ByHow To Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Louisiana
Trying to get a copy of a birth certificate in the state of Louisiana can be time-consuming and confusing. Because Louisiana is a closed record state, birth certificates are not considered public records.
To obtain a certified copy, citizens must appear in person at either the Vital Records Central Office in New Orleans, participating Louisiana Clerk of Court offices, or Vital Records Kiosks located at Health Units around the state. Proper identification and an application fee are required. Requested documents must be supplied to obtain a Louisiana birth certificate by mail, and it will take at least eight to ten weeks to arrive. For online orders, requesters must use a third-party service that can accept major credit cards with additional fees.
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The Difference Between an Authorized Copy and an Informational Birth Certificate
The photocopy of the birth certificate given to new parents at the hospital is a keepsake rather than an official document that can be used for identification.
An authorized copy of a birth certificate includes a registrar’s seal. This proves that the birth certificate is a government-issued, certified document. These are required to verify your identity to obtain a driver’s license, passport, marriage license, and other applications.
An informational copy of a birth certificate will include the same information as the authorized document, but it does not contain the official seal. It cannot be used to legally establish identity.
Who Can Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Louisiana?
In the state of Louisiana, an authorized birth certificate may be ordered by:
- The person whose name is on the document
- The spouse
- A parent
- An adult child
- A sibling
- A grandparent
- A grandchild
- A representing attorney in possession of a signed contract of authorization
When an adult who is not a legally entitled individual requests a birth certificate for a child, a judgment of custody for that child must be presented.
What Documents Do I Need to Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Louisiana?
To obtain a copy of a birth certificate in Louisiana, you will need:
1. A completed application.
An application can be obtained online or from the Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics. The form must be completely and accurately filled out and signed. The application will be returned if not complete.
2. Proper identification.
Persons applying for an authorized copy of a Louisiana birth certificate must present identification in the form of one primary document or two secondary documents.
Primary
- A current state-issued driver’s license
- A current state-issued picture identification card
- A current U.S. military identification card
- A current U.S. or foreign passport
- A U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
- A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
- A pictured high school identification card
Secondary
- A college or university identification card accompanied by a 100% paid fee receipt for the current semester (counts as two documents)
- Social Security card
- A W-2 form issued within the last two years accompanied by a matching Social Security card (counts as two documents)
- Original adoption papers
- Certificate of vehicle title
- Official title to a property
- Payroll stub showing identifying information (name and Social Security number of applicant)
- Insurance policy
- Voter’s registration card
- Current military dependent identification card
- Original DD-214 Military Discharge document
3. Appropriate Fees.
The cost of a Louisiana birth certificate application is $15. Additional fees apply when requesting expedited service or when ordering online through the website of the authorized service provider of the Louisiana Office of Public Health.
| City/County/State Office | Contact Address and Phone Number | Birth Certificate Processing Fee |
| Louisiana Vital Records | Po Box 60630
New Orleans, LA 70160 Phone: 877-605-8562 Fax: 866-761-1855 | $15.00 |
Get a Copy of a Louisiana Birth Certificate Quickly With Help From DoNotPay
It takes a lot of time and patience to get a Louisiana birth certificate yourself. If you want a faster, easier way but don’t know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 8 easy steps:
- Go to the Birth Certificates product on DoNotPay.
- Select who the certificate is for (you or a loved one). If you are requesting a copy of someone else’s certificate, enter their personal details, and upload evidence that proves your relationship.
- Enter the location you or your loved one was born in, so we can complete the form specific to your state.
- Enter the name(s) of the parent(s) as displayed on the certificate.
- Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
- Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license.
- Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
- If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail in your request form with a check on your behalf.
is your one-stop shop for getting birth certificates in Louisiana. Our process is completely online so you have nothing to print, and it saves a trip to the post office. We offer virtual notary and check mailing services and will apply on your behalf!