Union County Death Index

Union County death index records are kept at the county clerk's office in Jonesboro, Illinois. This southern Illinois county has about 16,997 residents and sits in the Shawnee Hills region. The Union County Clerk maintains the death index for all deaths recorded within the county. State files go back to 1916, while local records cover more recent years. If you need a death certificate from Union County, you can request it in person at the Jonesboro courthouse, send a mail request, or use the state's online ordering system to get a copy.

Union County Clerk Death Records

The Union County Clerk handles all death records filed in Union County. The office is in the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro, IL. As the local registrar under 410 ILCS 535, the clerk files and stores death records at the county level. The Union County death index includes every death that occurred in the county. Staff can search the index when you provide the deceased person's name and a date range.

Going to the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro in person is the quickest way to get a death certificate. You need a valid photo ID and the full name of the deceased along with an approximate date of death. The clerk runs the search right there and can give you a copy if the record is on file. Jonesboro is a small town in southern Illinois, so calling ahead to confirm office hours is a good idea before making the trip.

Contact details for the Union County Clerk can be found through the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders.

Who Can Access Union County Death Records

Death records in Illinois are restricted. They are not open to the public. Union County follows the same access rules as the rest of the state.

You can get a certified copy if you are the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the deceased. Estate executors and administrators qualify too. The law allows anyone with a "property right interest" to request a Union County death certificate. That means you own a tangible item, such as a property deed or vehicle title, that needs the death certificate for a transfer. People outside these groups can still request records with a letter from an agency that needs the certificate for official purposes.

A valid, unexpired government photo ID is required for every request. The Union County Clerk will turn away any request that does not include proper identification.

Union County Death Certificate Fees

A certified death certificate from Union County costs $19 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record is $4. That price includes a $2 surcharge per certified copy that goes to the state Death Certificate Surcharge Fund as required by 410 ILCS 535, Section 25.

Genealogical copies for records more than 20 years old are $10 through the state. Union County may charge a similar rate. Mail orders should include a check or money order payable to the Union County Clerk. In person, cash may also be accepted. The IDPH fee schedule details all costs for death record requests.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders website connects you with every county clerk office in the state. It is a handy resource for reaching the Union County Clerk and getting current contact details.

How to Order Union County Death Records

There are three ways to get a death certificate from Union County. Each comes with different costs and timing.

In person at the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro is the fastest. Bring your ID, give the clerk the name and date details, and walk out with your copy. Mail is the second option. Send your request to the Union County Clerk in Jonesboro, IL. Include a completed form, a photocopy of your photo ID, and payment by check or money order. County mail usually processes faster than the state route, where IDPH takes about 12 weeks.

Online ordering through VitalChek is the third method. VitalChek adds a service fee to the $19 base cost and routes the order through IDPH instead of the Union County Clerk. You need a credit card. The convenience factor makes up for the added cost if getting to Jonesboro is not practical for you.

Note: For urgent requests, IDPH accepts overnight packages with proof of need and a prepaid return label for faster turnaround.

Union County Death Index for Genealogy

Southern Illinois has deep roots, and the Union County death index is a strong resource for family history research. Death certificates from Union County list the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, parents' names, birthplace, and occupation. These details help connect generations and fill gaps that other records miss. Jonesboro and the communities around Union County have been settled since the early 1800s, so older death records from this part of Illinois are common targets for genealogy work.

The Illinois State Archives holds the statewide death index for pre-1916 records and certificates from 1916 to 1972. For deaths in Union County after 1916, genealogy copies can be requested through the IDPH death records portal. Genealogical copies are stamped for research use only, cost less, and have fewer eligibility restrictions than certified copies.

The Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535, governs how death records are handled across Illinois, including Union County. The full statute text is available on the Illinois General Assembly website for anyone who wants to review the rules in detail.

State Resources for Union County

If the Union County Clerk does not have the record, the state can help. The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps death records for all Illinois counties going back to 1916. Their mailing address is 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Call (217) 782-6554 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for questions. State mail requests take about 12 weeks to process.

IDPH is a good backup when you do not know which county a death occurred in. They search the full statewide death index, covering every county including Union.

Nearby Counties

Union County is in southern Illinois and borders several neighboring counties. Death records get filed where the death took place. Double-check the county before sending your request.