Important Information About Your Baby's Birth Certificate Information
Your baby needs a birth certificate before you can leave the hospital. You must bring certain documents with you when you give birth.
If you (the mother) are married to your baby's father, you both must bring your:
- driver's license or official ID
- marriage license.
If your husband is not with you, you need this:
- ID.
- full name.
- birth date.
- city and state of birth.
- highest grade completed in school.
- social security number.
If you (the mother) are not married, but want your baby's father on the birth certificate:
- you both must bring your IDs to the hospital.
- The baby's father must come to the hospital and sign the birth certificate.
If you (the mother) are legally married to someone other than your baby's father:
- you must bring your ID.
- Your husband is legally the father of your child. He must be listed on the birth certificate unless he and the baby's biological father come to the hospital and sign a 3-party paternity form.
If you (the mother) are divorced from someone other than your baby's father:
- you must bring your final divorce papers with you to prove you have been divorced at least 300 days.
- If you do not have your divorce papers with you, or if you have been divorced less than 300 days, your ex-husband is legally the father of your child. He must be listed on the birth certificate unless he and the biological father come to the hospital and sign a 3-party paternity form.
If you (the mother) and your baby's father are from a country other than the United States and are not married:
you both must have current United States IDs. If both of you do not have IDs, the father will not be listed on the birth certificate. The baby will be given the mother's last name.
Your baby must have a name for the birth certificate. Louisiana law does not recognize the naming practices of other cultures.
If you have questions, please call Nancy Johnson or Sabrina Hunt at 675.7226. These birth certificate clerks are here to help you.