Acadia Parish Birth Records

Acadia Parish birth records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Crowley, Louisiana, and serve as the official source for certified birth certificates in the parish. This page covers how to search for, request, and obtain Acadia Parish birth records, including eligibility rules, fees, and what to bring when you visit.

Acadia Parish Clerk of Court

The Acadia Parish Clerk of Court, currently Laura L. LeBoeuf, handles birth certificates and other vital records for the parish. The office is located in Crowley, which is the parish seat. You can visit in person, call ahead, or reach the office by email if you have questions before you go. The physical office and mailing address differ, so use the right one depending on how you plan to submit your request.

The Acadia Parish Clerk of Court website has information on vital records services, fees, and what to bring. It is a good starting point if you have not been to the office before.

The office has the main screenshot of the official clerk site shown below, which gives a sense of what you will find when you visit online.

The official clerk website shows the services available for Acadia Parish birth records and vital records requests.

Visiting the site before you go can save time. You can confirm hours, fees, and what ID to bring before making the trip to Crowley.

Getting Birth Records in Acadia Parish

Acadia Parish keeps birth certificates going back to approximately 1930. Birth cards, which are shorter versions of the birth record, go back about 100 years. Both are available through the clerk's office. You cannot get just a birth card on its own. Under Louisiana law, specifically LSA R.S. 40:39.1, birth cards can only be purchased together with a full birth certificate.

When you come in, the clerk's office prints certificates directly from the Louisiana Vital Records database. This means the Acadia Parish office cannot alter or amend the information on a birth certificate. If there is an error on your record, that has to be corrected through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics, not through the parish clerk.

The vital records page on the clerk's website has details on what documents to bring and what to expect during your visit.

Reviewing the vital records page ahead of time helps you show up prepared, which keeps the process short.

One thing to keep in mind: if you were born before 1986, your record may need to be updated by the Vital Records office before the certificate can be printed. The clerk notes that this can add 5 to 15 minutes to your wait time. For newer records, the process is usually quick. If your child was just born, you will need to wait 90 days before a certificate can be issued, as the state requires time to process newborn registrations.

Note: Residents can also request birth certificates through the state office in New Orleans at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, or through VitalChek online at vitalchek.com. Mail orders to the state office typically take 8 to 10 weeks.

Who Can Request Acadia Parish Birth Records

Louisiana is a closed-record state when it comes to birth certificates. Under LSA R.S. 40:36, birth records are kept confidential for 100 years. That means you cannot request a birth certificate for just anyone. Only certain people are allowed to obtain a certified copy.

Eligible requestors for Acadia Parish birth records include the person named on the record, their current legal spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, a licensed attorney acting on behalf of an eligible party, and a legal guardian who holds a court judgment of custody. It is important to note that a notarized statement of guardianship is not enough. You need an actual court order.

When you apply, you must show identification. You can present one primary document or two secondary documents. Primary ID includes a current state-issued driver's license, state picture ID, military ID, U.S. or foreign passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. If you only have secondary documents, you need two of them. Call the office ahead of time if you are not sure what qualifies as secondary ID.

Under LSA R.S. 40:61, providing false statements to obtain a birth certificate can lead to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to five years. The clerk takes eligibility seriously, and the identification check is part of that process.

Birth Certificate Fees in Acadia Parish

The fees for birth records in Acadia Parish are set by state law. The clerk's office does not set them independently. The fee schedule is available on the Acadia Parish Clerk's fee page.

The fee schedule page lists current rates and what forms of payment the office accepts.

Current fees are as follows: a certified birth certificate costs $34.00. A birth card costs $14.00, but only when purchased at the same time as a full birth certificate. A death certificate costs $26.00. The office accepts checks, cash, or money orders. Make checks and money orders payable to "Acadia Parish Clerk of Court."

If you need to check the Louisiana Department of Health's listing for the Acadia Parish office, the LDH directory page has contact details and office information. The state-level directory is useful if you need to verify which local office serves your area.

The Louisiana Department of Health directory confirms the Acadia Parish office location and can help if you need to verify contact details before visiting.

Note: Fees are subject to change. Always confirm the current fee with the clerk's office before your visit, especially if you plan to bring exact cash.

State-Level Resources for Acadia Parish Residents

If you cannot get to the Crowley office, there are other ways to get an Acadia Parish birth certificate. The Louisiana Bureau of Vital Records in New Orleans handles statewide birth certificate requests. Their office is at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans, and they can be reached at (504) 593-5100. More information is at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.

VitalChek is the authorized third-party service for ordering Louisiana birth certificates online or by phone. You can use their website at vitalchek.com or call 1-877-605-8562. Keep in mind that processing times vary, and mail orders through the state office can take 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a certificate quickly, visiting the parish clerk in person is usually the faster option.

For older historical records or genealogical research, the Louisiana State Archives keeps records that may not be available at the parish level. The archives are located at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, and can be reached at (225) 922-1208. Their website is sos.la.gov. Historical birth records from before statewide registration became consistent may be found there or in church and civil records from that era.

Nearby Parishes

Acadia Parish borders several other Louisiana parishes. If you need records from a neighboring area, you can visit those clerks directly.