St. Clair County Death Index Search

St. Clair County death index records are filed with the county clerk in Belleville, Illinois. Located in the southwestern part of the state along the Mississippi River, St. Clair County is one of the oldest counties in Illinois and holds death records going back over a century. If you need to find a death record for someone who passed away in St. Clair County, the clerk's office is your first stop. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through an authorized online service. The death index covers all deaths that took place within St. Clair County limits, including Belleville, East St. Louis, O'Fallon, and surrounding communities.

St. Clair County Clerk Death Records

The St. Clair County Clerk's office is the main source for death index records in the county. The office is at 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220. Call 618-277-6600 for help. Staff can look up death records for you and issue certified or uncertified copies if you meet the state's access rules.

Under Illinois law, the county clerk files and stores death certificates for all deaths that happen within the county. When someone dies in St. Clair County, the funeral home or attending physician must file a death certificate with the local registrar within seven days. That record then goes to the county clerk and the state. This process is set out in 410 ILCS 535, Section 18. The St. Clair County death index includes data such as the full name of the person who died, the date and place of death, and the cause of death as listed on the certificate. Each record also notes the filing date and the certificate number used for tracking.

To visit in person, go to the clerk's office during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID. The staff will search the death index for the record you need. Most in-person requests are handled the same day.

Access Rules for St. Clair County Death Index

Death records in Illinois are not public. Only certain people can get copies. This rule comes from 410 ILCS 535, Section 25. Family members of the person who died are the main group who can request a St. Clair County death certificate. That means a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. Legal representatives with proper documents can also get copies. If you are not a relative, you need a letter from an office or agency that explains why you need the record.

You must show a valid photo ID. The St. Clair County Clerk accepts Illinois driver's licenses, state ID cards, U.S. passports, and military ID. If your ID is expired or hard to read, the office will turn down your request. Three alternative forms of ID with your current name and address may also work in some cases, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or voter registration card.

Note: Genealogical copies of St. Clair County death records are available for deaths that occurred 20 or more years ago.

St. Clair County Death Index Resources

The Illinois Department of Public Health maintains a statewide death records page that covers requests for all Illinois counties, including St. Clair County.

The IDPH site shows what forms to fill out, what fees to pay, and how long processing takes when you order a St. Clair County death record through the state office. Mail requests to the state take about 12 weeks to process.

St. Clair County Death Certificate Fees

Fees for death index copies in St. Clair County follow the state schedule. A certified copy costs $19. Each extra certified copy of the same record is $4. The county clerk must also add a $2 surcharge per certified death certificate, which goes to the state Death Certificate Surcharge Fund under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25.

If you want an uncertified genealogical copy, the cost is $10. Each extra genealogical copy is $2. These are only for deaths that took place 20 or more years ago. Genealogical copies are stamped to show they are not valid for legal use. They work fine for family history research but you cannot use them to settle an estate or file an insurance claim. For legal matters in St. Clair County, you need a certified death certificate.

How to Get St. Clair County Death Records

You have a few ways to get a death record from St. Clair County. The fastest is to go to the clerk's office at 10 Public Square in Belleville. Walk in, show your ID, and ask for the record. Staff will search the death index and print your copy right away if the record is on file. Most people leave with their certificate the same day.

By mail, send a written request to the St. Clair County Clerk at 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220. Include the full name of the person who died, the date of death (or an approximate range), your relationship to the person, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Mail requests take a few weeks to process, depending on how busy the office is.

You can also order through VitalChek, the authorized online ordering service for Illinois vital records. VitalChek adds a $15 handling fee on top of the base cost. You need a major credit card. Online orders ship by mail unless you pay extra for UPS delivery at $22.

The IDPH Division of Vital Records in Springfield is another option. They hold death records for all of Illinois going back to 1916. Send mail requests to 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Processing takes about 12 weeks. For urgent requests, use overnight delivery with proof of immediate need and a prepaid return envelope. The state processes urgent requests in 5 to 7 business days.

Genealogy and Older Death Records

Researchers looking for older St. Clair County death index records have a few good options. The county clerk has records going back many decades. For deaths that occurred 20 or more years ago, you can request an uncertified genealogical copy at a lower cost. These copies are fine for family tree research and documentation.

The Illinois State Archives holds the statewide death index for records before 1916 and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. This is a free resource that covers all of Illinois, including St. Clair County. The archives are in the Margaret Cross Norton Building at the Capitol Complex in Springfield. You can also reach them at 217-782-4866. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders can point you toward more county-level resources across the state for death index research.

State Death Index Resources

Beyond the St. Clair County Clerk, the state of Illinois keeps its own set of death records. The IDPH Birth, Death, and Other Records page is the main portal for state-level requests. The state office holds records from 1916 to the present for all Illinois counties.

The Illinois Administrative Code, Title 77, Part 500 lays out the full regulations for how death records get handled in St. Clair County and every other county in the state. These rules cover filing deadlines, access restrictions, and fee structures.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Clair County. Death certificates are filed in the county where the death took place. If you are not sure which county recorded the death, check the address of the location where the person died.