Access Vermilion County Death Index

Vermilion County death index records are managed by the county clerk's office in Danville, Illinois. Sitting on the Indiana border in east-central Illinois, Vermilion County has a population of about 72,400. The clerk in Danville keeps death certificates for all deaths that occurred within the county. Whether you need a certified copy for settling an estate or an uncertified copy for genealogy research, the Vermilion County Clerk is your primary source. Requests can be made in person, by mail, or online through the state's authorized vendor. This page lays out the steps, fees, and rules for searching the Vermilion County death index.

Vermilion County Clerk Death Records

The Vermilion County Clerk's office is the official keeper of death index records in the county. The office is at 201 North Vermilion Street, Suite 101, Danville, IL 61832. Call 217-554-1900 for help. The clerk keeps death certificates on file for deaths that took place within Vermilion County. Walk-in service is available during regular weekday business hours.

For an in-person request, bring a valid photo ID and the name and date of death of the person whose record you want. The clerk's staff will search the Vermilion County death index. If a record is found, a certified copy can usually be issued the same day. Mail-in requests are accepted too. Send a completed application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order to the Danville address. Mail processing through the Vermilion County office takes several weeks. The office does not give updates while your request is being worked.

The Illinois Department of Public Health death records page lists the forms and instructions needed to request a death certificate from any Illinois county, including Vermilion County.

This IDPH page covers death record request forms and procedures that apply to Vermilion County residents and all other Illinois counties.

Who Can Get Vermilion County Death Records

Illinois law limits access to death records. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) says death certificates are not public. For Vermilion County death index records, you must be a relative of the deceased person. Spouses, parents, children, and siblings all qualify. Legal representatives and estate administrators with court papers can request copies too. If you have a documented property or financial interest, such as a property deed or insurance claim, you may also be eligible.

Anyone outside those groups must include a letter from the agency or office that needs the Vermilion County death record. The clerk's office in Danville will not process requests without proper documentation or proof of eligibility.

Note: A valid, non-expired government-issued photo ID is required with every Vermilion County death index request.

Vermilion County Death Index Fees

Fees for Vermilion County death records follow the state fee schedule. A certified copy costs $19. Each additional certified copy ordered at the same time is $4. A $2 surcharge per certified copy is added under 410 ILCS 535, Section 25. That surcharge goes to the state Death Certificate Surcharge Fund.

Genealogical copies of Vermilion County death records cost $10. They are uncertified and stamped "For Genealogical Purposes Only." Each additional genealogical copy ordered at the same time is $2. These copies are useful for family research but cannot serve legal purposes.

Online orders through VitalChek carry a $15 handling fee on top of the certificate cost. UPS shipping adds $22. For mail requests to the Vermilion County Clerk, pay by check or money order.

How to Get Vermilion County Death Certificates

Three options exist for requesting a Vermilion County death certificate. In person at the clerk's office in Danville is the quickest route. Bring your ID and the details about the deceased. The staff searches the death index while you wait and can hand you a certified copy if the record is on file.

By mail, send your completed application to the Vermilion County Clerk at 201 North Vermilion Street, Suite 101, Danville, IL 61832. Include a photocopy of your photo ID and payment by check or money order. The IDPH obtain death certificate page has downloadable forms you can use for your Vermilion County request. Allow several weeks for mail processing.

Online orders go through VitalChek with a major credit card. VitalChek covers Vermilion County death records from the last 20 years. For older records, contact the clerk's office or try the state archives. Vermilion County sits on the Indiana border, so if you are not sure which state the death occurred in, verify the address before you request.

Vermilion County Death Index Genealogy

Family researchers can get genealogical copies of Vermilion County death records when the certificate is 20 or more years old. These uncertified copies cost $10 and carry the same factual data as a certified version. The Vermilion County Clerk stamps them for genealogy use only. They are popular with researchers tracing family lines in the Danville area and the broader east-central Illinois region.

For death index records that go back further than what the Vermilion County Clerk has on file, check the Illinois State Archives. The Archives in Springfield holds the statewide death index for pre-1916 records and death certificates from 1916 to 1972. The Margaret Cross Norton Building on the Capitol Complex is open weekdays. You can visit in person or submit a request by mail.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders is a helpful starting point if you need guidance on where to search for genealogical death records in Vermilion County or neighboring areas.

State Death Index Resources for Vermilion County

When the Vermilion County Clerk does not have the record you need, the Illinois Department of Public Health can help. IDPH holds death index files for the entire state from 1916 to the present. Their Springfield office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Call (217) 782-6554 on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mail requests take about 12 weeks, and the state does not give updates during that period.

The Illinois Administrative Code, Title 77, Part 500 contains the full regulations that govern vital records management in Illinois. These rules apply to the Vermilion County Clerk and all other local registrars in the state, covering everything from registration to access and fee structures.

Nearby Counties

Vermilion County borders several counties in east-central Illinois. A death certificate is filed with the county where the death occurred. Check the location carefully before submitting your request.