How to get an Illinois birth certificate

In Illinois, order a certified birth certificate from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records.¹ County clerks also issue birth certificates.¹ The first copy costs $15² and each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $2². You can order online, by mail, at a local office or by phone. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy. The fastest published option is online: 10 to 15 business days on average³.

Last checked November 5, 2026 against official sources.

On this page

Ways to order
What an Illinois birth certificate costs
How long it takes
Who can order an Illinois birth certificate
ID you need
What the application asks for
Forms
Years held and older records
Special situations
Warnings from the office
The state office
Questions people ask
Sources

Ways to order

How	Cost per copy	Processing time	Payment
Online through VitalChek	$15³ first, $4³ each extra copy + one extra charge	10 to 15 business days on average³	Card and check³
By mail	$15² first, $2² each extra copy	Up to 12 weeks¹	Check and money order²
At a local office	$15³ first, $4³ each extra copy (Cook County) + 3 possible extra charges	20 business days on average³	Cash and card³
By phone	See the details below	–	–

Online through VitalChek

Vendor: VitalChek (for Cook County Clerk)³
Fees: First copy $15³
Each additional copy in the same order $4³
Shipping to vitalChek online orders charge $13.45³
Processing time: 10 to 15 business days on average³
Expedited service: UPS orders average 5 to 10 days after approval³
Payment: Card and check³

Go to the ordering site³

By mail

Run by: Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records¹
Fees: First copy $15²
Each additional copy in the same order $2²
First copy $10²
Processing time: Up to 12 weeks¹
Payment: Check and money order²
Make payable to: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IDPH)²
Mail to: Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 110 W Lawrence Ave., Springfield, IL 62704-2610
¹

Good to know

Fees may be non-refundable²

Open the application or mail instructions¹

At a local office

Run by: Cook County Clerk, Bureau of Vital Records (example county)³
Fees: First copy $15³
Each additional copy in the same order $4³
Card payment fee $1.25³
Processing fee for credit cards $1.75³
Processing or service fee $5³
Processing time: 20 business days on average³
Payment: Cash and card³
Make payable to: Cook County Clerk³
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (downtown Chicago office)⁴

Find a local office⁴

By phone

Run by: VitalChek (for Cook County Clerk)³
Fees: Shipping to vitalChek online orders charge $13.45³

What an Illinois birth certificate costs

First certified copy: $15²
Each additional copy, same order: $2²

Types of copies

Copy	Accepted for	Fee
Birth Certificate - Long Form²	Accepted for all legal use, passport and other governmental agencies²	$15²
Birth Certificate - Short Form²	Basic birth record information, may not be accepted by all governmental agencies²	$10²
Genealogical²	Not for legal use²	$10²
Commemorative Birth Certificate¹	Special birth certificate suitable for framing⁵	$40¹
No Record Statement (certified)⁵	–	$10⁵
Non-Certified Copy of Original Birth Certificate⁶	Non-certified copy for an adult adoptee or surrendered person, 21 or older⁶	$15⁶

No-fee copies

Parole, supervised release, discharge or pardon from IDOC or IDJJ: one search fee and one copy fee waived, with prescribed verification form⁷
Youth in care, or under 27 and in care on or after 18th birthday: up to 4 birth records a year⁸
Victim of domestic violence, with a certification letter⁷
Veterans benefits: free when required by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or an accredited veterans organization⁷
Cook County only: free for verified homeless, domestic violence shelter residents and formerly incarcerated (released in the last 90 days)³

How long it takes

These are the office's own published times. Mail and shipping time is extra unless the office says otherwise.

How you order	Processing time	Counted
Online through VitalChek	10 to 15 business days on average³	–
By mail	Up to 12 weeks¹	From receipt
At a local office	20 business days on average³	From receipt

Who can order an Illinois birth certificate

The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.

The person named on the record⁹
A parent named on the record⁹
Legal guardian: Legal guardian or legal representative of the child.⁹
Proof: Written evidence of guardianship or legal representation⁹
Attorney or legal representative²
Proof: Power of attorney, court appointment, or written notarized authorization; or attorney acting for the person²
Person named in a court order²
Government agency²

Other kinds of copies

Genealogy copy Genealogist or family researcher¹⁰
Proof: Eligibility reviewed on receipt¹⁰

Records open to the public after: 75 years⁷
Social Security number on the copy: Birth certification contains no SSN field⁷

ID you need

Photo ID: Required²
Accepted ID: Driver's License
Passport
Active Duty Military ID
Veterans Administration Issued Photo Medical Card
Federally issued Tribal ID card²
Without that ID: ID expired under 6 months: add one document showing name and current address, created within the last 6 months. Expired over 6 months or no valid ID: two items, one from the list (medical card, auto insurance card, voter's registration card, paycheck stub with imprinted full information, bank, financial or credit card statement) plus current mail showing full name and legal mailing address. Social Security cards are not acceptable.²
ID copy with a mail order: Include a copy of your ID²

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.²

Full name on birth record
Date of birth
Place of Illinois birth (city and/or county)
Sex
Mother/co-parent's name (maiden name before first marriage required)
Father/co-parent's name
Requester name, relationship, address, intended use, phone, email
Signature

Forms

Application for Illinois Birth Record (VR 180) Rev. 08/26²
Application for Illinois Birth Record of Deceased Individual (VR 180) Rev. 08/26¹¹
Application for Search of Birth Record Files of a Deceased Infant (VR181) Rev. 08/26¹²
Application for Illinois Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth (VR 182) Rev. 08/26¹³

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds: 1916 to today¹⁴
Older records: County clerk of the county of birth²

Special situations

If the person has died: Use the deceased-individual form and provide a copy of the death certificate. The copy displays 'DECEASED' and the date of death.¹¹ Details
Adoption: Original birth record is sealed after adoption; adult adoptees 21 or older may request a non-certified copy for $15.⁶ Details
Adoptees born abroad: Record of Foreign Birth (re-adopted in Illinois) or Administrative Record of Foreign Birth (Illinois resident, not re-adopted); $5 each copy.² Details
Sex marker: Signed, notarized affidavit; M, F or X; no court order; $15.¹⁵ Details
Paternity: Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity, or a certified court order of paternity; DNA results are not accepted.¹⁶ Details
Delayed registration: A person born in Illinois with no birth registration may apply on State Registrar forms, filed with the local registrar of the birth district.¹⁷ Details
Stillbirth: Application VR 182 for a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth; $15 first copy, $2 each additional.¹³ Details
People in prison: Dated prison intake or offender summary sheet with photo may replace ID; released within 6 months may use release papers plus prison photo ID.² Details
People without housing: Cook County only: free birth record with verification from a qualified human services staff form.³ Details
Use abroad: Illinois Secretary of State issues the apostille: $2.⁹ Details

Warnings from the office

Mail takes approximately 12 weeks with no status updates¹
Misuse of a birth record is a Class 4 felony²

The state office

Office: Division of Vital Records¹
Phone: 217-782-6554¹⁸
Email: [email protected]¹⁹
Mailing address: Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 110 W Lawrence Ave., Springfield, IL 62704-2610
¹
Walk-in address: 110 W Lawrence Avenue, Springfield, IL
¹⁹
Website: Official website²⁰

Questions people ask

How much is a certified Illinois birth certificate?

The first copy costs $15 and each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $2.²

How long does it take to get an Illinois birth certificate?

Online through VitalChek: 10 to 15 business days on average. By mail: up to 12 weeks. At a local office: 20 business days on average.³¹

Can I order an Illinois birth certificate online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek.³

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IDPH).²

What ID do I need?

The state accepts: Driver's License; Passport; Active Duty Military ID; Veterans Administration Issued Photo Medical Card; Federally issued Tribal ID card.²

Where are older Illinois birth certificates kept?

County clerk of the county of birth.²

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 5, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

Obtain birth certificateIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Birth record application (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated August 1, 2026
Birth certificatesCook County Clerk
Downtown ChicagoCook County Clerk
Vital records fee schedule (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
AdoptionIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly, Illinois Compiled Statutesdated July 1, 2024read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
Illinois General Assembly pageIllinois General Assembly, Illinois Compiled Statutesdated July 1, 2023read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
Birth recordsIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
GenealogyIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Deceased individual birth record application (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated August 1, 2026
Application for search of birth record of deceased infant (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated August 1, 2026
Application for certificate of stillbirth (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated August 1, 2026
CDC National Center for Health Statistics pageCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
Gender reassignmentIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
PaternityIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Section 077005000000300RIllinois General Assembly, Joint Committee on Administrative Rulesdated May 13, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
Illinois Department of Public Health: Contact usIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Birth death other recordsIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
Death record application (PDF)Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Recordsdated August 1, 2026