Cicero Death Index Search

The Cicero death index is held by the Cook County Clerk's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Cicero is one of the largest towns in Cook County, and all death records for residents fall under Cook County's system. If you need to search for a death certificate tied to Cicero, the county clerk is where you start. You can go in person to the main Chicago office or use the closer Skokie branch. Online orders are also an option through VitalChek. This page walks you through every step for getting Cicero death index records, from what you need to bring to how long it takes.

Cook County Clerk and Cicero Death Records

Death records for Cicero are filed with the Cook County Clerk's office. The town of Cicero does not keep its own death index. Instead, the county clerk handles all vital records for cities and towns across Cook County. The main office sits at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, in the Cook County Building in downtown Chicago. You can call 866-252-8974 for questions about Cicero death records.

For Cicero residents, the main Chicago office is the closest location. It is about a 20-minute drive east on the Eisenhower Expressway. The Skokie suburban office at 5600 W. Old Orchard Road, Room 149, is another choice, though it is farther north. A third office in Markham at 16501 Kedzie Avenue serves the south suburbs. All three offices can pull Cicero death index records from the same county database. Walk in during business hours with your ID and the name of the person who died.

The Cook County Clerk vital records portal has details on what forms to fill out and what you need to bring when requesting a Cicero death certificate.

Cook County has kept death records since 1872. That means Cicero death index records going back over 150 years may be on file. Older records are sometimes harder to find, but the county clerk's genealogy unit can help with those searches.

Who Can Get Cicero Death Index Records

Illinois law limits who can get a death certificate. Under 410 ILCS 535, death records are not public in this state. Only certain people can request a copy. Relatives of the dead person can. So can anyone with a financial or property interest in the death. If you are not a relative, you must bring a letter from the office or agency that needs the Cicero death record.

Bring a valid photo ID. The Cook County Clerk accepts an Illinois driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, or an out-of-state license. Make sure it is not expired and the photo is clear. They will turn you away if the ID is unreadable.

There is no way around the ID rule. Even for Cicero death index records that are decades old, you still need to prove who you are and why you need the record.

How to Get Cicero Death Certificates

You have three ways to get a Cicero death certificate from Cook County. In person is the fastest. Go to any of the three Cook County Clerk offices. Bring your photo ID and know the full name of the person who died plus the approximate date. Staff will search and hand you the copy right there if they find the record.

Mail is another option. Send your request to 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602. Include a filled-out request form, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Mail requests take longer, so plan ahead. The county does not give status updates while they process your Cicero death index request.

Online orders go through VitalChek. You will need a credit card. VitalChek adds a $15 handling fee on top of the base cost. Death certificates through VitalChek cover events within the last 20 years. For older Cicero death records, you may need to go in person or write to the genealogy unit.

Note: County clerks add a $2 surcharge per certified death certificate under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25, which goes to the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

Cicero Death Index for Genealogy

Older Cicero death records are available for family history research. Cook County has a Genealogy Unit within the Bureau of Vital Records. Death certificates that are 20 or more years old can be issued as uncertified genealogical copies. These cost less than certified ones and are stamped for genealogical use only.

Cicero has a long history as one of the most populated towns in the Chicago metro area. Many families have roots going back generations. The Cook County death index for the Cicero area can help you trace family lines, confirm dates, and fill in gaps in your records. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can point you to other county resources across the state if your search goes beyond Cook County.

Cook County Medical Examiner and Cicero Deaths

Some Cicero deaths fall under the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. When a death in Cicero involves an investigation, the medical examiner completes the death certificate instead of a regular doctor. This is required under 410 ILCS 535, Section 18. The Medical Examiner's Office is at 2121 West Harrison in Chicago. Call 312-997-4425 for medical records.

Fees for these records are different from standard death certificates. Autopsy reports cost $50. Toxicology reports are $25. Other reports run $25 each. Photos cost $5 per photo. X-rays are $10 each. The office takes cash, cashier's checks, and money orders. Do not send payment until you get a bill from the office.

State Resources for Cicero Death Records

The Illinois Department of Public Health also keeps death index records for all of Illinois going back to 1916. If the Cook County Clerk cannot find the Cicero death record you need, IDPH is the backup. Their office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue in Springfield. Call (217) 782-6554 weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mail requests to IDPH take about 12 weeks.

The Illinois State Archives has the statewide death index for records before 1916 and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. This is a useful source for very old Cicero death index records that may not show up in the Cook County system.

Note: IDPH does not provide status updates while processing mail requests for Cicero or any other Illinois death records.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Cicero and also in Cook County. Death index records for all of them go through the same Cook County Clerk offices.

Cook County Death Index

For full details on Cook County death records, fees, and all three office locations, visit the Cook County death index page.