Montgomery County Death Index

Montgomery County death index records are kept by the Montgomery County Clerk in Hillsboro, Illinois. This county sits in the south-central part of the state with a population of about 27,900. If you need to look up a death record for someone who died in Montgomery County, you can start at the county clerk's office. The clerk files and stores death certificates for all deaths that take place within county lines. You can also search through the Illinois Department of Public Health or use VitalChek for online requests when you need records from Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Clerk Death Records

The Montgomery County Clerk's office in Hillsboro is the main source for death index records in this county. The office is at 1 N. Main Street in the Montgomery County Courthouse, Hillsboro, IL 62049. You can call them to check on hours or ask about a death record search. Like all Illinois county clerks, this office files death certificates for deaths that happen in Montgomery County under 410 ILCS 535, the state Vital Records Act.

Walk-in visits are the most direct way to get a copy. Bring a valid photo ID and fill out a request form at the clerk's window. You need to know the full name of the person who died and, if you can, the date of death or at least the year. Staff will search their files and let you know if the record is on file. Montgomery County keeps records of all deaths that took place in the county going back to the late 1800s, so older records may be held at the office or at the Illinois State Archives in Springfield.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders lists contact details for all county clerk offices in the state, including Montgomery County.

Who Can Access Montgomery County Death Index

Death records are not public in Illinois. This is a key point. Under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25, only certain people can get a certified copy of a death certificate from Montgomery County. Relatives of the person who died can request one. A spouse, parent, child, or sibling all qualify. Legal reps and estate executors can get copies too, but they need to show court paperwork. Anyone who can prove a property right or financial interest tied to the death may also request the record.

If you are not a relative, you need a letter. The letter must come from the office or agency that needs the death certificate. This is true for all counties in Illinois, not just Montgomery County. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID to the clerk's office no matter what. The clerk will check your ID and your paperwork before they process the request. Expired or hard-to-read IDs will be sent back.

How to Get Montgomery County Death Records

There are three main ways to get a death certificate from Montgomery County. Each has its own steps and costs.

In person is the fastest way. Go to the Montgomery County Clerk's office in Hillsboro. You fill out the form, show your ID, and pay the fee. If the record is in the system, you can often get the copy the same day. The standard fee for a certified copy through the state is $19 for the first copy. Each extra copy of the same record at the same time is $4 more. County clerks must also add a $2 surcharge per certified copy under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25. That surcharge goes to the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

You can send a request by mail too. Write to the Montgomery County Clerk at the Hillsboro address. Include a filled-out form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the right amount. Mail requests take more time than walking in but work fine if you can't make the trip to Montgomery County. The IDPH death certificate page has a form you can print and use for mail requests to the state or to a county clerk.

Online orders go through VitalChek. This is the state's approved online service for vital records. You need a major credit card. VitalChek adds a $15 handling fee on top of the base cost. For Montgomery County deaths within the last 20 years, VitalChek can process the order. Older records may need an in-person or mail request.

Montgomery County Death Index Resources

The Illinois Department of Public Health is the state agency that manages death records for all of Illinois, including Montgomery County. Their website has details on what you need to request a record and how long it takes.

IDPH holds death records from 1916 to the present for all counties. Mail requests sent to their Springfield office take roughly 12 weeks to process. They do not give updates on pending requests. If you need a Montgomery County death record fast, the local clerk in Hillsboro is the better option.

The Illinois State Archives holds the statewide death index for records before 1916. They also have death certificates from 1916 to 1972 on file. If you are doing family history research in Montgomery County and need very old records, the State Archives in Springfield is where you should look.

Genealogy and Montgomery County Death Records

Genealogical copies of death records are handled a bit differently. If the death took place 20 or more years ago, you can ask for an uncertified copy that is stamped for genealogy use only. These cost less. Through the state, a genealogical copy is $10 for the first one and $2 for each extra. Montgomery County may have its own fee schedule for genealogy copies at the clerk's office, so it helps to call ahead and ask.

Montgomery County was formed in 1821. That gives it over 200 years of history. Early death records may not be as complete as modern ones, but the county clerk's office and the Illinois State Archives both hold older Montgomery County records. The Vital Records Act sets the rules for what qualifies as a genealogical record and who can get one.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders website can help you find links and contact information for the Montgomery County Clerk and neighboring counties if your family research spans more than one area.

Nearby Counties

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