Introduction to Louisiana Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a Louisiana Marriage certificate.  Marriage Certificates are a bit more difficult to obtain than Marriage Certificates and Death Certificates.  The main difficulty in obtaining Marriage Certificates is that states have not been registering marriages for as long as other vital records.  There are some states that still do not register marriages.  Due to this lack of centralization it is common to contact the county in which the marriage took place.

Counter to common belief, not everything is a few clicks away on the Internet.  Marriage Certificates are one of the items that you can’t just click some links and get a copy of your Marriage Certificate; this is probably a good thing.  You do not want your Marriage certificate in the public domain, where it can be seen by anyone.  However, this does not mean that you can’t easily get your Marriage certificate by following the correct procedure.  

Louisiana Marriage certificates have been maintained by the Louisiana Vital Records Registry for individuals married in the state of Louisiana since 1957.The Louisiana Vital Records Registry maintains marriage records ONLY for marriage licenses that were purchased in Orleans Parish. If you need a certified copy of a marriage record from another parish, you must contact the Clerk of Court in that parish

Louisiana Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

By Louisiana state law, Louisiana Marriage certificates are confidential records and can only be obtained by the following authorized individuals:

• Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate
• Grandparents and Great Grandparents of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the Louisiana Marriage certificate
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the Louisiana Marriage Certificate

Louisiana Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain a Louisiana Marriage Certificate, 50 years or later from the date of the Marriage for genealogy or other reasons.

Louisiana Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order Louisiana Marriage Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your Louisiana Marriage Certificate.  Order online and you will get your Louisiana Marriage Certificate usually in less than a week.  Many times you will have the option of receiving your vital record by next-day or second-day service.

Order Birth and Death Records Online!  

Option 2 – Order Louisiana Marriage Certificate through the Mail

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your Louisiana Marriage certificate online.  It usually takes 4-6 weeks upon receipt of request to be sent to you:

Step 1: Download Mail-In Application

Step 2: Please provide as much of the following information as possible to locate the Louisiana Marriage certificate:

• Full name of husband on the Louisiana Marriage certificate
• Full maiden name of wife on the Louisiana Marriage certificate
• Date of Marriage on the Louisiana Marriage certificate
• County (or city) of Marriage on the Louisiana Marriage certificate
• Your name 
• Your signature 
• Your relationship to the person whose Louisiana Marriage certificate you are requesting 
• Address where the Louisiana Marriage certificate is to be mailed 
• Self addressed stamped envelope
• Your daytime phone number
• By Mail: Send the above information and the appropriate fee to:

Vital Records Registry

PO Box 60630

New Orleans, LA  70160

Option 3 – In Person

In Person in Louisiana: You may go to any county health department in the State of Louisiana to obtain a certified copy of a Louisiana Marriage certificate. Most Louisiana Marriage certificates can be issued while you wait.

Louisiana Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a Louisiana Marriage certificate is $5.50, which includes one certified copy of the Louisiana Marriage certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the Louisiana Marriage certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $5.50. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Louisiana Vital Records Registry." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.