Search Terrebonne Parish Birth Records

Terrebonne Parish birth records are available through the Clerk of Court, but the vital records office is at a separate address from the main courthouse. If you are heading to Houma to request a Terrebonne Parish birth certificate, you need to go to 310 Church Street, not the main clerk building on Main Street. This page explains the office location, hours, fees, eligibility, and what to bring when you visit.

Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court

The Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court handles birth and death certificates from a separate location than the main clerk office. If you go to the primary courthouse address at 7856 Main Street, you cannot get a birth certificate there. Birth and death certificates are issued at 310 Church Street in Houma. This is an important distinction. Going to the wrong address means a wasted trip. Call ahead to confirm the Church Street location is the right place before you go.

The Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court website has information on services and contact details. Check the site before your visit to confirm hours and the current Church Street location for vital records requests.

The clerk's website confirms the separate vital records location at Church Street and lists what documents and payment are required.

Getting Birth Certificates in Terrebonne Parish

Terrebonne Parish has birth records going back to 1903. That makes it one of the longer-running local record collections in Louisiana. For anyone born in the state from 1903 onward, the Houma clerk office can issue a certified copy through its access to the Louisiana Vital Records database. Death records are available from 2012 forward only.

Cash is the only accepted payment at this location. There are no credit card or check options. Bring exact change if possible, or at least a small amount over the required fee. A certified birth certificate costs $34.00. A death certificate is $26.00. If you show up without cash, you will have to leave and come back.

The clerk prints certificates directly from the Louisiana Vital Records database. This means the office cannot change any information on the record. If there is an error on your birth certificate, the correction must be made through the Louisiana Bureau of Vital Statistics in New Orleans. The Houma office can only print what is in the state system. Amendments and corrections are handled by the state, not the parish.

Note: Birth records are confidential for 100 years under LSA R.S. 40:36. Records within that window are not public documents. You must qualify as an eligible requestor to get a copy.

Who Can Get Terrebonne Parish Birth Records

Louisiana restricts access to birth certificates. They are not public records. Only certain people are eligible to request a certified copy, and those eligibility rules apply whether you request at the parish level or through the state office.

Eligible requestors include the person named on the birth certificate, their current legal spouse, the mother or father, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, a grandchild, a licensed attorney representing one of the above, and a legal guardian who holds an actual court judgment of custody. A notarized statement does not qualify. You need the court order itself. Step-parents, cousins, in-laws, and ex-spouses are excluded under Louisiana law. The clerk's office applies these rules strictly and will not issue a certificate to someone who does not meet the criteria.

When you apply, you must show valid photo identification. One primary document is sufficient on its own. Acceptable primary ID includes a current state driver's license or picture ID, a U.S. military ID card, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Students at or below high school level may use a school yearbook or school ID with a photo. If you only have secondary documents, bring two. Secondary options include a W-2 form and Social Security card together, a payroll stub with a Social Security number, a voter registration card, property deeds, or an insurance policy.

Under LSA R.S. 40:61, making a false statement on a vital records application carries a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both. The person who signs the application is responsible.

LDH Resources for Terrebonne Parish Residents

The Louisiana Department of Health maintains the Terrebonne Parish listing in its directory of authorized birth certificate issuance locations. The LDH directory entry for Terrebonne Parish confirms the Church Street address in Houma as the correct location for vital records requests.

The LDH directory entry is useful for confirming the correct address, phone, and hours before heading to the Church Street location in Houma.

If you cannot visit the Houma office, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry in New Orleans handles statewide mail-in and walk-in requests. Their address is 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112. Phone is (504) 593-5100. Walk-in hours are 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Mail orders take about 8 to 10 weeks. The state charges $15.00 for a long-form certificate, $9.00 for a birth card, and $24.00 for the pair. These are lower than the parish clerk's rates.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at vitalchek.com or by calling 1-877-605-8562. Additional fees apply. More information on ordering birth records is at ldh.la.gov/vital-records.

LDH Directory and Statewide Access

The state directory lists all authorized clerks across Louisiana who can issue birth certificates. Terrebonne Parish is on that list. The LDH directory at ldh.la.gov/directory/category/279 gives the full statewide list.

The statewide directory is a reliable reference when you need to confirm which parishes have local clerk access for vital records versus which ones require going directly to New Orleans.

For records older than 100 years, the Louisiana State Archives at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 is the right source. Phone is (225) 922-1208. Their website is sos.la.gov. The archives hold historical birth records that have passed the confidentiality window and are open to the public for genealogical use.

Nearby Parishes

Terrebonne Parish is in coastal south Louisiana. Adjacent parishes handle their own birth records through their respective clerk offices.