You can get a certified Illinois death certificate two ways: from the county clerk in the county where the death occurred, or from the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records in Springfield. County clerks set their own fees and they are not reliably cheaper than the state — Cook County charges less per record than IDPH and Sangamon County charges considerably more. The simplest path of all is usually asking your funeral director to order copies while making arrangements, since the funeral home files the record in the first place.
Who can request a death certificate in Illinois?
Illinois death records are not public. Under the Vital Records Act, certified copies go only to a person having a genealogical, personal, or property right interest in the record. In practice that means the surviving spouse, parents, children and other close family, the executor or administrator of the estate, an attorney representing it, and anyone who can document a legal or property interest such as an insurance claim or a title transfer. You will need a government-issued photo ID, and if you are not immediate family, paperwork showing your interest. Note that county clerks apply narrower practical standards than the statute does: Sangamon County, for example, restricts requests to immediate family or the informant listed on the record.
What does an Illinois death certificate cost?
Through the state, IDPH charges $19 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Uncertified genealogical copies of records more than twenty years old are $10 for the first and $2 for each additional, and a research copy marked for research purposes only is $10 — neither can be used to settle an estate. If you order online through the state's authorized vendor, expect a handling fee plus a courier charge on top of the certificates themselves.
County clerks set their own fees under the Vital Records Act, and those fees vary in both directions. The Cook County Clerk charges $17 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record, which is cheaper than the state for a first copy but half again as much for each extra. The Sangamon County Clerk charges $29.00 for the first copy and $11.00 for each additional copy — nearly three times the state's rate on extras. Call the clerk in the county where the death occurred, ask for the current price and what identification they want to see, and compare it against the state before you order six copies. Deaths are filed with the local registrar first, so the county typically has the record before Springfield does.
Is it faster to order from the county clerk or the state?
Usually yes. County clerks can often issue certified copies the same day in person or within a few days by mail. IDPH tells applicants to expect approximately 12 weeks from the time your paperwork is received for a standard request, and offers an expedited service processed within 5 to 7 business days for a certified copy when you can show urgency. That gap — twelve weeks against a few days — is the real argument for starting with the county.
One limit on the county route: the clerk holds records for deaths that occurred in that county, not deaths of county residents who died elsewhere. If your mother lived in Springfield but died in a hospital across the county line, order from the county where the death happened.
How many certified copies do you actually need?
Most families end up needing somewhere between five and ten. Plan on one certified copy for each life insurance policy, each pension or annuity, each bank or brokerage that holds an account in the decedent's name alone, the vehicle title transfer, and the probate court file if an estate is opened. Some institutions return the copy after viewing it and some keep it, so ask before you send your last one.
Ordering extras at the same time is cheaper than coming back later, since the additional-copy price is a fraction of the first. Credit card companies, utilities, and subscription services usually accept a photocopy or a scan, so don't burn certified copies on them.
How do you correct an error on an Illinois death certificate?
Errors happen often, usually in the spelling of a name, a birth date, or a parent's maiden name. For personal information, the correction is made through the local registrar or county clerk who filed the record, or through IDPH, using an affidavit and documentary proof such as a birth certificate, marriage record, or Social Security record. Corrections made within the first year after filing are generally the simplest.
Anything in the medical portion, including cause of death and the date and time, has to be corrected by the person who certified it: the attending physician, the coroner, or the medical examiner. Contact that office directly rather than vital records, and expect it to take longer than a name fix. Better still, check the name, birth date, Social Security number, and parents' names against real documents while the funeral director is taking down the information, before the record is ever filed.
Step by step
Getting a certified Illinois death certificate
The order below is the one that costs least and takes least time. Most families can stop after step two.
Let the funeral director order the copies first
The funeral home files the death record, so it is already handling the information the application asks for. Adding certified copies to the arrangement is the least effort available to you and costs the same fee.
Order more than you think you need. The additional-copy price is a fraction of the first copy at the state and at most counties, so a second order later means paying the first-copy fee again.
- Who does it
- The funeral director, on your instruction.
- When
- During arrangements, in the first days.
- What you need
- Nothing from you beyond telling them how many.
- If this is skipped or late
- Nothing is lost — you can still order yourself. It is convenience, not a requirement.
Check what the record has on it before it is filed
Illinois requires the death certificate to be filed within 7 days after the death, with the medical certification completed and signed within 48 hours. That is a short window, and it is far easier to correct a name or a birth date before filing than after.
While the funeral director is taking down the information, check the spelling of the name, the date of birth, the Social Security number and the parents' names against real documents rather than memory.
- Who does it
- You, with the funeral director.
- When
- Before the record is filed — within days of the death.
- What you need
- A birth certificate, marriage record or Social Security card to check against.
- If this is skipped or late
- A correction after filing needs an affidavit and documentary proof, and a mistake in the name or Social Security number will hold up an insurance claim or a bank transfer.
Order from the county clerk where the death occurred
The clerk holds records for deaths that occurred in that county — not for residents of that county who died elsewhere. If your mother lived in Springfield but died in a hospital across the county line, order from the county where the death happened.
Ask the clerk for their current fee and ID requirements before you go. Fees differ sharply: $17 first and $6 additional in Cook County, $29.00 first and $11.00 additional in Sangamon County.
- Who does it
- You, or an eligible family member.
- When
- Once the record has been filed, usually within a week of the death.
- What you need
- Photo ID, payment, and the date and place of death.
- If this is skipped or late
- You can order from the state instead, but standard state processing runs about twelve weeks.
Or order from IDPH in Springfield if the county route will not work
The state charges $19 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Standard processing is approximately 12 weeks.
If you have a genuine deadline — a closing, a claim, a court date — ask about the expedited service, which IDPH says is processed within 5 to 7 business days for a certified copy.
- Who does it
- You, by mail, in person, or through the state's authorized online vendor.
- When
- Any time after the record is filed.
- What you need
- The completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and payment.
- If this is skipped or late
- Nothing — this route exists for records the county cannot supply, or when you are out of state.
Correct an error if you find one
Corrections to personal information — a misspelled name, a birth date, a parent's maiden name — go through the local registrar or county clerk who filed the record, or through IDPH, using an affidavit and documentary proof. Corrections made within the first year after filing are generally simplest.
Anything in the medical portion, including the cause of death and the time and date, has to be corrected by whoever certified it: the attending physician, the coroner, or the medical examiner. Contact that office directly rather than vital records, and expect it to take longer.
- Who does it
- You, working with the county clerk or IDPH for personal details; the certifying physician or coroner for medical ones.
- When
- As soon as you notice. Within the first year is easier.
- What you need
- An affidavit plus a birth certificate, marriage record or Social Security record as proof.
- If this is skipped or late
- An uncorrected name or Social Security number mismatch will stall insurance claims and account transfers.
Questions families ask
- How many certified copies do I actually need?
Most families need between five and ten. Plan on one certified copy for each life insurance policy, each pension or annuity, each bank or brokerage holding an account in the person's name alone, the vehicle title transfer, and the probate court file if an estate is opened. Some institutions return the copy; some keep it.
Order the extras in the same transaction. At the state the additional-copy price is $4 against $19 for the first, and coming back later means paying the first-copy fee again. Credit card companies, utilities and subscription services will usually accept a photocopy or a scan, so do not spend certified copies on them.
- Is the county clerk cheaper than the state?
Not reliably. The Cook County Clerk charges $17 for a first copy and $6 for each additional, which beats the state's $19 on the first but costs half again as much on extras. The Sangamon County Clerk charges $29.00 and $11.00. Against the state's $19 and $4, a family ordering six copies pays $39 in Springfield through IDPH, $47 at the Cook County Clerk, and $84.00 at the Sangamon County Clerk.
The reason to start with the county is speed rather than price. IDPH quotes approximately 12 weeks for standard processing, while a county clerk can often hand you certified copies the same day. Check both the state fee schedule and your county clerk's published fee before ordering in bulk.
- Who is allowed to request an Illinois death certificate?
Illinois death records are not public. Certified copies go only to a person having a genealogical, personal, or property right interest in the record. That covers close family, the executor or administrator of the estate, an attorney acting for it, and anyone who can document a legal or property interest such as an insurance claim or a title transfer.
The statutory standard is set out in the Vital Records Act, but individual county clerks apply it more narrowly in practice. Sangamon County, for instance, requires the applicant to be immediate family or the informant named on the record, with a notarised affidavit otherwise. Call ahead rather than making the trip twice.
- How long does it take to get one?
It depends entirely on where you order. A county clerk can often issue certified copies the same day in person. The state's standard processing is approximately twelve weeks from receipt of the paperwork, and its expedited service is processed within five to seven business days for a certified copy when you can show urgency.
The clock does not start until the record is filed, and Illinois allows 7 days after the death for filing, with the medical certification signed within 48 hours. If the cause of death is pending a coroner's investigation, the record may be filed with the cause outstanding and a corrected copy issued later. Both turnarounds are published on the IDPH ordering page.
Sources and references
These references support the guidance in this article. Each entry names the source and the date we checked it. Open the links for more detail, and confirm current requirements, availability, or costs with the relevant organization before relying on them.
- Illinois Department of Public Health — vital records fee schedule · checked
$19 - first copy, $4 - each additional copy requested at the same time
- Illinois Department of Public Health — obtain a death certificate · checked
approximately 12 weeks from the time your paperwork is received
- Illinois Vital Records Act — who may obtain a certified copy (410 ILCS 535/25) · checked
having a genealogical, personal, or property right interest in the record
- Illinois Vital Records Act — filing deadline and medical certification (410 ILCS 535/18) · checked
within 7 days after such death
- Cook County Clerk — death certificate fees · checked
Records are $17 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record.
- Sangamon County Clerk — death records · checked
$29.00 for the first copy and $11.00 for each additional copy of the same record when purchased at the same time.