Greene County Death Index Search

Greene County death index records are kept at the county clerk's office in Carrollton, Illinois. A rural county in the western part of the state, Greene County has a population of about 11,683. The death index covers local deaths from many years back, while state records extend even further. If you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or a genealogical copy for tracing your family tree, the Greene County Clerk handles those requests. You can go to the courthouse in person, send your request by mail, or use the state's online ordering service through VitalChek.

Greene County Clerk Death Records

The Greene County Clerk acts as the local registrar for all death records filed in the county. The office is in the Greene County Courthouse at 519 N. Main Street in Carrollton, IL 62016. Under 410 ILCS 535, county clerks serve as local registrars for vital records in Illinois. Every death that takes place in Greene County gets filed at this office, and staff can search the death index to help you find the record you need.

Visiting the courthouse in Carrollton in person is the fastest way to get a death record. Bring a valid photo ID and know the full name and approximate date of death. The clerk searches the Greene County death index while you wait and can hand you a copy right then. Carrollton is a small town, so the office may have limited hours on certain days. It helps to call ahead to confirm they are open before making the drive.

Who Can Access Greene County Death Records

Illinois death records are restricted. They are not available to the general public. Only certain people can get a certified copy from Greene County.

The list includes the spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased. An executor or administrator of the estate qualifies as well. Anyone with a "property right interest" under the law can also request Greene County death records. This means you have a real, tangible stake connected to the deceased, like a property deed, car title, or life insurance claim. If none of these apply to you, a letter from an official agency that requires the death certificate for its purposes may be enough. The Greene County Clerk checks all requests against these rules before issuing any copies.

You must have a valid, current photo ID. Expired or damaged IDs will not be accepted.

Greene County Death Index Fees

The first certified copy of a death certificate from Greene County costs $19. Extra copies of the same record are $4 each. A $2 surcharge per certified copy is included in the price under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25. That money goes to the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

Genealogical copies of records that are 20 or more years old cost $10 through the state. Check with the Greene County Clerk about their exact rate for genealogy copies. When mailing your request, include a check or money order payable to the Greene County Clerk. Cash may work for in-person visits.

The full fee schedule is on the IDPH obtain death certificate page. This covers all the costs you might face when ordering Greene County death index copies through the state office.

The VitalChek page shown above is how you order Illinois death certificates online. Greene County residents can use this portal instead of traveling to Carrollton or mailing a request.

How to Get Greene County Death Records

Three methods are available for getting death records from Greene County.

In person at the Greene County Courthouse in Carrollton gives you the fastest results. Walk in with your photo ID and the details of the deceased. The clerk searches the death index and can give you a copy the same day. Mail requests go to the Greene County Clerk at 519 N. Main Street, Carrollton, IL 62016. Include a request form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Mail from the county is quicker than the state office, where processing runs about 12 weeks.

Online orders go through VitalChek. You will pay the $19 certificate fee plus a handling charge and shipping cost. VitalChek sends the order to IDPH, not the Greene County Clerk. This means it takes a bit longer than going to the county directly, but it saves you a trip to Carrollton.

Note: For rush orders, contact IDPH directly about their expedited processing option. You will need to send your request by overnight mail.

Genealogy and Greene County Death Records

Greene County was settled in the early 1800s, making it a rich area for family history research. Death certificates older than 20 years can be ordered as uncertified genealogical copies. These cost less than certified copies and come stamped for genealogy use only.

The Illinois State Archives is a major resource for older Greene County death records. They hold the statewide death index for deaths before 1916 and actual certificates from 1916 to 1972. For deaths recorded after 1972, the IDPH death records portal handles genealogy requests for all Illinois counties, including Greene. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can help you find contact information for the Greene County Clerk and other county offices across the state when your research crosses county lines.

The county clerks association website is shown above. It is a good starting point for locating the right office in Greene County and beyond.

State Resources for Greene County

If the Greene County Clerk does not have the record you need, the state office can help. The Illinois Department of Public Health has death records from all 102 Illinois counties starting in 1916. Their address is 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Call (217) 782-6554 on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for assistance. Mail requests take about 12 weeks to process.

The state is a good option when you are not sure which county a death took place in, or when the Greene County Clerk does not have the record on file. Greene County sits between several other counties, and a death near the border may have been recorded in a different county.

Nearby Counties

Greene County is in western Illinois. Death certificates get filed in the county where the death happened. Check these neighboring counties if you are not sure about the right location.