Vital records are documents related to your life events such as birth, marriage, paternity, school diplomas, etc.

As you turn 18, it is VITAL that you have a copy of all your personal documents when you leave foster care. Your medical, educational, and personal identity records are essential to living an independent life. These documents will be used for obtaining a driver’s license, employment, marriage, housing and more. If any of your personal documents are lost or stolen, you will want to replace them as soon as possible.

There are various ways you can request for your vaccination records.

• The first option is to register at LA.MyIR.net. Signing up for this site allow Louisiana residents to access and print their official vaccine records without having to call their doctor.
• You can also ask your current healthcare provider for a copy of the records. Since 2001, most Louisiana health providers enter vaccine data into a system called LINKS.
• You can ask your local Parish Health Unit (PHU). Visit https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/3016 and click on your parish to find a PHU near you.
• You can complete the Office of Public Health Immunizations Program online form at https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/form/148 to have your records sent to you by mail.

Louisiana is a closed record state meaning birth and death certificates are not public records. To obtain a copy of your birth certificate you must provide proper identification, pay appropriate fees and provide a completed application. A fillable PDF application can be found at https://ldh.la.gov/assets/oph/Center-RS/vitalrec/Birth_DeathOrderingPacket.pdf. Proper identification includes one primary document and two secondary documents.

There are three ways to obtain your Birth certificated:

• BY MAIL: Mail your completed request, a copy of your photo identification and correct fees to: Vital Records Registry, PO Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160. Note it will take approximately 8-10 weeks for delivery using this method.
• BY INTERNET, PHONE & FAX: To order through these methods you need to visit VitalChek Network, an authorized service provider. There are additional fees when using this service provider or requesting expedited services. To order using the VitalChek Network, visit their website or call 1-877-605-8562. To inquire about an order placed by Vitalcheck you may check its status by calling the number above.
• IN PERSON:
• Vital Records Central Office -- Walk-in Service Hours: 8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. (excluding state holidays). The central office is located at 1450 Poydras Street Suite 400, New Orleans, LA 70112.
• Clerks of Court -- Participating Louisiana Clerks of Court offer certified copies of birth records (long and short form) at locations around the state. There is an additional fee for this service. Call your local clerk of clerk’s office to see if they can provide you a copy or visit https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/directory/category/279 to find a clerk of court office near you.
• Vital Records Kiosks -- Hours of Operation: 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (excluding state holidays). You may also order in person from a kiosk service location. Kiosk orders require the user to successfully complete an identity authentication screening. Once the kiosk order is placed, the order is shipped via USPS or expedited shipping, or made available for pickup at Vital Records Central Office. A security fee and shipping costs apply to kiosk orders. Here is the list of currently available kiosks:
• Caddo Parish Health Unit-1035 Creswell Ave., Shreveport LA 71101 | (318) 676-5222
• Calcasieu Parish Health Unit - Lake Charles 3236 Kirkman Street, Lake Charles LA 70601 | (337) 478-6020
• Jefferson Parish Health Unit -1855 Ames Boulevard, Marrero LA 70072 | (504) 349-8855
• Lafourche Parish Health Unit- 2535 Veterans Boulevard, Thibodaux LA 70301 | (985) 447-0800
• Ouachita Parish Health Unit-1650 Desiard Street, Monroe LA 71201 | (318) 361-7370
• Rapides Parish Health Unit- 5604 Coliseum Boulevard, Suite A, Alexandria LA 71303 | (318) 487-5282 x4
• Tangipahoa Parish Health Unit-15481 W. Club Deluxe Road, Hammond LA 70403 | (985) 543-4165
• To find if additional kiosks are now available in your area visit https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/directory/category/278.

The fees are set by statute so it is subject to change during any legislative session.

• Mail-in services are payable only by check or money order. A 50-cent fee is an additional charge for mail in requests. Checks and money order should be made payable to Louisiana Vital Records.
• Walk in services are payable by cash, check, or money order.
• Kiosk Services are payable by debit/credit card or check.
• Internet /fax/telephone services you may use a major credit card.

• The person named on the document
• The current spouse of the person named on the document
• Mother or father of the person named on the document
• Sister/brother of the person named on the document
• Grandmother or grandfather of the person named on the document
• An attorney representing one of the above with a signed contract of representation or authorization

Keep your Social Security card in a safe place and avoid giving out your social security number unnecessarily as there are many scams trying to steal your number. In some instances, just knowing your SSN is enough to fill out forms. But if you need a replacement card, you may apply for on by mail or online.

• Mail:
• You will need to provide original or certified copies proving your U.S. citizenship, age, and identify such as U.S. birth certificate, driver’s license. School ID, or State Issues ID.
• You will then fill out an application which can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf.
• You then mail to your local Social Security Office Information center. Visit https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/ic001.action to find an office address near you where you can mail or visit in person.
• Online:
• You can visit https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount,(My Social Security Account) to apply for a replacement SSN card.
• To apply online you must be a U.S. Citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address who is not requesting a name change or any other change to your card.
• You also have to have a driver’s license or State ID from one of the many participating states. (Louisiana is a participating state.)

An Identification Card is an official form of ID provided by the Louisiana licensing agency. It serves as a photo ID. You can apply for an ID card at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. This form of identification is for residents who do not drive as you cannot have a state id and a Louisiana’s driver’s license. To renew a State ID either apply to renew online at https://dps.expresslane.org/identificationcardor visit in person at your local OMV.

Education records, such as a School Transcript important when you are applying to college, scholarships, internships, or jobs. A school transcript can also help establish residency in a school district.

You can acquire your high school education records by contacting your local school, local school district or applying to the Louisiana department of Education. Fill out a request PDF form and enclosing the listed fee to: Louisiana Department of Education, ATTN: Duplicate Transcripts, P.O. Box 94064, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9064.

Certified copies of marriage certificates can be obtained from the Clerk of Court Office in the Parish where the Marriage took place.

Divorce records can be obtained from the Clerk of Court Office in the parish where the divorce occurred.

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