A motor-vehicle door latch has a latch fork pivotal on a housing between a holding position in which it is adapted to retain a door of the vehicle closed and a releasing position in which it allows the vehicle door to be opened. A latch pawl is pivotal on the housing between a retaining position engaging the fork and retaining it in the holding position and a freeing position out of engagement with the fork and permitting it to move into the releasing position. A door handle and lock mechanism in the housing are connected to the pawl for moving the pawl into the freeing position on actuation of the handle. A locking lever connected to the mechanism is displaceable between a locked position in which it disconnects the mechanism from the pawl and prevents the mechanism from moving the pawl into the freeing position and an unlocked position in which it permits the mechanism to move the pawl into the freeing position. A blocking element has a part engageable directly with the pawl and is pivotal in the housing between a blocking position preventing movement of the pawl into the freeing position and an unblocking position permitting the pawl to move between its positions. A link between the blocking element and the locking lever displaces the blocking element into the blocking position on displacement of the locking lever into the locked position.