Birth Records

Effective March 18, 2020, our office is closed to the public and remains closed until further notice. We currently have limited staff on site daily and are processing requests as quickly as possible with the staff available.

Requests for vital records may still be submitted to our office via regular mail. Please be advised that due to the closure notice and limited staff, the processing and completion of requests are delayed, and we are currently processing at 12+ weeks from the receipt of the request.

Birth records are not public records and only the following are entitled to receive certified copies:

  • Person named on the record if 18 years of age or older
  • Parent(s) shown on the record
  • Legal guardian or legal representative of the child. Written evidence or guardianship or legal representation is required.

The Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records issues 2 types of certified copies of birth certificates, both of which are suitable for legal purposes.

If you need an Apostille, contact the Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department; see RESOURCES in the right-hand column or call 800-252-8980.

For information about Surrogacy, please visit that page by clicking on the Surrogacy link in the left-hand column.

Obtain a Birth Certificate

If you need a copy of an Illinois birth record, and you are entitled to it, you can request it from our office by clicking on Obtain a Birth Certificate in the left-hand column.

Correct a Birth Certificate

If there is incorrect or missing information on your Illinois birth certificate or your child’s birth certificate, you can request a correction by clicking on Correct a Birth Certificate in the left-hand column.

Create a New Birth Certificate

Under circumstances of Legitimation, Paternity, Gender Reassignment and Adoption, new birth certificates can be created. For more information on those specific circumstances, please visit their pages by clicking on their links located in the left-hand column.

Effective March 18, 2020, our office is closed to the public and remains closed until further notice. We currently have limited staff on site daily and are processing requests as quickly as possible with the staff available.

Requests for vital records may still be submitted to our office via regular mail. Please be advised that due to the closure notice and limited staff, the processing and completion of requests are delayed, and we are currently processing at 12+ weeks from the receipt of the request.