Find Adams County Death Index

Adams County death index records are kept at the county clerk's office in Quincy, Illinois. Located along the Mississippi River on the western edge of the state, Adams County has about 65,737 residents and Quincy serves as the county seat. The death index for Adams County goes back decades at the local level, and state records reach even further. Whether you need a certified copy for legal use or a genealogical copy for family research, the Adams County Clerk handles all death record requests. You can search in person at the courthouse, send a mail request, or use an online ordering service to get copies.

Adams County Clerk Death Records

The Adams County Clerk maintains the official death index for all deaths that occur within county boundaries. The office is in the Adams County Courthouse at 507 Vermont Street in Quincy, IL 62301. Staff can help you search the death index and process your request for a certified or uncertified copy. Under 410 ILCS 535, the county clerk serves as the local registrar for vital records in Adams County.

Walk-in requests at the Adams County Clerk's office are usually the quickest way to get a death certificate. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, know the full name of the person who died, and have an approximate date of death ready. The clerk searches the Adams County death index on the spot and can issue your copy right away if the record is found. Hours may vary, so it helps to call ahead before you make the trip to Quincy.

You can also reach the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders for contact details and links to the Adams County Clerk's website.

Access Rules for Adams County Death Index

Illinois death records are not open to the public. The state treats them as restricted vital records. Only people with a direct connection to the deceased can get a certified copy from Adams County.

Eligible people include spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. Estate representatives like an executor or administrator also qualify. Anyone with a "property right interest" can request Adams County death records. The law defines this as something tangible and owned, such as a car title or property deed. People outside these groups can still request a record if they bring a letter from an agency or office that needs the death certificate for official business. The Adams County Clerk checks each request against these rules before issuing copies.

You must show a valid, unexpired photo ID. An expired or hard-to-read ID means the clerk will send your request back.

Adams County Death Certificate Fees

A certified death certificate from Adams County costs $19 for the first copy. Additional copies of the same record are $4 each. A $2 surcharge per certified copy is built into the fee under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25, and goes to the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

Genealogical copies of death records that are 20 or more years old cost $10 at the state level. Check with the Adams County Clerk for their exact genealogical copy fee, as it may differ slightly from the state rate. Payment for mail requests is usually by check or money order made out to the Adams County Clerk. In person, cash may be accepted too.

The IDPH fee schedule has the full breakdown for all request types if you want to see what you will pay for Adams County death index copies through the state.

VitalChek is the online option for ordering Adams County death records through the state. The service adds a handling fee on top of the base certificate cost, but it saves a trip to Quincy.

How to Order Adams County Death Records

You have three main ways to get death index records from Adams County. Each has its own trade-offs in terms of speed and cost.

In person at the Adams County Courthouse in Quincy is the fastest. You walk in, show your ID, give the clerk the details, and get your copy that same visit. Mail requests go to the Adams County Clerk at 507 Vermont Street, Quincy, IL 62301. Include your completed form, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the right amount. Mail from the county is usually faster than going through the state, where wait times run about 12 weeks.

Online ordering through VitalChek is a third option. VitalChek handles online death certificate orders for Illinois and charges a handling fee plus shipping on top of the $19 base cost. You need a major credit card. This route goes through IDPH rather than the Adams County Clerk directly, so it may take a bit longer.

Note: If you need a record fast, send an overnight package to IDPH with proof of urgent need and a prepaid return envelope for 5 to 7 business day processing.

Adams County Death Index Genealogy

Researchers looking into family history in western Illinois will find Adams County death records useful. Death certificates more than 20 years old are available as uncertified genealogical copies. These are stamped for genealogy use only and cost less than certified copies.

The Illinois State Archives is another key resource. They hold the statewide death index for records before 1916 and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. Quincy and Adams County have a long history, so older records from this area can often be found in the state archives. The IDPH death records portal also handles genealogy requests for deaths recorded after 1916 in Adams County and the rest of the state.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can help you find contact information for the Adams County Clerk and other county offices across Illinois if your research spans multiple counties.

State Resources for Adams County Death Index

When the Adams County Clerk cannot help, try the state. The Illinois Department of Public Health has death records for all counties going back to 1916. Their address is 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Call (217) 782-6554 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for help. Mail requests take about 12 weeks, and no updates are given while they process your request.

The state office is a good backup when you are not sure which county a death took place in, or if the Adams County Clerk does not have the record on file.

Nearby Counties

Adams County borders several other counties in western Illinois. Death certificates are filed in the county where the death happened, so check the location if you are not sure.