Orleans Parish Birth Records

Orleans Parish birth records are unique in Louisiana because the parish began keeping official birth records in 1790, more than 120 years before statewide registration started. Whether you need a certified copy of a modern birth certificate or want to research a historical record from the 1800s, this page covers how to access Orleans Parish birth records, where to go, and what the process involves.

Orleans Parish Clerk of Court

The Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk handles many of the local record functions for New Orleans. The Civil District Court Clerk office is located at 421 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112. The main phone number is (504) 592-9100. The First City Court can be reached at (504) 407-0400. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The official clerk website is at orleanscivilclerk.com. The clerk's office plays a significant role in the New Orleans vital records landscape. Orleans is the only parish in Louisiana that has birth records predating statewide registration in 1911. Death records in Orleans Parish go back to 1804. That combination makes New Orleans one of the richest sources of historical vital records in the entire Gulf South.

The screenshot below shows the Orleans Parish Civil Clerk website, which provides access to civil court filings, vital record services, and other official documents for New Orleans.

The clerk site is a useful starting point whether you need a modern birth certificate or information about historical records from earlier eras in New Orleans.

For current birth certificate orders, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry co-located in New Orleans at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, serves as the primary state-level issuance point. Their phone is (504) 593-5100, and walk-in hours are 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The state office and the Orleans Parish clerk together make New Orleans one of the most accessible places in the state to obtain both modern and historical birth records.

How to Get an Orleans Parish Birth Certificate

For birth certificates issued from 1911 forward, you can go to the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans, visit the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court, or order online through VitalChek. For births between 1790 and 1910, the Louisiana State Archives holds those records and can assist with research requests. The State Archives are at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, and their phone is (225) 922-1208. Their website is at sos.la.gov.

To get a certified birth certificate for a modern Orleans Parish birth, you need to be an eligible requestor and bring valid identification. You submit an application, pay the fee, and the office prints the certificate from the state Vital Records database. The process is walk-in for both the state office and the clerk's office. No appointment is necessary, though arriving closer to opening time can reduce wait periods.

The screenshot below shows the Louisiana Department of Health's birth records ordering page, which covers how to request a certified birth certificate from the state office for any Louisiana parish including Orleans.

The LDH ordering page at ldh.la.gov/page/how-to-order-birth-records walks through all the steps for getting a certified Louisiana birth certificate by walk-in, mail, or online order.

Online orders go through VitalChek at vitalchek.com or by phone at 1-877-605-8562. Mail orders sent to the state office at P.O. Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160 take 8 to 10 weeks. If you need a birth certificate quickly for a passport or other deadline, in-person service at the New Orleans state office is the fastest route.

Note: Orleans Parish birth records from 1819 to 1914 are available through the Louisiana State Archives. The New Orleans birth certificate index from 1790 to 1904 is part of that collection. Researchers looking for pre-statehood records should contact the archives directly.

Who Can Request an Orleans Parish Birth Certificate

Louisiana is a closed-record state under LSA R.S. 40:36. Birth records are confidential for 100 years from the date of the event. Only certain people are authorized to receive a certified copy. The eligible requestors under LSA R.S. 40:41 are the person named on the certificate, their current legal spouse, a parent listed on the document, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, a grandchild, an attorney representing one of these parties, and a legal guardian with a court-issued judgment of custody. Notarized statements of guardianship are not accepted. You need the actual court order.

Identification is required when you apply. You must present one primary document or two secondary documents. Primary ID includes a current state driver's license, a state picture ID, a military ID with photo, a U.S. or foreign passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship. Students at the high school level or younger may use a school yearbook or school ID with photo. Secondary documents include a W-2 paired with a Social Security card, a payroll stub with SSN, voter registration, property deeds, insurance policies, DD-214, military dependent ID, or adoption papers.

Providing false information to get a birth certificate is a serious offense. Under LSA R.S. 40:61, penalties include fines up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison. Both the state office and the Orleans Parish clerk take eligibility seriously and verify identification before processing requests.

Birth Certificate Fees in Orleans Parish

At the Louisiana Vital Records Registry, a long-form birth certificate costs $15.00. A birth card (short form) costs $9.00. Both together cost $24.00 as a pair. These are the base fees set by the state. At the parish clerk level, fees can differ. Standard parish clerk fees run $34.00 for a full birth certificate and $48.00 for a combined certificate and card pair. Orleans Parish may have its own local fee structure, so call the clerk's office at (504) 592-9100 to confirm before visiting.

VitalChek adds a processing fee when you order online or by phone. The amount depends on the order and your payment method. Check the VitalChek site for the current total before submitting your order.

For historical records held at the State Archives, fees vary depending on the type of research request. Contact the archives directly at (225) 922-1208 to ask about current fees for historical birth record searches. Some records in the pre-1911 collection may require a research request rather than a standard certificate order.

Note: Orleans Parish marriage certificates are also handled through the state Vital Records Registry and cost $5.50. That is a unique service because Orleans is the only parish where the state maintains marriage records directly.

Historical Orleans Parish Birth Records

No other Louisiana parish has birth records going back as far as Orleans. The parish began recording births in 1790, and those records span Spanish colonial, French colonial, and early American periods of New Orleans history. Death records began in 1804. This makes Orleans Parish a primary resource for anyone researching Louisiana genealogy from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Records from 1819 to 1914 are at the Louisiana State Archives. The archives can search their collection and provide copies for research purposes. For records older than 100 years, there is no confidentiality restriction, so members of the public can access them without the same eligibility requirements that apply to recent certificates. Researchers can visit the archives in Baton Rouge or submit a mail-in research request.

The Louisiana government's vital records portal at louisiana.gov links to multiple resources that cover both modern record requests and historical research. For those working on family trees or legal matters involving older Orleans Parish ancestors, starting with the State Archives and then checking church records and civil registrations from the colonial era can fill in gaps that the state Vital Records system does not cover.

Nearby Parishes

Orleans Parish is surrounded by several other parishes. If you need records from a neighboring area, the links below connect you to those pages.