Lake County Death Index

Lake County death index records go all the way back to 1877. That makes this one of the oldest death record collections in Illinois. The Lake County Clerk in Waukegan is the main office for getting death certificates. With more than 714,000 people and a county seat on the shore of Lake Michigan, Lake County covers the northeast corner of the state along the Wisconsin border. You can search for death records in person at the courthouse, order by mail, or use the VitalChek online service to place a request from home.

Lake County Clerk Death Records

The Lake County Clerk's office is the official keeper of death records for Lake County, Illinois. They also maintain birth, marriage, and civil union records. The office sits in the County Court House at 18 North County Street in Waukegan, IL 60085. Call 847-377-2411 for questions. You can fax requests to 847-360-3608.

Lake County death index records date from 1877 to the present. That is nearly 150 years of records. The clerk can issue a certified death certificate for any death that took place in Lake County during that time. Per 410 ILCS 535, death records are filed with the local registrar in the district where the death happened. If the death took place outside Lake County, you would need to contact a different county clerk or the state. The Lake County death index is limited to deaths that occurred within county lines.

The Lake County death records page has specific details on what you need to bring when you visit the courthouse in Waukegan.

Who Can Access Lake County Death Index

Illinois law says death records are not public. Only certain people can get a copy of a Lake County death certificate. Under the Vital Records Act, you must be an immediate relative of the person who died. That means a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. An executor or administrator of the estate can also request records if they have court documentation.

Anyone with a personal or property right interest in the death may also be able to get a copy. You need to show proof of that interest. If you are not a relative and do not have a property right, you need a letter from the office or agency that needs the Lake County death certificate. Every request requires a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID. The Lake County Clerk accepts an Illinois driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, or out-of-state driver's license.

How to Get Lake County Death Certificates

In person is the most direct way. Go to the Lake County Courthouse at 18 North County Street in Waukegan. Bring your photo ID and know the full name of the person who died along with the date of death or at least the approximate year. Staff will search the Lake County death index and print your copy while you wait.

Mail requests go to the same address. Send a completed request form with a photocopy of your ID and payment. Make checks or money orders out to the Lake County Clerk. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing takes longer than in-person requests. You can also order online through VitalChek with a major credit card. VitalChek charges an extra handling fee on top of the base county price. Under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25, the clerk must also charge a $2 surcharge per certified copy for the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

Note: For deaths that happened before 1916, the Illinois State Archives may be your best source for Lake County records.

Lake County Death Index Genealogy Records

Lake County has some of the richest genealogy records in Illinois. The Lake County genealogy records collection includes death records starting in 1877, birth records from 1871, and marriage licenses going back to 1839. That is an extraordinary span of local history. Researchers working on family trees will find Lake County's collection to be one of the deepest in the state.

Uncertified copies of Lake County death records that are 20 or more years old cost just $4. These genealogical copies are stamped "For Genealogical Purposes Only" and are not valid for legal matters. The Lake County Clerk also has an online record search for records filed before January 1, 1916. This is a huge help for researchers who cannot visit Waukegan in person. Birth records 75 years or older are also available at the reduced genealogy rate through the same office.

The Illinois State Archives has the statewide death index for pre-1916 records and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. Between the state archives and the Lake County Clerk, genealogists can piece together death index records going back well over a century. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can help point you to the right office if your research crosses county lines.

State Resources for Lake County Death Records

When the Lake County Clerk does not have what you need, the state of Illinois has backup options. The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps death index records for every county in the state from 1916 forward. Their office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue in Springfield. Call (217) 782-6554 on weekdays between 10 AM and 3 PM.

Mail requests to the state take about 12 weeks. There is no way to check on a pending request. If you need a Lake County death certificate fast, going to the courthouse in Waukegan will always be quicker than the state route. Online orders through VitalChek can also speed things up, though the handling fee adds to the cost.

The Illinois Administrative Code, Title 77, Part 500 spells out the full rules that govern how death records are managed in Lake County and across the state.

Cities in Lake County

All death index records for cities in Lake County go through the Lake County Clerk in Waukegan. Waukegan is both the county seat and the largest city in the county.

Other communities in Lake County include Highland Park, Lake Forest, Mundelein, Libertyville, Gurnee, and North Chicago. Death records for all of these are filed with the Lake County Clerk at the courthouse in Waukegan.

Nearby Counties

Lake County borders Cook County to the south and McHenry County to the west. If you are not sure where a death happened, check the address. The death certificate is filed with the county where the death took place.