Illinois Public Records

What Won't Be Found in Illinois Public Records

The Freedom of Information Act has led to the completion of millions of state documents all over the US. In Illinois, that allowed you to have access to a large number of Illinois public records, all of which have been collected for public use.

Generally to access Illinois public records, you need to send in a request to the state or county government or government body in charge of handling those records. Yet there are many aggregate websites that have collected the documents and information for you, which allow you to access them with a brief search.

Within these documents, you can find information on the people, businesses, and government actions as needed. However, there is some information that has been kept out of Illinois public records, including such documents as:

  • Any document that would be considered a danger to the public if released, such as an individuals' social security number.
  • Any document that could bring down a company, such as its marketing platforms or trade secrets.
  • Any information that is deemed by the access coordinator to be "private," such as library books an individual checked out.
  • Although a considerable amount of information is available within Illinois public records, there is some data that may be excluded on the grounds of being too personal, or because the information could be used for less than reputable means. Otherwise, you'll find that Illinois public records have a great deal of depth and information, making them a useful choice for anyone looking for data on something or someone located in Illinois.

    Illinois Birth Records

    Birth records are part of the vital records department of a State. In Illinois this includes birth records, death records, marriage records and divorce records.Illinois birth records date back to as far as the year 1916. Some Counties may have records before this date, you should contact that County office directly to inquire. Obtaining Illinois birth records happens in the County where the birth took place. You can mail in an application of visit the records office in person for same day service.For genealogy research purposes, uncertified copies of birth records for genealogical purposes are available to those who may not otherwise be entitled to receive a certified copy if the person's date of birth precedes the current date by 75 years or more. A copy of the birth record of any deceased individual may be obtained by completing a special application form and showing proof of the death.

    Illinois Death Records

    There are many reasons why you may want to get a death record of a family member. Most of the time, it has to do with inheritance and other legal issues. If the event of death took place in Illinois, then the public authorities take charge of recording the event.

    Illinois death records are collected, classified and archived by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The department is responsible for keeping all vital statistics in the state of Illinois since 1916. In order to access these records, you will have to show proof that you have a direct relationship to the person whose record you are looking up.

    However, if you are not a close relative, you will still need to bring appropriate identification and a letter of from the service that requires the record to be presented together with your request for access to the record and for the right to obtain a certificate of the record.