The Genealogy Record Request Form is the request form of the Office of the Cook County Clerk, Vital Records, for non-certified genealogical copies of birth, marriage and death records. If you are looking for a Cook County birth certificate that is older than 75 years, this is the form the Clerk's office prints for that request. Copies issued this way are stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY". On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the Clerk's office publishes the original at the official URL below.
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What is Genealogy Record Request Form – Cook County, IL?
The Genealogy Record Request Form is the Cook County Clerk's Office Vital Records form used to request non-certified genealogical copies of birth certificates older than 75 years, marriage certificates older than 50 years and death certificates older than 20 years.
The form states that all genealogical records (meaning birth, death and marriage records) issued by the Cook County Clerk's Office are considered non-certified documents and are stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY". It adds that, pursuant to Illinois law, genealogical records are defined by the age thresholds above.
One sheet holds three request blocks: Birth Certificates Older than 75 Years, Marriage Certificates Older than 50 Years and Death Certificates Older than 20 Years. Each block has its own "# of copies requested" line and asks for the details the office needs to find the record, such as names, the date and the place. The top of the form collects your name, mailing address, daytime phone number and your relationship to the person or people named in the record.
The Clerk's office charges a records search fee per request, which the form says it is legally required to charge and which is nonrefundable. Fees for additional copies and for searching additional years also apply; the office publishes the amounts on the form and answers questions at 312.603.7788.
Who needs to file Genealogy Record Request Form – Cook County, IL?
Anyone who wants a genealogical copy of a Cook County birth, marriage or death record that meets the form's age thresholds uses this form. The form does not limit who may ask; it asks you to state your relationship to the person or people named in the record.
The records covered are:
- birth certificates older than 75 years;
- marriage certificates older than 50 years;
- death certificates older than 20 years.
Limits printed on the form:
- A record that is not older than the threshold for its type is not a genealogical record as the form defines it, so it does not belong on this request.
- For birth and marriage records, the city, town or village must be in Cook County.
- Copies are non-certified and stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY", so the form does not produce a certified copy.
If you are not sure of the exact date of birth, marriage or death, you may ask the office to search more than one year by paying an additional amount for each extra year, up to a maximum of 10 years of searches.
When to file Genealogy Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
Submit the form when you need a genealogical copy of a birth, marriage or death record that meets the age rule for its type: birth older than 75 years, marriage older than 50 years, death older than 20 years. The form prints no filing deadline and no processing time.
Timing matters in one respect: if you do not know the exact date of birth, marriage or death, decide before you send the request how many years you want searched. The office will search more than one year for an additional fee per extra year, up to a maximum of 10 years. Include that fee with the request.
The records search fee is charged per request and is nonrefundable, so check the names, dates and places before you send or hand in the form.
Documents you need
- For mail requests: a photocopy of your photo identification, front and back, such as a driver's license or State ID.
- For mail requests: a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk for the fees that apply to your request.
- For mail requests: a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the record.
- If you want more than one year searched because the exact date is uncertain: the additional fee for each extra year, up to a maximum of 10 years, included with your payment.
How to fill out Genealogy Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
Confirm the record qualifies
Check the age rule: birth certificates older than 75 years, marriage certificates older than 50 years, death certificates older than 20 years. Use only the section for the type of record you want.
Enter your name and address
Fill in Your Name, Mailing Street Address and City, State, Zip at the top. This is where the office will send the record, so match it to your return envelope if you mail the request.
Add phone and relationship
Enter your Daytime Phone Number and your Relationship to Person/People Named in the Vital Record Below.
Complete the birth certificate section
Enter the # of copies requested, Name at Birth (First, Middle, & Last), Date of Birth (Month/Day/Year) and the City, Town or Village of Birth, which must be in Cook County. Add the Name of Birth Mother and Name of Birth Father (first and last names).
Complete the marriage certificate section
Enter the # of copies requested, Date of Marriage, the bride's maiden name (first, middle and last), the groom's name (first, middle and last) and the City, Town or Village of Marriage, which must be in Cook County.
Complete the death certificate section
Enter the # of copies requested, Name at Death (First, Middle, & Last), Date of Death (Month/Day/Year) and the City, Town or Village where Death Occurred.
Plan for an uncertain date
If you do not know the exact year, the office can search more than one year for an additional fee per extra year, up to 10 years. Include that fee with your payment.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, dates and places, since the search fee is nonrefundable. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble the ID photocopy, payment and envelope as described under How to submit.
How to submit Genealogy Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
You can submit the Genealogy Record Request Form by mail or in person at the Cook County Clerk's Vital Records office. The form lists no other channel.
- By mail: send the completed form to Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box A3390, Chicago, IL 60690. Include a photocopy of your photo identification (front and back), such as a driver's license or State ID; a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk; and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- In person: visit 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, Illinois. In person you can pay with cash, debit card or credit card.
A fee applies to every request, and the search fee is nonrefundable. The form prints the amounts, including those for additional copies and extra years of searching; for questions call the Clerk's office at 312.603.7788 or see cookcountyclerk.com.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Requesting a birth certificate that is not older than 75 years, a marriage certificate not older than 50 years or a death certificate not older than 20 years; these do not meet the form's definition of a genealogical record.
- Listing a birth or marriage place outside Cook County; the form says the city, town or village must be in Cook County.
- Mailing the request without a photocopy of your photo ID showing both the front and the back.
- Making the check or money order payable to anyone other than the Cook County Clerk.
- Leaving out the self-addressed stamped envelope when you apply by mail.
- Expecting a certified copy; every record issued under this form is non-certified and stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY".
- Expecting the records search fee back when nothing is found; the form says it is nonrefundable.
- Asking for a multi-year search without the additional fee for each added year, or for more than 10 years, which is the maximum.
- Leaving the "# of copies requested" line blank in the section you are using.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Genealogy Record Request Form used for?
It is the Cook County Clerk's Office form for requesting non-certified genealogical copies of birth, marriage and death records. Each copy is stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY", and the record must be older than the age threshold for its type.
Can I get a Cook County birth certificate with this form?
Only a genealogical copy of a birth certificate older than 75 years, with a city, town or village of birth in Cook County. It is non-certified and stamped "FOR GENEALOGY PURPOSES ONLY". The form does not issue certified birth certificates.
How old does a record have to be for a genealogy request?
Birth certificates must be older than 75 years, marriage certificates older than 50 years and death certificates older than 20 years. The form says these ages define genealogical records under Illinois law.
Where do I mail the Cook County genealogy record request?
Mail it to Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box A3390, Chicago, IL 60690. Include a photocopy of your photo ID (front and back), a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Can I submit the genealogy record request in person?
Yes. Visit 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, Illinois. In person you can pay with cash, debit card or credit card. The form lists mail and in-person visits as the two ways to obtain a genealogical record.
Is there a fee for a genealogical record?
Yes. The Clerk's office charges a nonrefundable records search fee per request, plus fees for additional copies and for each extra year searched. The amounts are printed on the form; call 312.603.7788 to confirm.
What if I don't know the exact date of birth, marriage or death?
You can ask the office to search more than one year by adding an additional fee for each extra year. The search covers a maximum of 10 years.
Can I fill out the Genealogy Record Request Form online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send the request to the Cook County Clerk; you mail it or bring it in person.
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