ORDER YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE ONLINE
Order a Cook County, Illinois (IL) birth certificate online to avoid long lines at the vital records office. Complete an easy form to get a certified copy of a Chicago, Cook County birth certificate mailed to you.
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Nationals born in the city of Chicago or the rest of Cook County are issued an Illinois birth certificate as soon as their birth is officially registered with the county clerk.
This basic legal document is an essential requirement when a Cook County citizen needs to:
A government-issued copy of a birth certificate from the city of Chicago or the rest of Cook County is an official copy of the original document and hence, carries full legal validty.
A copy of birth certificate issued in Cook County (IL) can be used as proof of an individual’s:
A certified copy of a Cook County birth certificate can be visually distinguished because it carries the registrar’s raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal. An official Cook County, Illinois birth certificate copy also carries the registrar’s signature, as well as the date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office.
If your Cook County, Illinois birth certificate got lost, stolen, or was misplaced or destroyed —even partially— you will need to get a Cook County birth certificate replacement.
The most convenient way to get a legally-valid copy of a Cook County, IL —or other Illinois vital records— is to order online, eliminating the need to wait in line at a vital statistics office.
To order an official copy of a Cook County (IL) birth certificate:
Copies of Cook County Birth and Death Certificates may be ordered by posting your application package to the following address:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-2737
Alternatively, those who wish to have their order filled at the county level, rather than the state level, may send their package to the following address.:
Cook County Clerk's Office
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 641070
Chicago, IL 60664-1070
Ordering a Cook County, Illinois birth certificate online is quick and easy. The Cook County birth certificate application form takes no more than 10 minutes to complete, and we provide personalized instructions to help you complete it without a hassle.
Once your Chicago, Cook County birth certificate replacement application has been processed, you will receive an official copy of your vital record at home.
You may order a certified copy of a Cook County birth certificate on behalf of another person, as long as you are eligible.
Citizens of Chicago, or the rest of Cook County, who prefer to submit their birth certificate application in person, may do so. Walk-in service is available at the following addresses during office hours and usually entails waiting in line:
Cook County Clerk's Office
Daley Center Birth Certificates
50 W. Washington, Suite CL-25
Chicago, IL 60602
The Cook County Clerk's office keeps official birth records of births that took place in Chicago and suburban Cook County.
Please note that fees may differ depending on whether you are sending your birth certificate application to the state vital records office or the county recorder’s office. Remember to verify and submit the appropriate fees.
Please note that As of May 7, 2025, 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.
To get a certified copy of a Cook County, Illinois birth certificate, you will need to complete the online birth certificate application with the following personal data:
Citizens applying for a certified copy of a Cook County birth certificate need to prove their identity.
Applicants submitting their birth certificate application by mail are asked to sign the application form and provide proof of identity.
This can be done providing a photocopy of any of the following documents:
Some applicants may be required to comply with additional conditions or asked to provide other documentation alongside the Cook County birth certificate application, depending on their relationship with the certificate holder.
Under state law, citizens 18 years of age or older may legally obtain a certified copy of their own Cook County, Illinois birth certificate.
A parent can obtain the Cook County (IL) birth certificate of their child as long as they are listed as a parent on the child's birth certificate.
Court-appointed legal guardians must submit a certified copy of the appointment to request a birth certificate copy of the certificate bearer. Third parties or legal representatives ordering a Cook County birth certificate are required to provide a court order.
Citizens born in Chicago or the rest of Cook County, IL, who need to use their birth certificate outside the United States, need to authenticate their document to provide it with legal validity abroad.
Authenticating a Cook County birth certificate is done by obtaining an apostille. This can be done by following 2 simple steps:
Illinois Authentications Unit street address:
Illinois Secretary of State's Office
Index Department,111 E Monroe St,
Springfield, IL 62756
When ordering a copy of a Chicago, or Cook County, Illinois (IL) birth certificate, it is necessary to pay the appropriate search fee.
The filing fee of each copy of a Cook County, Illinois birth certificate is $15. An additional $3 postage fee will be charged to mail certificates back to the applicant’s address.
It is advisable to order several copies using the same birth certificate application form. Additional copies can be kept on file ready for future use. Extra copies of the same Cook County birth certificate ordered within a single form carry a cost of $2 per document.
Please note checks are not accepted to cover Cook County birth certificate fees.
Cook County birth certificate fees are waived for citizens in any of the following situations:
To obtain a fee waiver for Cook County birth certificates, the application form must be submitted with verification from a parole release form or a status certification form completed by an approved human services provider.
On average, Cook County birth certificate applications are filled within 20 working days.
Once you have mailed the complete Cook County birth certificate application package, along with the requirements detailed above and the necessary fees, the vital records office will process your request.
You will then receive your certified copy of the Cook County, Illinois IL birth certificate delivered by mail.
Cook County citizens in urgent need of a certified copy of a birth certificate may submit their application in person.
To get a Cook birth certificate copy in person:
Although this usually requires waiting in line for hours, it may result in same-day delivery if the birth record is found on file.
The following is a complete list of Vital Records and Public Health offices that can provide birth certificate copies in Illinois.
Keep in mind that the Cook County Clerk’s office may sometimes process requests faster than the state vital records office. However, the fees may vary as well, so please inquire about the exact amount due wherever you decide to submit your Cook County birth certificate application.
Champaign County Clerk
1776 E. Washington
Urbana, IL 61802
Cook County Biulding
118 N. Clark, Room 120
Chicago, IL 60602
DuPage County Birth Certificate
421 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Illinois Dept. Of Public Health
Division Of Vital Records, 925 E Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-5097
Kane County Clerk (Aurora)
5 E. Downer Pl., Suite F
Aurora, IL 60505
Kane County Clerk (Main)
719 S. Batavia Avenue
Geneva, IL 60134
County Court House, 18 North County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Madison County Clerk 157
North Main Street, Rm # 109
Edwardsville, IL 62025
McHenry County Clerk
2200 North Seminary Ave
Woodstock, IL 60098
St. Clair County Clerk
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
Will County Clerk
302 North Chicago Street
Joliet, IL 60432
Winnebago County Clerk
404 Elm Street, Room #103
Rockford, IL 61101
To request a certified copy of a Cook County birth certificate, you must be a qualified requestor and fill the form with the following details:
Each copy of a government-issued Cook County, Illinois birth certificate carries a fee of $15 per copy.
It is advisable to order more than one copy of a Cook County birth certificate within the same form to keep on file for future use or for your records. Additional copies of a birth certificate requested within the same order form carry a cost of $4 per document.
Citizens in difficult situations such as those detailed above are eligible to obtain a copy of their Cook County birth certificate for free.
Getting a government-issued copy of a birth certificate in Illinois usually takes 20 working days to process.
Typos or inconsistencies in the data may cause unnecessary delays or setbacks.
The surefire way to get a certified copy of a Cook IL birth certificate issued directly is to have our experts revise your application before you mail it. That way, you can be certain it is error-free, and your request won't be rejected.
Our team can help you avoid the extra hassle so that the Cook County vital records office can send your birth certificate directly to your door on the first try.