Find Birth Records in Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish birth records are available through the Clerk of Court, which operates two office locations serving the parish, one in Donaldsonville and one in Gonzales. This page walks through how to obtain Ascension Parish birth records, including who qualifies, what to bring, current fees, and important details about arrival times and record types.

Ascension Parish Clerk of Court

Ascension Parish has two clerk of court office locations. You can visit either location to request birth records. Both offices handle the same services and follow the same procedures. The Donaldsonville office is at the parish seat, and the Gonzales location provides a more convenient option for residents in the northern part of the parish.

One critical detail: please arrive at the office no later than 3:30 PM. The clerk's office does not process birth certificate requests after that time, even if the office is still open for other services. This is a firm cutoff, so plan your visit accordingly.

The Ascension Parish Clerk website has general information on office services and hours for both locations.

The clerk's site is a good starting point for confirming which office to visit and what to bring for your birth records request.

Getting Birth Records in Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish birth records are available going back to 1903. The clerk's office prints certificates directly from the Louisiana Vital Records system. Because of that, the clerk cannot make changes to a certificate. If there is a mistake on the record, the correction has to go through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics, not through the parish office.

For births that occurred before 1983, the record may need to be updated by the Vital Records office before a certificate can be printed. This process can take 30 minutes to one hour, so plan extra time if this applies to your request. More recent records are generally printed quickly during your visit.

Newborns cannot be issued a birth certificate right away. There is a 90-day waiting period from the date of birth before the state can generate a certificate. This is standard across all Louisiana parishes and reflects the time needed for the state to complete the registration.

The birth and death certificates page on the Ascension Parish Clerk's website has specific details about how to make a request at both offices.

The certificates page explains what documents to bring and how the process works at the Donaldsonville and Gonzales locations.

Note: Birth certificates and death certificates in Ascension Parish are printed from the Vital Records database link and cannot be altered or amended by the Clerk of Court's office.

Who Can Request Ascension Parish Birth Records

Louisiana keeps birth records confidential for 100 years under LSA R.S. 40:36. Not everyone can request a certified copy. Ascension Parish follows state law strictly, and the list of eligible requestors is specific.

People who can request Ascension Parish birth records include the person named on the certificate, their current legal spouse, their parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, a licensed attorney acting on behalf of someone eligible, and a legal guardian who holds a court-issued judgment of custody. Notarized guardianship papers are not sufficient. A court order is required.

There is also a clear list of who cannot request a birth certificate in Ascension Parish. Step-parents, step-grandparents, step-children, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and ex-spouses are all excluded. If you fall into one of these categories, you will not be able to get a certified copy through the parish clerk, regardless of your relationship to the person named on the record.

Payment in Ascension Parish is accepted in cash or by credit or debit card. Checks and money orders are not mentioned as accepted payment forms, so cash or card is the safe bet. Confirm with the office if you have questions about payment before visiting.

The Louisiana Department of Health directory listing for Ascension Parish provides state-level confirmation of the office and services available.

The LDH directory confirms the Ascension Parish clerk's role in the statewide vital records network and can help verify contact details.

Birth Certificate Fees in Ascension Parish

Fees for Ascension Parish birth records are set by state law. A certified birth certificate costs $34.00. A death certificate costs $26.00. These fees are the same across most Louisiana parishes, since the state sets them uniformly.

Under LSA R.S. 40:39.1, a birth card can only be purchased along with a full birth certificate, not separately. If you need a birth card, request it at the same time as your birth certificate. The combined cost is $48.00 when both are requested together.

Providing false information to obtain a birth record carries serious legal consequences. LSA R.S. 40:61 makes it a crime to give false statements on a vital records request, with penalties of up to $10,000 in fines or up to five years of imprisonment.

Alternative Ways to Get Birth Records

If visiting either Ascension Parish clerk location is not possible, you can request a birth certificate through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Records. The state office is at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans, LA. Call (504) 593-5100 or visit ldh.la.gov/vital-records for more information.

VitalChek handles online and phone orders for Louisiana birth certificates. Visit vitalchek.com or call 1-877-605-8562. Mail orders through the state office take approximately 8 to 10 weeks, so in-person requests at either Ascension Parish office are the fastest option when time matters.

For historical or genealogical research, the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, (225) 922-1208, sos.la.gov, may hold records that predate the standard vital records system, including records from Ascension Parish's long history dating to the early 1800s.

Cities in Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish is one of the faster-growing parishes in Louisiana. Prairieville is the qualifying city in the parish with its own birth records page.

Nearby Parishes

Ascension Parish shares borders with several other Louisiana parishes. Use the links below to find birth records information for neighboring areas.