How to Find Illinois Birth Records

How to Find United States Birth Records Illinois Births

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Illinois gained statehood in 1816. Statewide registration of deaths began in 1916. General compliance followed in 1910.

Next Step: When did the birth occur?	Choose a time period to search for your ancestor's birth record: Births before 1877 Births from 1877 thru 1916 Births from 1916 I don't know when the birth is

Learn more about U.S. Birth Records

Births before 1877

Before 1877, no births were recorded by the state or county. You must search substitute records to locate your ancestor’s birth date and place.

Records that give birth information:
Death Records Cemetery Records Newspapers	Church Records Census Military Records

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Births between 1877 and 1916

In 1877, Illinois required all births be reported to the county clerk, although many were not reported because compliance was not enforced. The statewide registration began in 1916 with full compliance by 1922.

For births that exist during this time period, try the following database:

Illinois Birth Database - Includes Index and Images
	Arizona Births, 1855-1937	Free
Can't find your ancestor in the index?		Tips for searching indexes
No birth record for your ancestor?		Other records with birth information

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Births after 1916

"As-is" birth certificates 1950-1989 can be purchased from most County Health Deparments. These certificates may be less expensive than state copies. In many counties you may purchase these certificates in person and obtain them the same day. These are not certified certificates and include limited information such as name, date of birth and parents' names. Fees vary between the different County and State Health Departments. Consult the respective websites linked in the table below for fee information.

Certified certificates 1938-1989 are available for a fee from the Arizona Department of Health or /arizona-vital-records VitalChek

See restrictions below to find if you "qualify" to order a certificate. You must have full name, exact date and place of the birth to order from the state Department of Health.

Obtain the Certificate

To Order Birth Certificates
From County Health Dept			From AZ Dept. of Health State office
Pros	Cons	Cons	Cons	Pros	Pros
May be less expensive and faster than ordering from the state	A few counties do not offer certificate retrieval services	Dates limited to 1950-1989	May be more expensive than ordering from the county	Offers a "complete" birth certificate copy	Includes certificates 1938-1990

Restrictions to qualify for certificates for persons born within the last 75 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 75 years, you must be:

• The person on the certificate
• The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate (paternal grandparent is eligible if father is listed on the vital record)
• The spouse of the person on the certificate
• The child of the person on the certificate
• The sibling of the person on the certificate
• The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 75 years have passed from the date of the birth.

If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.

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Births after 1990

Only immediate family members and selected others may obtain certified copies of birth records created less than 75 years ago. You may obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate for a birth that occurred in Illinois after 1990, at any County Health Department, but not at the State Health Department.

Obtain the Certificate

If you qualify to request a certificate you must have full name, exact date and place of the birth. You can then order a copy of the birth certificate for a fee from any County Health Department. This is considered a complete certificate, with all available information.

Restrictions to qualify for certificates for persons born within the last 75 years:
To obtain a copy of the birth certificate for those born within the last 75 years, you must be:

• The person on the certificate
• The parent or grandparent of the person on the certificate (paternal grandparent is eligible if father is listed on the vital record)
• The spouse of the person on the certificate
• The child of the person on the certificate
• The sibling of the person on the certificate
• The legal guardian of the person on the certificate
• Anyone who has legal interest in the certificate

NOTE: A copy of the birth certificate cannot be obtained by anyone except those listed above until 75 years have passed from the date of the birth.

If you do not want to order the birth record, there are other records with birth information you can search.

Return to top: Choose another birth year

Related Wiki Articles

• Learn more about U.S. Birth Records
• United States Record Selection Table
• U.S. Vital Records Overview
• United States Vital Records
• Locating United States Vital Records
• United States Death Records
• United States Marriage Records