Illinois Vital Records - Births, Deaths & Marriages

What You Need to Know:
Money orders, certified checks or personal checks should be made payable to Illinois Department of Public Health. Online orders are available for an additional $8.50 credit card handling charge (processed through VitalChek). Call or visit the Web site to verify fees, place an online order, or for more information.

Web site: Illinois Vital Records

Dates: From January 1916
Cost of copy: $15.00
Comments: Access to birth records in Illinois is restricted to the person named on the certificate and immediate family members for a period of 75 years from the date of birth. Uncertified copies of birth records more than 75 years old can be obtained for genealogical purposes. A copy of the birth record of any deceased individual may be obtained by completing a special application form (email vitalrecords@idph.state.il.us for the form) and showing proof of the death. All requests must be accompanied by a copy of your current photo ID.

With your request, include as much as you can of the following: the name on the birth record being requested, date of birth, place of birth (city or county), father's full name, (last, first, middle), mothers full name, including her maiden name, your relationship to the person whose certificate is being requested, your purpose for needing the copy, your daytime telephone number with area code, your handwritten signature and complete return mailing address.
Application for Search of Illinois Birth Records

* Births before January 1, 1916 may be available from the county clerk in the county in which the birth occurred. Some pre-1916 birth records (most beginning in 1877) are also available from the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system.

Dates: From January 1916
Cost of copy: $10.00 uncertified, $17.00 certified
Comments: Uncertified, genealogical copies of death records of people who died in Illinois more than 20 years ago, but not prior to 1916 may be requested from the Illinois Department of Public Health or from the county clerk in the county in which the death occurred for a cost of $10. A full certified copy of a death record (required for deaths occurring in the last 20 years) is $17. Only eligible family members may request a copy of a death certificate for a death record under 20 years old.

With your request, include as much as you can of the following: the name on the death record being requested, date of death, place of death (city or county), your relationship to the person whose certificate is being requested, your purpose for needing the copy, your daytime telephone number with area code, your handwritten signature and complete return mailing address.
Application for Search of Illinois Death Record Files

* Deaths before January 1, 1916 may be available from the county clerk in the county in which the death occurred. Some pre-1916 death records (most beginning in 1877) are also available from the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system.

Online: Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 (free), Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 (free)

Dates: Varies by county
Cost of Copy: Varies
Comments: The Illinois Department of Public Health does not provide copies of marriage records. Copies of Illinois marriage records can, however, be obtained from the county clerk in the county in which the marriage occurred. The Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) also holds copies of some marriage records.

Online: Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (free)

Dates: Varies by county
Cost of copy: Varies
Comments: Copies of Illinois divorce decrees can only be obtained from the circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. If you do not know the county of divorce, the Illinois Division of Vital Records has a statewide divorce index from 1962 (by husband's name only) which they will search for a $5 fee.
Application for Search of Divorce Record Index

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