St. Landry Parish Birth Records

St. Landry Parish birth records are handled by the Clerk of Court in Opelousas, which serves as the official local source for certified birth certificates in the parish. This page explains how to request St. Landry Parish birth records, who can get them, what you need to bring, and how fees work at both the parish and state levels.

St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court

The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court, Hon. Charles Jagneaux, manages vital records for the parish. The office is located in Opelousas at 118 South Court Street. The office handles birth certificates, birth cards, and other vital documents as part of its partnership with the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. If you have questions before you come in, you can call the main line or use the direct extension for birth certificates.

The state-level LDH directory confirms the St. Landry Parish location as an authorized issuance point for birth certificates. Below is a screenshot of the LDH directory page listing authorized clerks across Louisiana, including the Opelousas office.

The LDH directory is a good starting point if you want to confirm the office is still active before making the trip to Opelousas.

Birth Certificate Records in St. Landry Parish

Birth records are available at the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court for anyone born in Louisiana from 1915 to the present. The office can issue both a full long-form birth certificate and a birth card, which is a shorter version of the record. Keep in mind that the birth card cannot be bought on its own. Louisiana law requires the birth card to be purchased at the same time as the birth certificate. The pair costs $48.00 total. A birth certificate alone is $34.00.

When you visit, staff print certificates directly from the Louisiana Vital Records database. This means the clerk cannot change any information on the record. Any corrections to a birth certificate must go through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics in New Orleans. The Opelousas office is just a print location. If there is an error on the record, they will refer you to the state office for an amendment.

Note: Statewide registration of births began in 1911. Records from 1915 onward are typically more complete and consistently accessible through the parish clerk system.

Who Can Get St. Landry Parish Birth Records

Louisiana keeps birth records closed for 100 years under LSA R.S. 40:36. That means birth certificates are not public records in the usual sense. You have to qualify as an eligible requestor before the clerk can issue a copy. Not everyone can walk in and ask for any birth record.

The people who can request a certified copy of a birth certificate in St. Landry Parish include the person named on the record, their current legal spouse, their mother or father, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, a grandchild, and a licensed attorney representing one of these parties. Legal guardians may also request a certificate, but they must bring an actual court order granting custody. A notarized statement is not enough. The clerk checks this carefully.

When you apply, you need valid photo identification. One primary document works on its own. Primary ID options include a current state driver's license, a state-issued picture ID, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Students at the high school level or below may use a current school ID with a photo. If you only have secondary documents, you will need two of them. Call ext. 5161 at (337) 942-5606 before your visit if you are not sure what ID to bring.

Under LSA R.S. 40:61, making false statements on a vital records application can lead to a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. The clerk takes this seriously, and false applications are prosecuted.

St. Landry Parish Birth Certificate Fees

Fees in St. Landry Parish are set at the state level, not by the parish clerk independently. The clerk's office collects these fees on behalf of the state system. The current rate for a certified birth certificate is $34.00. If you also want a birth card, the pair costs $48.00. The birth card cannot be purchased alone; it is sold only as a bundle with the full certificate.

Payment methods at the St. Landry Parish office vary. Call ahead at (337) 942-5606 to confirm what forms of payment are currently accepted, whether that is cash, check, or card. Some clerks in Louisiana only take cash, and it is worth verifying before you make the trip.

If you need a birth certificate for someone who was born after 1911 but the record is not in the local system, the clerk may refer you to the state office. The Louisiana Vital Records Registry at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans handles the full statewide database and can sometimes locate records the local office cannot access.

Note: Fee schedules can change. Always confirm the current amount with the clerk's office before your visit, especially if you plan to pay with exact cash.

State and Online Options for Birth Certificates

If you cannot visit Opelousas in person, there are other ways to get a St. Landry Parish birth certificate. The Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans handles mail-in and walk-in requests from across the state. Their address is 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Phone is (504) 593-5100. Walk-in hours run from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM on weekdays. Mail orders tend to take 8 to 10 weeks, so plan ahead if you choose that route.

You can also order online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com or by calling 1-877-605-8562. VitalChek is the authorized third-party service for Louisiana. Processing fees apply in addition to the standard certificate cost. Online orders are convenient but may still take time. If you need the certificate quickly, visiting the parish office in Opelousas or the state office in New Orleans is the faster option.

For historical birth records older than 100 years, contact the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Their phone is (225) 922-1208. The archives hold records that have passed the confidentiality window and may have genealogical materials not available at the clerk's office. Their website is sos.la.gov.

The Louisiana Department of Health also maintains a central page at ldh.la.gov/vital-records with general information on how to order birth records and what documents are needed statewide.

Nearby Parishes

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