Order your Illinois (IL) Birth Certificate Online
Long gone are the waiting lines in government offices. Order your official Illinois (IL) birth certificate from the comfort of your home!
Illinois State Birth Certificate Application
The birth certificate in the United States is an essential document, used to proof a person’s citizenship and identity. An Illinois Birth Certificate allows you to apply for a passport, get a driver’s license, request a social security card, get married, and enroll in university. Now it is possible to order a birth certificate online, in just a few minutes. Follow our personalized instructions, and receive your birth certificate at home.
Illinois birth records and other vital records are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health. There are vital records offices in several counties, including an office in Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, and Kane County. The city of Chicago also has a vital records office.
In the event that your birth certificate was lost, destroyed, damaged or stolen you can easily complete an online application to get an authorized copy. When using our online service, you can avoid going to a vital records office or agency in person. The birth certificate application is straightforward and simple to fill out.
Before applying for your birth certificate, please know that there are two types of copies available and they cannot both be used for the same purposes.
- A certified or authorized copy of a birth certificate - it will have the registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, as well as the registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office. This authorized copy can be used for several purposes.
- An informational copy of a birth certificate - informational copies have the following words imprinted across the face of the copy: “Informational, not a valid document to establish identity”.
If, for example, you are planning to get married or wish to enroll in university or a sports program, you will need to provide an authorized copy of your birth certificate. This type of copy is also necessary to obtain a social security number, apply for a U.S. passport, and getting a driver’s license. The informational copy is mostly used for health or research purposes. An informational copy cannot be used to prove your identity.
To obtain an authorized or informational copy of your birth certificate certificate, you must complete the online application with these details:
- Last name (as it would appear on the certificate)
- First name
- Sex
- Exact date of birth
- Name of hospital or address where you were born
- Why do you need the certificate
- Your mother’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
- Your father’s name or parent’s name prior to first marriage
After you have completed the application, you simply need to print it out and mail it to an Illinois vital records office.
Illinois Birth Certificate Short Form and Long Form
Birth Certificate Long
The birth certificate long, is an authorized copy of the original record, with the embossed Seal of Illinois. this certificate will be accepted by all state and federal agencies to proof birth and U.S. citizenship. The birth certificate long can be used to apply for a passport, get a social security number, travel, obtain a driver’s license, register for school or sports programs and more. Illinois has birth certificates available from 1916 onwards.
Birth Certificate Short
This is a certified abstract which will show a child’s name, birth, date, sex, county of birth, and may also list the parent’s names. A birth certificate short, can be used as proof of identity, however, it cannot be used to obtain a passport if the parent’s name are not included. Birth certificates are included from 1916 to the present.
How to Get A Birth Certificate Copy in Illinois
Getting your Illinois birth certificate has become easier thanks to the online application. There are a few steps each applicant must follow. After you have filled out the application, the next step is to print the form and sign it.
In an envelope, include your signed application, along with the copy of a valid photo ID. Be sure to include your money order or check. Mail all these three requirements to the vital records office.
Please note that as of October 1st, 2021, U.S. citizens and residents must have a REAL ID-compliant driving license or ID card to enter federal facilities and board commercial aircrafts. Requirements to obtain a REAL ID may include proof of identity, such as a certified copy of the birth certificate.
Who can request a birth certificate
An authorized copy of a birth certificate must be requested by certain people only. If you need an authorized copy of your certificate, you need to be one of the following eligible people:
- The certificate holder, a parent or legal guardian of the certificate holder.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the certificate holder.
- A member of a law enforcement agency or a representative of another governmental agency, as provided by law, who is conducting official business.
- A party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, or an attorney or a licensed adoption agency seeking the birth record.
- An attorney representing the certificate holder or the certificate holder’s estate, or any person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the certificate holder or the certificate holder's estate.
If you need to obtain your driver’s license, apply for a passport, get married, register for school, you will need an authorized copy of your birth certificate.
Remember that what differentiates this type of birth certificate copy is the official state registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored Seal of Illinois, the registrar’s signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office.
Documents needed to apply
All those born in the state of Illinois that need to request a certified copy of their birth certificate will need to include a clear photocopy of both sides of one of the forms of photo ID listed below along with a completed application form:
- State of Illinois Driver’s License
- State of Illinois ID Card
- Driver’s license issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory
- Photo State Identification Card issued by another U.S. State, jurisdiction or territory>
- U.S. Passport or foreign issued
Once your application package is completed you will need to mail it to:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
Illinois Birth Certificate cost
To obtain a copy of an Illinois birth certificate, applicants must cover the cost of each copy requested. In Illinois, the fee of the birth certificate copy is of $15, each additional copy will cost $2.
Illinois Birth Certificate processing times
After you have mailed the application, along with a copy of a photo ID and the payment, the vital records office will process your request. You will receive your birth certificate by mail, at your home address.
In the majority of cases birth certificate orders in Illinois are filed within 5-7 business days. However, some orders may take longer due to peak request periods.
You are advised to apply for a copy of your birth certificate early to avoid delays especially if you need the certificate for sports programs, travel documents and passports, school enrollment, planning for retirement and other reasons that may have a deadline.
Illinois Vital Records offices
The following is a complete list of Vital Records and Health offices who can provide Birth Certificate copies. Keep in mind that county offices may not be near you, but they can sometimes process the requests faster.
FAQs about Illinois Birth Certificates
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How to get a birth certificate in Illinois?
If you need to get an official copy of your Illinois birth certificate, the easiest way to do so is by following our personalized instructions:
- Fill out the birth certificate application form with your data
- Photocopy your government-issued photo ID on both sides (as per the list of valid photo IDs detailed above)
- Please print out your application package, sign it, and mail it to the vital records office along with the required documents and payment
- Receive the certified copy of the Illinois birth certificate at your home address
- Please note that urgent orders must include proof of urgency as well as a prepaid overnight delivery return envelope.
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How long does it take to get birth certificate in Illinois?
Having a certified copy of your birth certificate issued by the State of Illinois usually takes 5-7 business days.
However, if you urgently need a legally-valid IL birth certificate, you may mail in your birth certificate application package following our personalized instructions.
You will also need to include proof of immediate need, as detailed above as well as a prepaid overnight delivery return envelope.
Once issued, you will receive the certified copy of the Illinois birth certificate at the address printed on your return envelope. (Please note that FedEx envelopes are unacceptable since they do not offer this service.)
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How much is a birth certificate in Illinois?
Obtaining a government-issued copy of your Illinois birth certificate bears a cost required by the state.
Processing a certified copy of an IL birth certificate requires paying a $15 fee for the first copy.
It is good practice to order multiple copies of the same birth certificate at once. This can be useful to keep on file for different purposes. Each successive birth certificate copy ordered for the same citizen through a single application form carries an additional $2 fee.
The payment must be submitted along with the birth certificate application.
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What documents do I need to get my birth certificate?
If you need a certified copy of an IL birth certificate, you must first complete a birth certificate application.
Next, sign and print your birth certificate application form and post it with photocopies of a government-issued ID. The full list of photo identification documents acceptable for this purpose is specified above. Remember to photocopy both sides of the chosen form of ID.
Please mail your application package, the fees and required documents to the vital records office.
Once processed, the State of Illinois will issue and send you the birth certificate by mail.
