Springfield Death Index

Springfield death index records can be obtained from three different offices, which gives residents more options than most Illinois cities. The Springfield City Clerk issues death certificates for deaths that occurred within city limits. The Sangamon County Clerk in Springfield also handles death records for the entire county. On top of that, the Illinois Department of Public Health has its main office right in Springfield, making it possible to visit the state vital records office in person. This page covers each source for Springfield death index records and how to use them.

Springfield City Clerk Death Records

The Springfield City Clerk's office can issue death certificates for deaths that happened within Springfield city limits. This is one of the few city-level offices in Illinois that issues vital records directly. Death records can also be obtained from IDPH, the Sangamon County Clerk, or the county clerk in the county where the death occurred.

There are strict rules about who can get Springfield death records. Per the Illinois Vital Records Act, only certain people have legal access to death certificates. You need a picture ID. The Springfield City Clerk accepts a valid driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID. If you do not have a photo ID, they will take three forms of identification with your current name and address. That could be mail, a checkbook, a bill, voter registration, a W-2, a bank statement, utility bills, or vehicle registration. No handwritten envelopes count.

No information will be provided over the phone about death certificates. You must submit your request in person or by mail.

Sangamon County Clerk and Springfield Death Index

The Sangamon County Clerk also handles death records for Springfield. The office is at 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101, Springfield, IL 62701. Call 217-753-6700 for help. Under 410 ILCS 535, each death must be registered with the local registrar in the district where it happened. For Springfield deaths, that means the record is on file with both the city clerk and the county clerk.

The Sangamon County Clerk keeps records for all deaths in the county, not just Springfield. If you need a death certificate for someone who died elsewhere in Sangamon County, the county clerk is the office to call. Fees match what other Illinois counties charge. The first certified copy runs about $18, with extra copies at $6. A $2 surcharge per certified copy goes to the state's Death Certificate Surcharge Fund as required by 410 ILCS 535, Section 25.

See the full Sangamon County death index page for more details on that office.

IDPH Death Records in Springfield

Springfield has a unique advantage. The Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records is right in the city at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Most people in Illinois have to mail requests to IDPH and wait about 12 weeks. Springfield residents can walk into the state office in person. Office hours are 10 AM to 3 PM on weekdays. Call (217) 782-6554 for questions.

IDPH holds death index records for all of Illinois going back to 1916. That means you can use this office for any Illinois death record, not just Springfield or Sangamon County deaths. The IDPH death certificate page has details on fees and required forms. A certified copy through IDPH costs $19 by mail. Each extra copy is $4. Genealogical copies are $10 for the first and $2 for each one after that.

For urgent requests, you can use overnight delivery with proof of immediate need. IDPH will process urgent requests within 5 to 7 business days. Include a prepaid return envelope for overnight delivery back to you.

Springfield Death Index and State Archives

The Illinois State Archives is also in Springfield. It sits in the Margaret Cross Norton Building at the Capitol Complex, Springfield, IL 62756. Call 217-782-4866. The archives hold the statewide death index for records before 1916 and actual death certificates from 1916 through 1972. This makes Springfield a one-stop city for historical death index research.

Genealogy researchers will find Springfield especially useful. You can visit the State Archives for older records and walk to IDPH for more recent ones. Death records 20 or more years old can be issued as uncertified genealogical copies from either the county clerk or IDPH. These are cheaper and work fine for family history research. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can help you connect with other county offices if your research goes beyond Sangamon County.

Who Can Get Springfield Death Certificates

Illinois law limits who can get death records. This applies to all three Springfield sources. You must be an immediate family member of the person who died. That means a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. Legal representatives with court papers can also request copies. If you can prove a personal or property right interest, you may qualify too.

Non-relatives need a letter from the office or agency that needs the death certificate. This letter must go with your request. Breaking these rules is a violation of Illinois law under 410 ILCS 535. The Springfield City Clerk, Sangamon County Clerk, and IDPH all follow the same access rules because they are all governed by the same state statute.

Online Ordering for Springfield Death Records

If you prefer not to visit an office, VitalChek offers online ordering for Illinois death certificates. You need a major credit card. VitalChek adds a handling fee of about $15 on top of the base price. Shipping via UPS costs $22 more. It is faster than mailing a request to IDPH, but pricier than going in person at any of the Springfield offices.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Springfield. Death records are filed where the death happened, not where the person lived.