Cook County Death Index

Cook County death index records are kept by the Cook County Clerk's Bureau of Vital Statistics. With over 5.1 million residents, Cook County is the largest county in Illinois and holds death records dating back to 1872. The main office in Chicago and suburban branch offices in Skokie and Markham all process death certificate requests. You can search Cook County death records in person, by mail, or through VitalChek online. The county clerk keeps official records of deaths that occur in both Chicago and suburban Cook County, making this office the central source for death index records across the county.

Cook County Clerk Death Index Office

The Cook County Clerk's office keeps official records of deaths that occur in Chicago and suburban Cook County. Under state law, you may legally get a copy of a death certificate if you are a relative or can prove a financial interest in the death. The Clerk's Bureau of Vital Statistics provides copies of death certificates for eligible people upon request.

Cook County maintains and provides vital records including birth, marriage, civil union, and death certificates dating to 1872. That is one of the longest running records in the state. The county has three office locations. The main office is at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, in the Cook County Building in Chicago. Call 866-252-8974 for help. The Skokie office is at 5600 W. Old Orchard Road, Room 149, Skokie, IL 60077, and you can call 847-470-7233. The Markham Courthouse is at 16501 Kedzie Avenue, Markham, IL 60426, reachable at 708-232-4150.

The Cook County Clerk vital records portal has more details on the request process and what forms you need for a Cook County death index search.

Who Can Get Cook County Death Records

Access to Cook County death index records is limited by Illinois law. Under 410 ILCS 535, death records are not public records. Only certain people can get copies. Relatives of the person who died can request a death certificate. So can anyone who proves a financial interest in the death. If you are not a relative, you need a letter from the office or agency that needs the death certificate to go with your Cook County request.

You must bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Cook County accepts an Illinois driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or out-of-state driver's license. An expired or unreadable ID means your request gets sent back.

Cook County Death Index Genealogy Records

Cook County has a dedicated Genealogy Unit within the Clerk's Bureau of Vital Records. This unit handles older death records that qualify for genealogical access. Death certificates that are 20 or more years old can be issued as uncertified genealogical copies. These cost less than certified copies and are stamped for genealogical purposes only. Birth certificates 75 years or older and marriage certificates 50 years or older are also available through this unit in Cook County.

Since Cook County records go back to 1872, the genealogy collection is one of the most extensive in Illinois. Family history researchers looking for death index records from the late 1800s or early 1900s will find Cook County's archives especially useful. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can also point you to other county-level genealogy resources across the state.

Cook County Medical Examiner Records

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office handles death records for cases that involved an investigation. This is a separate source from the county clerk. When a death in Cook County falls under the coroner's or medical examiner's investigation, that office completes the death certificate per 410 ILCS 535, Section 18.

The Medical Examiner's Office is at 2121 West Harrison in Chicago. Call the Medical Records Office at 312-997-4425. You can get copies of postmortem reports through the Medical Records Department by mail, fax, or electronically. You need to provide the person's name, date of death, your relationship, and your return address and phone number. Do not send payment until you get a bill from the office.

Fees for medical examiner records in Cook County are different from regular death certificates. Autopsy reports cost $50. Toxicology reports cost $25. Other reports are $25 each. Photos are $5 per photo and X-rays are $10 each. The office accepts cash, cashier's checks, and money orders. At the discretion of the Medical Examiner's Office, photos may go to the legal next of kin. In other cases, a court order may be needed for Cook County records.

How to Order Cook County Death Index Copies

You can order death index records from Cook County in several ways. In person is the fastest. Visit any of the three Cook County Clerk offices during business hours. Bring your photo ID and know the name of the person who died and the approximate date of death. Staff will search the records and issue your copy on the spot if they find it.

Online orders go through VitalChek. You need a major credit card. VitalChek adds a handling fee on top of the base cost. Death certificates from Cook County are available for events within the last 20 years through VitalChek. For older records, you may need to go in person or contact the Genealogy Unit. Mail requests should go to the main office at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602. Include a completed request form, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order.

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

State Resources for Cook County Death Records

If you cannot get a death record from Cook County directly, the Illinois Department of Public Health also holds death index records for all of Illinois going back to 1916. 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 take about 12 weeks. The Illinois State Archives has the statewide death index for records before 1916 and death certificates from 1916 to 1972.

The Illinois Administrative Code, Title 77, Part 500 has the full regulations that govern how death records are handled across all counties including Cook County.

Cities in Cook County

Cook County has the most cities in Illinois. All death index records for these cities are handled by the Cook County Clerk. The main Chicago office or the suburban offices in Skokie and Markham serve residents across the county.

Other cities in Cook County include Orland Park, Tinley Park, Bolingbrook (partly), and Hoffman Estates (partly). Residents of all these cities get death index records through the Cook County Clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cook County. If you are not sure where a death took place, check the address. The death certificate is filed with the county where the death occurred.