Order a Illinois (IL) Birth Certificate Copy Online

First, identify the county where the birth took place and choose between a long-form and short-form certified copy. Complete the application, include a readable copy of your identification, and prepare payment for the issuing office.

You can prepare your request online with EaseGov, then follow your submission instructions. If you apply directly to IDPH by mail, send your signed application, identification, supporting documents, and check or money order to the address below.

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
110 W Lawrence Avenue
Springfield, IL 62704-2610

For local service, contact the county clerk where you were born. Births in Chicago and suburban Cook County are recorded by the Cook County Clerk.

IDPH maintains birth records from January 1916 onward. For earlier records, contact the county clerk where the birth occurred.

If you are deciding how to get a birth certificate in Illinois while living elsewhere, the mail route lets you apply remotely. Review the office’s identification and payment requirements before sending your request.

Illinois birth records are confidential. The standard eligible applicants are the following people:

• Person named on the record, if age 18 or older
• Parent listed on the birth record
• Legal guardian with written proof of guardianship
• Legal representative with documentation establishing their authority

Legal representation may include an attorney, an agent authorized by power of attorney, or an agent with written, notarized authorization. A court order may also authorize release.

Being a spouse, sibling, or grandparent does not by itself establish eligibility for a living person’s certified birth record.

If you need a deceased person’s birth record, use the separate deceased-record application and provide proof of death and the required relationship and purpose information.

For family research, uncertified genealogical copies are available for births at least 75 years old, subject to the applicable requirements. These are not substitutes for certified copies used for legal purposes.

Have the following ready:

• Full name on the birth record
• Date and place of birth
• Sex
• Parents’ names

Your application also asks for your name, relationship to the person, intended use, contact details, mailing address, signature, and date. Attach guardianship or representation documents when needed.

Use a readable copy of a current government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. Copy both sides when information appears on the back. Social Security cards are not accepted as identification.

If you do not have valid photo ID, IDPH’s current application provides an alternative documentation route. Submit two qualifying documents showing your name and current legal address, dated within the last six months, such as a bank statement and utility bill. Check the current instructions before applying, especially if your ID has expired.

For an IDPH mail request, make your check or money order payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Do not send cash. County offices set their own payment rules.

IDPH charges $15 for the first long-form certified copy or $10 for the first short-form certified copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $2.

County prices differ from state prices. Cook County charges $15 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record. Card processing charges may apply to in-person purchases.

When you use EaseGov, the preparation service fee is separate from the government certificate fee. Review your total, including any delivery or vendor charges, before completing your order.

IDPH currently lists approximately 12 weeks to process mailed vital record requests after receiving the paperwork. Allow additional time for mailing. The office also advises that it does not provide updates during that processing period.

County service can be faster, depending on the record and ordering method. Cook County prints most available records while you wait when you apply in person. Confirm availability and identification requirements before visiting, particularly for older or amended records.

Preparing your application online does not change the issuing office’s processing queue. If you have a deadline, check the county clerk’s current options before choosing a submission route. EaseGov’s application review does not guarantee a particular government turnaround.

An apostille authenticates a public official’s signature for use in a country participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. For an Illinois birth certificate, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Index Department handles the authentication process. The destination country determines whether you need an apostille or another form of certification.

Obtain a certified birth certificate from IDPH, the county clerk, or a local registrar. Submit that certified document with your authentication request, the destination country, the $2 per-document fee, and a prepaid return envelope. The apostille charge is separate from the cost of the birth certificate.

If you need an apostille for a birth certificate from Chicago, you can obtain the birth record through the Cook County Clerk. The Secretary of State handles the apostille as a separate step. Check the Index Department’s current Chicago or Springfield submission instructions before mailing documents or visiting.

Do not submit an ordinary photocopy in place of the government-certified document. Illinois notaries cannot certify copies of these documents for this process. Confirm any translation or document-age requirements with the foreign organization receiving your certificate.