Madison County Death Index

Madison County death index records are kept at the Madison County Clerk's office in Edwardsville, Illinois. Located in the Metro East region across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Madison County has about 264,000 residents and is the eighth largest county in the state. If you need to find a death record for someone who died in Madison County, the clerk in Edwardsville is the primary source. The Madison County death index includes records for Alton, Granite City, Collinsville, Edwardsville, and all other communities within county borders. You can search by name, date of death, or both.

Madison County Clerk Death Index Office

The Madison County Clerk is the official custodian of death records for the county. The office address is 157 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025. Call 618-692-6290 for assistance. Staff can help you figure out what forms and identification you need, and they can search the Madison County death index while you wait if you visit in person.

Every death in Madison County gets registered with the county clerk. The process follows 410 ILCS 535, Section 18, which says the attending physician or coroner must complete and file the death certificate with the local registrar within seven days. Once filed, the Madison County death index record stays on file permanently. Deaths in Alton, Granite City, Collinsville, Troy, Highland, Bethalto, Glen Carbon, and every other town in the county all go through this same office.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders has information about county clerk offices statewide, including links and resources that can help if you are unsure which county office to contact for a specific death record.

Who Can Get Madison County Death Records

Access to death records is not open to everyone in Illinois. The law limits who can request a copy. This applies to Madison County just like the rest of the state. Under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25, only people with a legal right can get a Madison County death index record.

That includes the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the person who died. Legal representatives can also request a copy with the right documentation. Anyone with a personal or property right interest qualifies too. Think of things like settling an estate, claiming a life insurance policy, or transferring a property deed. If you do not fit into any of those groups, you will need a letter from the agency or office that needs the death certificate to accompany your Madison County request.

A valid photo ID is required every time. Madison County accepts an Illinois driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, military ID, or out-of-state license. Expired or damaged IDs will not be accepted.

Madison County Death Index Fees

Death certificate fees in Madison County follow the state schedule. A certified copy costs $19. Additional certified copies are $4 each when you order them at the same time. The county also collects a $2 surcharge per certified death certificate under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25. That surcharge goes to the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

If you need a copy for family history work rather than legal use, genealogical copies are available at a lower price. Uncertified copies for genealogy cost $10 for the first and $2 for each additional. They are stamped "For Genealogical Purposes Only" and carry no legal authority. These are available for any Madison County death that took place 20 or more years ago. The Illinois Administrative Code, Title 77, Part 500 has the full regulations on fee structures and issuance rules for all counties.

Note: Contact the Madison County Clerk at 618-692-6290 to confirm fees before placing your order.

How to Order Madison County Death Records

The fastest way to get a Madison County death index record is to go to the clerk's office in person. Visit 157 N. Main Street in Edwardsville during regular business hours. Bring your photo ID and know the name of the deceased and the approximate date of death. If the record is on file, staff can pull it and issue your copy that same day.

Mail requests should be sent to the Madison County Clerk at 157 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025. Include a copy of your photo ID, a written request with all the details you have about the death, and a check or money order for the correct fee. Allow several weeks for processing by mail.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek. A $15 handling fee applies on top of the base certificate cost. You will need a major credit card. The IDPH ordering instructions provide a full walkthrough of the process for all Illinois death certificates.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders website, shown above, is a resource for understanding how county offices like the one in Madison County handle death records and other vital records requests.

State Resources for Madison County Death Index

When you cannot get the record from the Madison County Clerk directly, the Illinois Department of Public Health holds death index records for the entire state dating back to 1916. Their office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue in Springfield. Phone hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at (217) 782-6554. Requests sent by mail to IDPH take around 12 weeks to process, and they do not send status updates during that time.

The Illinois State Archives has the statewide death index for records before 1916 and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. Researchers looking for older Madison County death records should check these archives in Springfield. The Archives is located in the Margaret Cross Norton Building at the Capitol Complex.

The Illinois Administrative Code shown above details the regulations that apply to death records management across the state, including Madison County. Title 77, Part 500 covers everything from filing requirements to fee rules.

Madison County Death Records for Genealogy

Madison County has a long history. The county was established in 1812, which means records for the area go way back. The county clerk may have death index records going back many decades. For deaths that happened 20 or more years ago, you can request uncertified genealogical copies at the lower rate of $10 for the first copy.

For very old records, the Illinois State Archives is your best bet. The statewide death index for pre-1916 records and scanned death certificates from 1916 to 1972 are held there. Madison County sits in a historically significant part of Illinois along the Mississippi River corridor, so genealogy researchers often find extensive records from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Between the Madison County Clerk and state-level archives, most family history searches turn up results if the death happened within county lines.

Cities in Madison County

Madison County includes several cities and villages in the Metro East region. None of the cities in Madison County reach the 50,000 population threshold on their own, so all death index requests go through the county clerk in Edwardsville.

Major communities in Madison County include Alton, Granite City, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Troy, Highland, Bethalto, and Wood River. All deaths that occur in these cities are registered with the Madison County Clerk's office. Whether the death took place in a hospital, a home, or a nursing facility within county borders, the death certificate gets filed at 157 N. Main Street in Edwardsville.

Nearby Counties

Madison County sits in southwestern Illinois and shares borders with several counties. If you are not sure which county a death was in, check the address carefully. Death records are always filed in the county where the death happened.