Cook County Clerk

A birth certificate copy can take up to 12 weeks to process in Illinois. This timescale could be longer if your application does not meet the requirements set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

You can find all the information you need to successfully complete your vital record request. If you are still unsure, please contact the IDPH Division of Vital Records in Springfield.

A certified copy of a birth certificate ordered through the Illinois Department of Public Health is $15.

You can request additional copies of the same birth record with a $2 charge per copy.

The fee for a birth record requested by mail can be paid by check or money order. Payments should be made out to the IDPH.

Online vital record orders must be paid for with a credit card.

It is mandatory to provide a form of identification when you apply for a vital record in Illinois. You cannot submit your application without proving your identity.

The ID used for your vital record application must be a government-issued photo ID. The document must be readable and not expired.

If you are not the person on the record you are requesting, you must also prove that you are 1 of the following to the named person:

• Parent

• Sibling

• Spouse

• Child

• Grandchild

• Grandparent

• Legal guardian