How to E-File in Louisiana Courts: Portals, Fees, and Service

To e-file in Louisiana courts, you register on the electronic filing portal your court uses, upload your pleadings and exhibits as properly formatted PDFs with sensitive information redacted and an electronic signature attached, pay the filing fees through the portal, and wait for the clerk to accept the submission. There is no single statewide system — the portal you use depends on which court you are filing in and which parish it sits in. And as of January 1, 2026, attorneys filing in Louisiana district courts must either e-file or deliver paper in person; mail-in filing by counsel is no longer allowed.¹

Find the Right Portal for Your Court

Louisiana runs several e-filing systems in parallel. Many parish district courts use the Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal. Each of the five Courts of Appeal operates its own system. The Louisiana Supreme Court has a separate portal at cdx.lasc.org.² Some parishes use third-party platforms such as eFileLA or systems built on Tyler Technologies software.

Most civil matters are e-filing compatible, but certain sensitive proceedings, particularly some criminal cases, may still require paper under local rules. Start on your parish clerk of court’s website. That page will point you to the correct portal and spell out any local requirements the statewide rules do not cover.

Set Up Your Account

Access to each system depends on who you are. The Supreme Court’s e-filing portal is restricted to members in good standing of the Louisiana State Bar Association.² At the district court level, access is broader. Platforms like eFileLA accept filings from attorneys, self-represented litigants, and government agencies.³ If you are representing yourself, confirm with your parish clerk that the local portal accepts non-attorney filers before you create an account.

Registration typically asks for your name, contact information, and bar number if you are an attorney. You will usually need to accept terms of use and consent to receive electronic notices through the system. You will also need a credit card or electronic check on file, because fees are collected through the portal when you file.

Before you begin a filing, have your case number, the party names, and the correct filing code for your document type on hand. The filing code tells the clerk how to classify what you are submitting, and choosing the wrong code is one of the most common reasons a filing comes back rejected.

Prepare Your Documents

Every document you upload must be in PDF format. No other file types are accepted.⁴ Beyond that, specific courts layer on additional technical requirements:

Resolution: the Third Circuit requires a minimum of 200 DPI; Caddo Parish requires at least 300 DPI. Three hundred DPI is a safe default.⁵
File size: the Third Circuit caps individual files at 20 MB. Larger documents must be split.
Security: PDFs cannot be password-protected, secured, or contain embedded files, scripts, or executable code.
Orientation and color: pages must read left to right, top to bottom. Some courts permit only black text on a white background.

Redact Sensitive Information

You, not the clerk, are responsible for removing sensitive personal data before uploading. Article 253 of the Code of Civil Procedure prohibits filings from including the first five digits of any Social Security number, tax identification numbers, state identification numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers, or full dates of birth.¹ Information protected from disclosure by state or federal law must also be excluded.

If an unredacted Social Security number or bank account number slips through, it becomes part of the public court record. Use only the last four digits for account numbers and Social Security numbers, initials for minor children, and birth year alone instead of a full date. Check exhibits and attachments carefully, because that is where unredacted information most often appears.

Submit the Filing

The interface differs from portal to portal, but the workflow is consistent. You open the case (or start a new one), choose the filing code, upload your PDF, and designate which document is the lead pleading and which are supporting exhibits.

Every electronic filing must include an electronic signature. Under Article 253, an electronic signature is any electronic symbol or process attached to a record that the signer adopted with the intent to sign, and the clerk cannot reject a document solely because it was signed electronically.¹ In practice, most filers type “/s/ [Name]” on the signature line of the PDF, though some systems offer a built-in digital signature tool.

After attaching your documents and verifying the information, the portal moves you to a payment screen. Review the full package before you submit. Once you transmit it, the filing enters the clerk’s intake queue.

Filing Fees

Costs depend on the court, the type of case, and whether you are initiating a new action or filing into an existing one. New civil suit deposits can run high. In Jefferson Parish, a petition for damages requires a $400 advance deposit, a divorce with one service runs $500, and more complex matters like foreclosures or interdictions can reach $1,000.⁶ Later filings into an existing case are much cheaper; Jefferson Parish charges $7 for the first page and $5 for each additional page.

On top of clerk’s fees, the portal usually charges its own service fee. In parishes using Clerk Connect, that fee is $5 per submission, plus a credit card convenience fee from the payment processor.⁷ Non-clerk fees are nonrefundable. Your card is charged only after the clerk processes and accepts the submission, not at the moment you click submit.

Fee schedules vary by parish. Check your clerk’s website, or call and ask for the specific cost of your filing type before you begin.

If You Cannot Afford the Fees

Louisiana law allows you to ask the court to waive filing costs. Under Code of Civil Procedure Article 5181, an individual who is unable to pay court costs because of poverty may prosecute or defend a case in any trial or appellate court without paying costs in advance or furnishing security.⁸

You request this by submitting an In Forma Pauperis Affidavit. The Louisiana Supreme Court publishes a standard form covering your income, assets, and financial obligations.⁹ Clients of a Legal Services Corporation-funded program whose income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level receive a rebuttable presumption that they qualify. The court weighs both the nature of the proceeding and your actual ability to pay. Pauper status does not erase the obligation to pay costs if you ultimately lose; it only delays the requirement.

Serve the Other Side

Filing with the court and serving the other party are separate obligations. Code of Civil Procedure Article 1313 allows electronic service on opposing counsel, or on the opposing party if unrepresented, at an email address or number specifically designated in a pleading for that purpose.¹⁰

For routine filings, electronic service is complete the moment you transmit it. If you discover the transmission never actually reached the other party, the service is ineffective and you cannot certify it. When the document sets a court date, such as a hearing, trial, or status conference, the rules tighten. Service must be made by certified mail, actual delivery through a commercial courier, or email to the designated address, and you must receive an electronic confirmation of delivery.¹⁰ After serving by any method, file a certificate in the record stating how service was made.

Confirmation, Deadlines, and Rejections

When the clerk accepts your filing, you receive a confirmation with the date and time of submission. A document filed electronically is deemed filed on the date and time stated on the confirmation, provided the clerk accepts it.¹ If the clerk rejects it, the filing has no legal effect.

Cutoff times for timeliness vary by court. The Fourth Circuit treats an e-filed document as timely if submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the due date.¹¹ Other courts may set earlier cutoffs. Verify yours before relying on a late-night submission. Technical failures and portal outages are not universally excused; treat the deadline as firm.

When a Filing Is Rejected

Rejections happen. The clerk will give a reason, such as the wrong filing code, missing information, a formatting problem, or unpaid fees. You can usually copy the rejected envelope in your dashboard, correct it, and resubmit. Some courts preserve the original submission timestamp when the corrected filing is accepted. The St. Tammany Parish Clerk’s office records the original date and time the envelope first entered the system even after resubmission.¹² Not every court handles this the same way. If a deadline is on the line and your filing comes back rejected, call the clerk right away and ask whether the original timestamp will be honored.

When a Filing Does Not Comply

Article 253 is blunt: if your electronic filing fails to comply with the statutory requirements, it has “no force or effect.”¹ A defective filing does not stop a prescriptive period from running or satisfy a court-imposed deadline. Getting the formatting, signatures, and payment right the first time is the difference between a valid filing and no filing at all.

1
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 253
2
Louisiana Supreme Court. Louisiana Supreme Court E-Filing
3
eFileLA. eFileLA Court E-Filing Solution for Louisiana
4
Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. Rules and Procedures for Electronic Filing and Storage of Pleadings, Documents and Exhibits in Legal Proceedings
5
Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal Electronic Filing Program Rules
6
Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court. Fees
7
Acadia Parish Clerk of Court. How to Civil E-File Using Clerk Connect
8
Justia Law. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 5181
9
Louisiana Supreme Court. In Forma Pauperis Affidavit
10
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 1313
11
Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit. Local Rule 25 – Electronic Filing Program
12
St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court. How to Re-Submit a Rejected E-Filing