County Clerk: Birth, Death and Marriage Records

BIRTH RECORDS
Access to birth records is restricted. Your birth record may be issued only to the following people:

• Yourself (if you are at least 18 years of age).
• Your Parent or Legal Guardian (with proof of guardianship).
• Any person authorized by your notorized consent to be in reciept of the document.

Cost for the records: $13.75 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy. Birth records must be paid for with cash, debit card, money order, or cashiers check. There is a $2.50 charge for debit card usage. Personal checks will not be accepted. Exceptions to these restrictions do apply to those interested in Genealogical Research.

DEATH RECORDS
Death records are restricted to persons having a personal or property interest in the deceased's estate. Cost for the records: $15.75 for the first copy and $8.00 for each additional copy. Death records must be paid for with cash, debit card, money order, or cashiers check. There is a $2.50 charge for debit card usage. Personal checks will be not be accepted. Exceptions to these restrictions do apply to those interested in Genealogical Research.

MARRIAGE RECORDS
Copies of Marriage Licenses are available at the following cost: $13.75 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy. Marriage records must be paid for with cash, debit card, money order, or cashiers check. There is a $2.50 charge for debit card usage. Personal checks will not be accepted. Copies of the original marriage licenses are restricted to the Bride and Groom only. The cost is the same as listed above.

HOW TO OBTAIN A BIRTH, DEATH OR MARRIAGE RECORD
In Person:
To obtain a copy of a Birth, Death or Marriage record, please visit the County Clerk's Office during normal business hours. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm except for County holidays. You must have cash, certified funds or a debit card to purchase and receive a record in person.

Online:
You may purchase a record by credit card at the following locations (requires access to the Internet and a fax machine):

• For standard delivery through the US Postal Service, visit www.illinoisepay.com. Follow the online directions and records will be shipped within two weeks of your request.
• For expedited delivery, visit www.vitalchek.com. Records purchased here will be sent via 2-3 day delivery or overnight depending on your request. Requests for records to be sent overnight must be received by noon on the day prior to delivery. For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that the Peoria County Clerk has partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached through their website; (www.vitalchek.com). An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.

Please note that additional charges apply to purchase records over the Internet.

By Mail:
Mail your request to:
R. Steve Sonnemaker
Peoria County Clerk
324 Main St Room 101
Peoria IL 61602

Include the following items:

• a completed Application for Vital Records Search (Birth, Death and Marriage Records)
• a photocopy of a government issued photo ID with a signature
• a money order or cashier's check made payable to: Peoria County Clerk

For access to birth and marriage certificates, your name must appear on the record or you must provide copies of documents authorizing entitlement to the record.

PEORIA COUNTY GENEALOGY REQUESTS
BIRTH and MARRIAGE records 75 years old and older are considered genealogy and the cost per search is $5.00. If certified copies are required for a legal purpose, the cost per search is $13.75 (plus $6.00 for each additional certified copy of the same record). Birth records begin in 1877 and marriage records begin in 1825.

DEATH records that have been on file at least 20 years are considered genealogy and the cost per search is $5.00. If records need to be certified for a legal purpose, the cost per search is $15.75 (plus $8.00 for each additional certified copy of the same record). The death records begin in 1877.

All records considered genealogy will be looked up by the genealogists and returned by mail to the requestor. Clerks will look up non-genealogical records that require certification.

The public may fill out forms to request copies of records for genealogy purposes. You may request copies by submitting the Genealogy Request Form. The cost is $5.00 in cash, debit card, money order, or cashiers check per search at the time of the request. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00. Search fees cannot be refunded if the record is not found, but a “No Record” certification will be issued.