Louisiana Birth Records
Louisiana birth records are vital documents kept by the Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records Registry and by parish Clerk of Court offices across the state. You can get certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in Louisiana from 1911 to the present, and Orleans Parish holds records going back to 1790. Whether you need a Louisiana birth record for a passport, a legal matter, or proof of identity, this page tells you where to search, what to bring, and how to get the right document through the proper channels.
Louisiana Birth Records Quick Facts
Louisiana Vital Records Registry
The Louisiana Department of Health runs the main office for all birth records in the state. The Vital Records Registry is at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, in New Orleans. The mailing address is P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. You can call the main line at (504) 593-5100 or the call center at 504-219-4500 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in service runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each weekday except state holidays. You can email questions to vitalweb@dhh.state.la.us if you are unsure which form to use or which office handles your type of request.
This office issues certified copies of Louisiana birth certificates for births dating from 1911 to the present. They also provide birth cards, which are the short form of a birth record. When a child is born in Louisiana, the state provides one complimentary certified copy to the parent or parents at no charge, shortly after the birth is registered. If you do not receive it within four months of the birth date, call (504) 593-5100. Most births are filed electronically by the delivering physician, so the record is available quickly after the doctor certifies it online.
Statewide birth registration began in 1911 under LSA R.S. 40:32, which sets out the mission of the Vital Records and Statistics Program. The Registry has maintained continuous records since that year. Birth records over 100 years old are held at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge rather than at the Vital Records office in New Orleans.
The Louisiana Vital Records main page has ordering forms, fee schedules, and instructions on how to amend or update a birth record. It is a good first stop if you are not sure what kind of copy you need or which office can process your request.
The Vital Records home page provides a full overview of birth certificate services in Louisiana, including links to ordering forms, fee schedules, and information on authorized parish locations.
How to Get Louisiana Birth Records
You have three main ways to order a Louisiana birth certificate. Walking in to the state office in New Orleans is the fastest option for most people. Mail orders take considerably longer. The Vital Records Registry processes most mail requests in 8 to 10 weeks, and delays can add more time. Online ordering through VitalChek is available at any hour and adds processing fees on top of the base cost. The How to Order Birth Records page at the Louisiana Department of Health website walks through each option step by step.
The ordering page explains every document you need to include with your request, from the completed application to a copy of your ID and your payment. It also covers what to do when a Louisiana birth record needs to be corrected or updated before a copy can be printed.
Parish Clerk of Court offices across Louisiana also issue Louisiana birth certificates as a local service. Most participating clerks connect directly to the state database and print a certified copy while you wait. This is often the most practical route if you live far from New Orleans. Hours and accepted payment types vary by parish, so call ahead before you go. Use the LDH directory of authorized clerk locations to find the nearest office that can help you.
Who Can Request Louisiana Birth Records
Louisiana is a closed record state. Birth certificates are not open public documents. The state restricts who may request a certified copy of a Louisiana birth record. Under LSA R.S. 40:41, the eligible list includes: the person named on the document, their current legal spouse, their mother or father, an adult child, a brother or sister, a grandmother or grandfather, a grandchild, an attorney representing one of the above, and a legal guardian who holds a court-issued judgment of custody. That order must be signed by a judge. Notarized custody papers and provisional mandates are not accepted at any Louisiana Vital Records location.
Step-parents, step-grandparents, step-children, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and ex-spouses cannot request a birth certificate on someone else's behalf. If you have any doubt about whether you qualify, call the Vital Records Registry before you travel to an office or send a mail request. The staff will tell you exactly what documentation you need to prove your relationship to the person named on the record.
Every applicant must show valid identification. You need one primary document or two secondary documents. Primary documents include a current state-issued driver's license with a photo, a current state-issued picture ID, a U.S. military ID card with a photo, a current U.S. or foreign passport, and a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Students at the high school level or below may use a current school ID or yearbook with a photo.
Louisiana Birth Certificate Fees
The state Vital Records Registry charges $15.00 for a long-form birth certificate and $9.00 for a birth card. Buying both together costs $24.00 as a pair. These are the state-level prices. Parish Clerk of Court offices charge higher fees because they handle local printing and processing. At the parish level, a birth certificate costs $34.00. A birth certificate and a birth card together run $48.00. Death certificates at the parish level are $26.00 each.
The LDH service fees page lists all current costs for vital records, including amendment fees, delayed certificate requests, and other special services. Check that page before you submit your request to confirm the right payment amount.
One fee rule that surprises many people: under LSA R.S. 40:39.1, a birth card cannot be bought on its own. It can only be sold together with a birth certificate. So if you only need the birth card, you still have to pay for the full certificate as well. Keep that in mind when you plan your budget for the request.
Online orders through VitalChek carry extra processing fees beyond the base certificate price. If cost matters, visiting the state office or a participating parish clerk in person is the most affordable path. Phone orders through 1-877-605-8562 also add fees.
Online Ordering and Kiosk Locations
VitalChek is the official online provider for Louisiana birth records. You can place an order at vitalchek.com or call 1-877-605-8562 any time. Orders are submitted to the Louisiana Vital Records Registry and mailed to you when processed. Additional service fees apply on top of the base certificate cost. VitalChek accepts most major credit cards.
Online ordering through VitalChek is a solid option if you cannot visit a Louisiana office in person or if you live out of state and need a Louisiana birth record sent to you by mail.
Vital Records kiosks offer walk-in service outside New Orleans at parish health units. Kiosk orders are either mailed to you or available for pickup at the Vital Records central office. Current kiosk locations include the Caddo Parish Health Unit at 1035 Creswell Avenue in Shreveport, the Calcasieu Parish Health Unit at 3236 Kirkman Street in Lake Charles, the Jefferson Parish Health Unit at 1855 Ames Boulevard in Marrero, the Lafayette Parish Health Unit, the Lafourche Parish Health Unit at 2535 Veterans Boulevard in Thibodaux, the Ouachita Parish Health Unit at 1650 Desiard Street in Monroe, the Rapides Parish Health Unit at 5604 Coliseum Boulevard in Alexandria, and the Tangipahoa Parish Health Unit at 15481 W. Club Deluxe Road in Hammond.
The LDH directory of authorized locations shows every parish clerk and health unit in Louisiana that is set up to issue certified birth records. Use it to find the closest authorized location to where you live or work.
Louisiana Birth Records Confidentiality
Louisiana classifies birth records as confidential government documents. Under LSA R.S. 40:36, birth records remain restricted for 100 years from the date of birth. Death records are restricted for 50 years from the date of death. Once those periods end, the records transfer to the Louisiana State Archives and become available for historical research and genealogy. This confidentiality rule sets Louisiana apart from many other states where birth records are fully public.
Making a false statement on a vital records application is a serious crime in Louisiana. Under LSA R.S. 40:61, anyone who knowingly submits false information on an application for a certified copy of a vital record can face a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. That statute appears on most Louisiana vital records application forms as a direct warning to applicants.
Two timing rules apply to many Louisiana birth record requests. Newborns have a 90-day waiting period before a birth certificate can be issued. Birth records for people born before 1983 may need to be updated by the state system before a parish clerk can print a copy, adding 30 minutes to one hour to your wait.
Historical Louisiana Birth Records
The Louisiana State Archives holds birth records that are more than 100 years old. The Archives is at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-2137, and the phone number is (225) 922-1208. Their website is at sos.la.gov. If you are researching family history or tracing ancestors born in Louisiana in the early 1900s or before, the Archives is the right starting point. They also hold death records over 50 years old and Orleans Parish marriage records over 50 years old.
The Louisiana.gov vital records portal connects state residents to ordering tools, agency contact pages, and resource guides for birth certificates and other vital documents across state agencies. It is a useful hub if you are not sure which agency handles what you need.
Orleans Parish holds a unique place in Louisiana birth records history. The parish began keeping birth records in 1790, over 120 years before statewide registration started in 1911. Death records there go back to 1804. The Louisiana State Archives holds Orleans Parish birth records from 1819 through 1914. That means researchers tracing New Orleans family lines can find records that go back well over two centuries, covering generations that predate the Civil War and even Louisiana statehood.
Louisiana Birth Records by Parish
Each of Louisiana's 64 parishes has a Clerk of Court office that may be authorized to issue birth records locally. Select a parish below to find contact details, office hours, fees, and procedures specific to that area.
View All 64 Louisiana Parishes
Louisiana Birth Records in Major Cities
No city in Louisiana issues birth certificates directly. City residents get Louisiana birth records through their parish Clerk of Court or the state Vital Records Registry. Select a city below to find the right office and resources for that area.