.