Evangeline Parish Birth Records Search

Evangeline Parish birth records are available through the Clerk of Court in Ville Platte. The clerk's office issues certified birth certificates and also offers a combined birth certificate and birth card option. This guide explains who can request Evangeline Parish birth records, what identification is required, how the fees work, and what to expect when you visit or order remotely.

Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court

Randall M. "Randy" Deshotel serves as the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court. His office is located at 200 Court Street in Ville Platte and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk is the custodian of vital records for the parish, including birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage records. Walk-in service is available during regular office hours.

The Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court website has current fee information and notes from Clerk Deshotel directly. He describes the office's role: "I'm Randall M. 'Randy' Deshotel, honored to be the custodian of our vital records."

Below is a screenshot from the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court's website at evangelineparishclerkofcourt.com.

That page provides contact details, fee information, and an overview of the vital records services available through the Evangeline Parish office.

The screenshot below is from the Louisiana Department of Health vital records directory at ldh.la.gov, which lists Evangeline Parish among the parish-level vital records offices statewide.

That state directory is kept current and is a reliable reference for contact information across all Louisiana parishes.

Getting Birth Records in Evangeline Parish

In-person service at the Ville Platte courthouse is the primary way to get a birth certificate in Evangeline Parish. Walk in, show your ID, fill out a request form, and pay the fee at the counter. The clerk's office can issue certified copies the same day in most cases. Records that are older or involve pre-1983 entries may take slightly longer due to how the state's system stores historical data.

If the record predates 1983, a state-level update may be needed before the local clerk can print it. This is a statewide issue, not specific to Evangeline Parish. It can add 30 minutes to an hour to the wait. Calling ahead when requesting older records is a good idea. The clerk's office at (337) 363-5671 can tell you whether to expect a delay.

Newborns must wait 90 days. The hospital registers the birth with the state first, and the state processes it into the database. Once that 90-day window closes, the local clerk can access the record and issue a certified copy. If you need a certificate before then for any reason, contact the state vital records office directly at (504) 593-5100.

The Evangeline Parish Clerk only has death certificates from July 7, 2012 forward. Older death records are only available through the state vital records office in New Orleans or the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge. For birth records from before the parish-level database era, those channels are also your best option.

Can't come in person? VitalChek handles remote orders at vitalchek.com or by phone at 1-877-605-8562. Mail orders sent to the state office at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans, take 8 to 10 weeks. The Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, (225) 922-1208, holds historical records available for genealogical research.

Who Can Request Evangeline Birth Records

Louisiana restricts access to certified birth records under LSA R.S. 40:36, which makes birth records confidential for 100 years. Only people with a direct legal connection to the person named on the record are allowed to request a certified copy. Evangeline Parish follows these statewide eligibility rules.

Eligible requestors in Evangeline Parish include the person named on the record, a current spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, a grandparent, a grandchild, or a legal guardian. An attorney can also request on behalf of an eligible party. If you are a legal guardian, you need a court judgment, not just notarized papers. The clerk's office does not accept provisional custody documents as authorization.

You must show valid ID when you request a birth certificate. One primary document is enough: a state driver's license, a state photo ID, a military ID, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. If you do not have a primary document, two secondary documents may be accepted. Call (337) 363-5671 to confirm what qualifies before you make the drive.

Under LSA R.S. 40:61, submitting false information to obtain a vital record is a criminal offense. A conviction can carry a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison. The law applies to all Louisiana vital records requests, including those at the Evangeline Parish Clerk's office.

Birth Certificate Fees in Evangeline Parish

A birth certificate in Evangeline Parish costs $34.00. The clerk's website notes something specific about the birth card here: "Individuals seeking birth certificates must note that they can only be purchased along with a birth certificate, and the cost for the pair is $48.00." This aligns with LSA R.S. 40:39.1, which prohibits selling a birth card without a full birth certificate. The pair costs $48.00 total.

Death certificates cost $26.00. Standard payment methods are accepted at the Ville Platte office. Check with the clerk about whether cash only is required or if cards are accepted. This can vary. It is always better to bring cash as a backup.

If you need multiple certified copies, each additional copy costs the same base fee. Many people request two or three copies at once. Courts, government offices, schools, and financial institutions each require their own certified copy. Getting extras during a single visit is more practical than returning later.

State and Alternative Birth Record Sources

Louisiana's Office of Public Health - Vital Records in New Orleans is the central authority for birth records across all parishes, including Evangeline. All parish-level clerks access the same state database when issuing certified copies. If an Evangeline Parish record is not accessible locally, the state office can usually fulfill the request directly.

The state office is at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans, and can be reached at (504) 593-5100. Mail requests to the state take 8 to 10 weeks. For those who prefer online ordering, VitalChek at vitalchek.com is the state-approved third-party service for remote vital records requests.

Records more than 100 years old pass into public access territory under LSA R.S. 40:36. The Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, (225) 922-1208, and at sos.la.gov, holds many of these older records. Genealogical researchers often find records through the Archives or through databases like Ancestry and FamilySearch that host digitized Louisiana vital records from the early 1900s and earlier.

Nearby Parishes

Evangeline Parish sits in south-central Louisiana and borders several parishes. Each has its own clerk and vital records procedures.