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La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5168 (2026)

Promissory notes; loss or destruction; proof by affidavit

✓ current as of May 2026
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§5168. Promissory notes; loss or destruction; proof by affidavit

            A. When a promissory note paraphed for identification with a mortgage or act creating a vendor's privilege on immovable property has been lost or destroyed, the maker of such note or any other interested party may prove its payment by presentation of the sworn affidavit of the obligee of record of the mortgage or vendor's privilege specifically attesting to and testifying as to the truth of all of the allegations required by this Section.

            B. The affidavit shall set forth all of the following:

            (1) The name of the mortgagor or obligor of the privilege as it appears in the recorded mortgage or vendor's privilege and the recordation information.

            (2) A description of the paraphed promissory note and the encumbered immovable property.

            (3) The affiant is the obligee of record of the paraphed promissory note.

            (4) The note has been lost or destroyed and cannot be presented.

            (5) The note is paid, forgiven, or otherwise satisfied.

            (6) The affiant authorizes the clerk of court and ex officio recorder of mortgages to cancel the inscription of the mortgage or vendor's privilege.

            (7) The affiant has not sold, transferred, or assigned the note to any other person or entity.

            (8) The affiant agrees to be personally liable to and indemnify the clerk of court and ex officio recorder of mortgages and any person relying upon the cancellation by affidavit for any damages that they may suffer as a consequence of such reliance if the recorded affidavit contains incorrect statements that cause the recorder to incorrectly cancel the recordation of a mortgage or privilege.

            C. An affidavit executed according to the provisions of this Section may be substituted for the original paraphed note as is otherwise required in R.S. 9:5170. No mandamus proceeding is required to use the provisions of this Section. Neither the clerk of court and ex officio recorder of mortgages nor his surety on his official bond shall have any liability for any damages resulting to any person or entity as a consequence of canceling the inscription of a mortgage or vendor's privilege pursuant to an affidavit which complies with this Section.

            D. The clerk of court and ex officio recorder of mortgages shall not refuse to accept an affidavit which complies with this Section and shall not require the filing of a mandamus proceeding as a condition of canceling the inscription of a mortgage or vendor's privilege.

            E. Any person in whose favor a cancelled inscription was recorded shall have a cause of action against the affiant in the event the note was not paid, forgiven, or otherwise satisfied and the mortgage or vendor's privilege cancelled from the mortgage records was legally enforceable. The cause of action created by this Subsection shall prescribe on the same date that the cause of action to enforce the underlying mortgage or vendor's privilege prescribes.

            F. An affiant who has signed an affidavit that is provided to the clerk of court or the recorder of mortgages pursuant to this Section and that contains incorrect statements causing the recorder to incorrectly cancel the inscription of a mortgage or privilege from his certificate is liable to and shall indemnify the clerk of court or the recorder of mortgages, the sheriff, and any person relying upon the cancellation for any damages that they may suffer as a consequence of such reliance.

            Acts 2008, No. 651, §1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2003–2021 · leading case: Urban Prop. of La. v. Pioneer Credit, 845 So. 2d 1227 (La. Ct. App. 2003).
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Urban Prop. of La. v. Pioneer Credit, 845 So. 2d 1227 (La. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 4× “Affiant does hereby agree to indemnify any person or entity as a consequence of canceling the aforesaid mortgage or vendor's lien pursuant to this affidavit which is executed under the provisions of Louisiana R.S. 9:5168. Baker then sent the affidavit to the mortgage office.”
URBAN Prop. CO. v. Pioneer Credit Co., 882 So. 2d 1178 (La. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “Urban argues on appeal that its allegations of damages were sufficient to support a cause of action, because in the Affidavit of Lost Note Pioneer (through its employee, Baker) agreed "to idemnify [sic] any person or entity as a consequence of cancelling the aforesaid mortgage…”
Magic Lamp, L.L.C. v. LeBlanc (In Re LeBlanc), 346 B.R. 706 (Bankr. M.D. La. 2006). “R.S. 9:5168(B) establishes the requirements for a valid lost note affidavit.”
Wells Fargo Fin. Louisiana, Inc. Versus Zoie Breaux Bordelon A/K/A Zoie B, Bordelon A/K/A Zoie Bordelon, Ernest Bordelon, Jr., Donald W. Bordelon A/K/A Donald Bordelon & Geraldine A. Bordelon A/K/A Geraldine Bordelon, 334 So. 3d 996 (La. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 3× “R.S. 9:5168 to establish the existence of the lost 2003 Note for purposes of enforcing the obligation memorialized by the lost note.”
Rountree v. Forsythe Holdings, Inc., 196 So. 3d 52 (La. Ct. App. 2016). “R.S. 9:5168(F) 5 provides that the Bayleses would be “liable to and shall indemnify the clerk of court or .”
La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5168(B): 2 cases
Magic Lamp, L.L.C. v. LeBlanc (In Re LeBlanc), 346 B.R. 706 (Bankr. M.D. La. 2006). “R.S. 9:5168(B) establishes the requirements for a valid lost note affidavit.”
Wells Fargo Fin. Louisiana, Inc. Versus Zoie Breaux Bordelon A/K/A Zoie B, Bordelon A/K/A Zoie Bordelon, Ernest Bordelon, Jr., Donald W. Bordelon A/K/A Donald Bordelon & Geraldine A. Bordelon A/K/A Geraldine Bordelon, 334 So. 3d 996 (La. Ct. App. 2021). “R.S. 9:5168 to establish the existence of the lost 2003 Note for purposes of enforcing the obligation memorialized by the lost note.”
La. Rev. Stat. § 9:5168(F): 1 case
Rountree v. Forsythe Holdings, Inc., 196 So. 3d 52 (La. Ct. App. 2016). “R.S. 9:5168(F) 5 provides that the Bayleses would be “liable to and shall indemnify the clerk of court or .”
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