To get a birth certificate in Shreveport, LA, order a certified copy from the Louisiana Vital Records Registry. It costs $15 per copy, and you have three ways to submit the request: by mail to the registry in New Orleans, online through VitalChek, or in person at the self-service kiosk inside the Caddo Parish Health Unit at 1035 Creswell Avenue. The City of Shreveport itself does not issue birth certificates.1Shreveport, LA – Official Website. Vital Records Requests
Which channel is right depends on how fast you need it and how much you’re willing to pay in service fees. Mail is cheapest but runs 8 to 10 weeks. The kiosk and VitalChek move faster but add fees on top of the base price.2Louisiana Department of Health. How To Order Birth Records
Who Is Allowed to Order One
Louisiana restricts access to birth records under Revised Statute 40:41. The registrar will only release a certified copy if you fit one of the categories the statute names:3Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 40-41 – Disclosure of Records
- The person named on the certificate, at any age
- Immediate or surviving family members, including parents, siblings, and grandparents
- An attorney representing an eligible party, with credentials and a written declaration
- A beneficiary of an insurance policy, trust, pension, retirement account, or payable-on-death account tied to the person named
- An executor, administrator, or universal or general legatee handling the estate of a deceased person
Records stay confidential for 100 years from the year of birth. Requests for someone else’s certificate that don’t fit one of these categories will be denied.4Louisiana Department of Health. Request a Birth or Death Certificate
What to Have Ready
Identification
Submit either one primary ID or two secondary IDs. Primary documents include a current state driver’s license or photo ID, a current U.S. or foreign passport, a current U.S. military ID, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. High school students can use a current yearbook photo or school photo ID.
If none of those apply, two secondary documents work: a Social Security card, a payroll stub showing your name and SSN, a voter registration application, an insurance policy in your name, a vehicle title, or original adoption papers. A current college photo ID plus a fully paid tuition receipt for the current semester counts as two on its own.5Louisiana Department of Health. Identification Requirements Utility bills are not on Louisiana’s list, even though other states accept them.
Details About the Birth
The application asks for the full name at birth, date of birth, sex, city and parish of birth, the father’s full name, and the mother’s full maiden name.6Louisiana Department of Health. Application for Certified Copy of Birth/Death Certificate Every field has to match the record on file. A misspelled maiden name or wrong middle name can delay the search or trigger a denial, so verify anything you’re unsure about with a family member before submitting.
The Three Ways to Order
In Person at the Caddo Parish Health Unit
The Caddo Parish Health Unit at 1035 Creswell Avenue in Shreveport offers vital records through a self-service kiosk. There is no clerk-staffed counter for birth certificates. The kiosk walks you through the request and accepts electronic payment. For questions before you go, call (318) 676-5222.7Louisiana Department of Health. Caddo Parish Health Unit
Kiosk orders are processed by VitalChek, the same vendor that runs the online system, so they carry the same added service fees as an online order on top of the base certificate price.
Online Through VitalChek
The Department of Health does not accept online orders directly. It contracts with VitalChek Network, Inc. for internet and phone orders.2Louisiana Department of Health. How To Order Birth Records VitalChek adds a security fee plus shipping on top of the $15 certificate fee and the $0.50 state surcharge. The total runs noticeably higher than a mail order, but turnaround is faster. If you need the certificate urgently, VitalChek with expedited shipping is the practical choice.
By Mail
Download the application from the Department of Health website, fill it out, attach a copy of your photo ID, and mail it with payment by money order or personal check to the Vital Records Registry in New Orleans. Add the $0.50 state surcharge to the order. The registry estimates 8 to 10 weeks for delivery, so if you have a passport appointment, a school enrollment deadline, or any other fixed date, mail is only viable with real lead time.8Louisiana Department of Health. Vital Records Service Fees
Fees
The Vital Records fee schedule for birth documents:9Louisiana Department of Health. Service Fees
- Long-form birth certificate: $15.00 per copy
- Long-form birth certificate plus short-form birth card as a pair: $24.00
- Clerk of Court long-form birth certificate: $34.00 per copy
- Amendment of a birth record, including one certified copy of the corrected record: $27.50
A $0.50 state charge applies to every mail-in or VitalChek order. Kiosk, internet, and phone orders through VitalChek carry an additional security fee that varies. If the registrar searches and finds no record on file, the fee is not refunded, because it pays for the search itself.
One note if you’ll also need the certificate for a REAL ID at the OMV: Louisiana accepts both the long form and the short-form birth card, so the $24 pair covers you for that use and leaves the long form available for other purposes.10Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
Fixing an Error on an Existing Certificate
Louisiana allows amendments to a birth certificate through the state registrar under RS 40:46.11Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes 40-46 – Amendments to Certificate of Birth The fee is $27.50 and includes one certified copy of the updated certificate. Additional copies of the corrected record are $5 each.12Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 40-40 – Fees for Certified Copies If you catch the error within 90 days of the original filing, the correction is free.
Surname changes require a court order, not an administrative amendment. And once your certificate is corrected, update your name with the Social Security Administration so your records match, since a mismatch with the name on your Social Security card can delay a tax refund. You can report the change at ssa.gov or by calling 800-772-1213.13Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
If You Need It for Use in Another Country
For international purposes such as marriage abroad, immigration, or dual citizenship, the certified copy on its own usually isn’t enough. You’ll need an apostille, a standardized authentication under the Hague Convention recognized by roughly 125 member countries.14HCCH. Apostille Section
In Louisiana, the Secretary of State’s office issues apostilles. The fee is $20 per document, with a $5 surcharge for credit card payments.15Louisiana Secretary of State. Authentication Request Form The apostille has to be attached to a certified copy from the Vital Records Registry, not a photocopy. Order an extra certified copy specifically for this, so you don’t have to give up the one you use domestically.