Access St. Tammany Parish Birth Records

St. Tammany Parish birth records are available at two clerk of court locations, in Covington and Slidell, giving residents on both sides of the parish a convenient way to get certified birth certificates. This page covers what you need to know to request St. Tammany Parish birth records, including office addresses, hours, eligibility requirements, fees, and what to expect for older records that may need state processing before they can be issued.

St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court

The St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court is Jessica Jenkins Brewster. The parish has two locations that issue birth records: the main office in Covington and the Slidell Annex. The Covington office is the primary location. The Slidell Annex at 520 Old Spanish Trail serves residents in the eastern part of the parish. Both locations handle birth certificates, birth cards, and death certificates through the parish's partnership with the Louisiana Vital Records Registry.

The official St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court website has details on both office locations, current hours, and service information for birth and death certificates.

The clerk's website is the best place to confirm whether both locations are operating and whether there are any temporary changes to hours before your visit.

Birth Certificates in St. Tammany Parish

Both the Covington and Slidell offices can issue certified long-form birth certificates and birth cards. The birth card is a shorter version of the birth record. It can only be purchased at the same time as the full certificate. The pair costs $48.00. A birth certificate on its own is $34.00. Death certificates are $26.00. The office accepts cash or credit and debit cards.

If you were born before 1983 and have not requested a copy of your birth record in the last 10 years, the clerk recommends arriving before 4:00 PM. Older records sometimes need to be updated by the state Louisiana Vital Records office before they can be printed locally. This update can take a significant amount of time, and arriving close to closing may mean you cannot get your certificate the same day. The clerk's office has noted that wait times can be an hour or more, partly due to increased demand from the Real ID deadline.

Certificates are printed directly from the Louisiana Vital Records database. The clerk cannot change any information on the document. Any corrections to a birth certificate must be made through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics in New Orleans. The parish office is a print location only.

Note: Birth cards may only be purchased at the same time as a birth certificate, as required under Louisiana state law.

Who May Request St. Tammany Parish Birth Records

Louisiana is a closed-record state. Birth certificates are not public records. Under LSA R.S. 40:36, birth records remain confidential for 100 years from the year of birth. Only certain people can request a certified copy.

Eligible requestors for St. Tammany Parish birth records include the person named on the certificate, their current legal spouse, the mother or father, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, a grandchild, a licensed attorney representing any of the above, and a legal guardian with an actual court judgment of custody. A notarized document does not substitute for a court order in Louisiana. Step-parents, cousins, and in-laws do not qualify under state rules.

You must present valid photo identification when you apply. One primary document works on its own. Acceptable primary ID includes a current state driver's license or picture ID, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. If you only have secondary documents, you need two. Call either office before your visit if you have questions about what ID is acceptable.

Under LSA R.S. 40:61, making a false statement to obtain a vital record can result in a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. The penalties apply to anyone who signs the application.

State-Level Resources for St. Tammany Parish

If you cannot visit either the Covington or Slidell office, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry handles statewide requests. Their central office is at 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Phone is (504) 593-5100, and walk-in hours are 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM on weekdays. The state holds all Louisiana birth records from 1911 to present. Mail orders typically take 8 to 10 weeks.

Online requests are available through VitalChek at vitalchek.com or by phone at 1-877-605-8562. VitalChek charges additional processing fees. The state's ordering guide at ldh.la.gov/page/how-to-order-birth-records explains the steps in detail. The LDH directory of authorized clerks is at ldh.la.gov/directory/category/279, which confirms the St. Tammany Parish locations as authorized issuance points.

The LDH directory confirms current office contact details for the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court at both the Covington and Slidell locations.

For birth records older than 100 years, the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 handles those requests. Phone is (225) 922-1208. Their website is sos.la.gov. Records beyond the 100-year confidentiality window are open to the public and useful for genealogical research.

Nearby Parishes

St. Tammany Parish sits in southeastern Louisiana. Adjacent parishes have their own clerk offices for birth records.