Applying for a U.S. passport in Louisiana works a little differently than in most states. Washington sets the rules, but the counters where you submit an application are run by parish officials, post offices, and libraries. Our directory lists 88 of these locations, from the Carrollton Passport Office in New Orleans to the Vermilion Parish Passport Office in Abbeville. This page explains how the system fits together, how metro and rural parishes differ, and what to prepare before you go.

Who Runs Passport Services in Louisiana

The U.S. Department of State is the only agency that issues passports. It writes the rules, sets the fees, and prints the books at its own facilities. Louisiana has no state passport agency, and no state statute governs how passports are issued. What the state does supply is a network of local officials who serve as passport acceptance agents on the federal government's behalf.

An acceptance facility does not approve your passport. Its agent checks your documents, watches you sign Form DS-11, collects payment, and mails the package to the State Department. That is why two offices in different parishes follow identical steps even when different officials run them. The agent's job is verification, so a missing document means a second trip.

Listings named for a parish, such as the Lafourche Parish Passport Office on Church Street in Lockport or the Acadia Parish Passport Office in Crowley, point to local government. Others carry a town name, like Bell City, Boutte, or Bourg. Hours, walk-in rules, and accepted payment types are set by each location, so a short phone call saves a wasted drive.

Parishes, Counties, and the Labels You Will See

Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes instead of counties. Our directory uses one county-style label for every state, so you will see names like East Baton Rouge Parish County in URLs and headings. They refer to the same parish. When you open the East Baton Rouge Parish County page, you are browsing East Baton Rouge Parish. The street address and phone number in each listing are the details to rely on.

Metro Louisiana: New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Jefferson Parish

New Orleans has the most listings of any city in our database, with five. The Carrollton Passport Office at 3400 South Carrollton Avenue, reachable at 504-482-9262, serves the uptown and Carrollton neighborhoods. More offices appear on the Orleans County page. Across the Mississippi River, the Gretna Passport Office at 406 Gretna Boulevard (504-363-4986) serves the West Bank, and the Jefferson Parish County page lists further options in the suburbs. With this many choices, it is worth comparing hours before you pick one.

Baton Rouge follows with four listings. The East Baton Rouge Parish Passport Office sits at 10500 Coursey Boulevard (225-389-3950), the Woodlawn Passport Office is at 4700 Millwood Drive (225-752-4251), and the Greenwell Springs Passport Office serves Central at 22801 Greenwell Springs Road (225-261-4985). Counting all its listings, East Baton Rouge Parish has six in our database, tied with Lafourche for the most of any parish.

Metro offices see the heaviest traffic in spring, when families book summer trips. Lunch hours and Mondays tend to be crowded. Many parish offices close for Mardi Gras, which is a legal holiday in Louisiana, so check the calendar around Fat Tuesday. If you must travel within about two weeks and a routine application will not work, the State Department's New Orleans Passport Agency handles urgent cases by appointment only, and you have to book through the official system.

Rural Parishes: One Courthouse Town, One Counter

Outside the two big metros, passport services cluster in parish seats. Winnfield, the seat of Winn Parish, has two listings, including the Winnfield Passport Office at 201 South Bevill Street (318-628-3518). Leesville has two as well, among them the Leesville Passport Office at 303 South 3rd Street (337-239-2617). In north and central Louisiana you will also find parish-named offices in Coushatta, Columbia, Colfax, and Bastrop, plus the Alexandria Passport Office at 1715 Odom Street (318-484-4601) in Rapides Parish.

South Louisiana's bayou parishes have their own pattern. Lafourche County has six listings, with offices in towns such as Lockport. Terrebonne has three, including the Bourg Passport Office at 3806 Country Drive (985-851-2372). In Acadiana, the Lafayette Parish Passport Office at 800 South Buchanan Street (337-291-6400) and the Vermilion Parish Passport Office at 100 North State Street in Abbeville (337-898-1992) sit within a short drive of each other.

Rural counters trade convenience for shorter lines. Many have one trained agent, so a lunch closure or a busy morning can leave you waiting. If your own parish seat is far away, a neighboring parish's office works just as well. You are never required to apply in the parish where you live.

Choosing Between Two Offices Nearby

Judge each office on three things: distance from home or work, posted hours, and whether it takes appointments. Call the number in the listing and ask about walk-ins, payment types, and whether the staff can take your photo on site. Write down what the agent tells you. If lines are a concern, mid-morning on a Tuesday or Wednesday is usually calmer than Monday or Friday afternoon.

What to Bring to a Louisiana Passport Counter

Requirements come from the State Department, so they match every other state. Bring originals plus photocopies:

As of our last review, a first-time adult passport book costs $130 in application fees plus a $35 execution fee paid to the facility. Expedited handling adds $60. Children under 16 pay a lower application fee. Fees change, so confirm current amounts on travel.state.gov before you write any checks.

Adults renewing a passport that was issued when they were 16 or older, is undamaged, and was issued within the last 15 years can usually renew by mail with Form DS-82 and skip the acceptance facility entirely. First-time applicants, minors, and anyone with a lost or damaged passport must apply in person.

Passport acceptance facilities in Louisiana are distributed across post offices, county clerks' offices, and public libraries, providing residents with accessible locations to submit passport applications without traveling to a regional agency. Louisiana residents with urgent travel needs may also have access to a regional passport agency for in-person expedited service.

Passport Offices locations are available in 75 cities across Louisiana. They are spread across 51 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of passport offices include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Winnfield, reflecting larger populations and greater volumes of international travelers requiring passport services.

Residents of Louisiana should verify that their chosen acceptance facility accepts walk-ins or requires an appointment, as policies vary by location. Processing times fluctuate with seasonal demand, so applying several months before planned international travel is strongly advised.

Passport Offices by Counties

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Residents of Louisiana applying for a passport should complete their application form in advance, gather all required documents including proof of citizenship and a compliant passport photo, and confirm whether their chosen facility requires an appointment. Many passport renewal applicants in Louisiana can mail their DS-82 form directly to a processing center, avoiding an in-person visit altogether.

Browse Passport Offices by county across Louisiana to find the nearest location.

Hurricane Season, Mardi Gras, and Passport Timing in Louisiana

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and storms can close government buildings for days. Hurricane Ida in 2021 disrupted services across the southeastern parishes, including Lafourche and Terrebonne. If a storm is in the Gulf, call before you leave home, because closures can be announced on short notice.

Storms and floods also destroy paperwork. If your birth certificate or old passport was lost, order a certified birth copy from the Louisiana Department of Health before booking your visit, since replacing it can take longer than the passport appointment itself. A lost passport requires a new Form DS-11 and a Form DS-64 statement describing what happened.

The north shore has its own options. The Covington Passport Office at 1775 North Columbia Street (985-892-2859) serves the St. Tammany County area, and the Tangipahoa Parish Passport Office at 110 South Bay Street in Amite City (985-748-4146) covers Tangipahoa County. Tangipahoa has four listings and St. Tammany three. Families who would otherwise cross Lake Pontchartrain to reach New Orleans can often finish closer to home.

Once your application is mailed, you can follow its status on the State Department website.

Louisiana Passport Questions, Answered

The U.S. Department of State issues every U.S. passport, whether you live in Shreveport, Lake Charles, or Houma. Local offices in Louisiana are acceptance facilities, not decision makers. Their agents confirm your identity, review your documents, witness your signature on Form DS-11, collect the fees, and forward the application for processing. They cannot approve an application, speed it up, or print a passport on the spot. Because of that, the quality of your paperwork matters more than which office you choose. Pick the one with convenient hours, and make sure your documents and photocopies are complete.

It depends on the location. Some busy metro offices may use scheduled slots, while smaller parish counters often accept walk-ins during set hours. We cannot promise either policy for a given office, so call first. For example, the Carrollton Passport Office in New Orleans is at 504-482-9262, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Passport Office is at 225-389-3950. Ask whether they take walk-ins, which days they handle passports, whether the agent breaks for lunch, and whether they offer photos. Rural offices sometimes handle passports only on certain days or hours, so confirming saves a trip.

A certified Louisiana birth certificate is the standard proof. It must list your full name, date and place of birth, and your parents' names, and it must carry the registrar's signature or seal. If you do not have one, order it from the Louisiana Department of Health's Vital Records Registry. Hospital-issued souvenir certificates with footprints do not qualify. If you were born in another state, request the record from that state. Bring the original and a photocopy. The State Department mails your original documents back separately from the new passport, so do not worry when they arrive at different times.

Louisiana adds no state passport fee. As of our last review, a first-time adult passport book costs $130 paid to the State Department plus a $35 execution fee paid to the facility. A passport card costs less, and children under 16 pay a lower application fee. Expedited service adds $60, and faster return delivery costs extra. Some locations also charge for photos, and accepted payment methods vary, with many asking for a check or money order for the State Department portion. Fees are updated periodically, so verify the current schedule at travel.state.gov and ask the office what forms of payment it accepts.

You can use any acceptance facility in the state, not just one in your home parish. Children under 16 must appear in person, and both parents or legal guardians normally need to be present with their IDs. If one parent cannot come, bring a signed and notarized consent form, DS-3053, along with a photocopy of that parent's ID. Bring the child's certified birth certificate showing the parents' names, and a 2-by-2-inch photo. Passports for children under 16 are valid for five years, not ten, so mark the expiration date in your calendar and plan the renewal early.

Start with expedited service at any acceptance facility, which adds $60 and shortens processing. You can pay extra for faster return delivery as well. If you are leaving within about two weeks, the State Department's New Orleans Passport Agency may see you by appointment, but you must book through the official system and show proof of travel. Serious emergencies abroad, such as the death or life-threatening illness of an immediate family member, have their own priority process. Do not show up at the agency without an appointment. Keep your itinerary handy, and allow extra time if a hurricane threatens the Gulf Coast.