The Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form is the order form of the Bureau of Vital Records at the Office of Cook County Clerk, used to request a certified copy of a marriage or civil union record. You enter the names of both spouses or partners, the date and the place of the marriage or civil union, and choose between 8" x 10" standard certificates and credit-card-size wallet certificates. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the order itself reaches the Clerk through the channels the form lists, described below.
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What is Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form – Cook County, IL?
The Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form is the order form of the Bureau of Vital Records at the Office of Cook County Clerk for requesting certified copies of a marriage or civil union record, in standard or wallet certificate format.
The form offers two types of certificate:
- Standard Certificate: an 8" x 10" official embossed certificate.
- Wallet Certificate: a credit-card-size certificate, ordered as a set of 2.
Wallet certificates are only available in person or by mail. Standard certificates can be ordered four ways: by mail, through the VitalChek hotline, at a local Currency Exchange or in person.
The form states that these are certified copies, that a fee applies, and that additional copies of the same record cost a different rate when requested at the same time as the first. It also refers to a Certification That No Record Was Found, issued when no record is found. The form lists the current fees, so check it or call the Vital Records office for exact amounts.
This form covers marriage and civil union records only. It asks for the names of Groom / Partner A and Bride / Partner B, the date of the marriage or civil union, and its place, which must be a city or village in Cook County.
Who needs to file Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form – Cook County, IL?
Anyone who needs a certified copy of a marriage or civil union record held by the Cook County Clerk's Office uses this form. The form asks you to say whether the record is a Marriage or a Civil Union, and the place of the marriage or civil union must be a city or village in Cook County.
Conditions the form attaches to the order:
- If you order by mail, you include a photocopy of your photo identification (for example a driver's license or State ID), a check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- If you want wallet certificates, you order in person or by mail; they are not available by phone through VitalChek or at a Currency Exchange.
- If you order in person, you go to 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, Illinois, or one of the three suburban offices.
The form does not state who is eligible to receive a copy or how someone may order for another person, so ask the Vital Records office at 312.603.7788 if you are unsure. Do not use this form for other vital records: it is a request for marriage or civil union records.
When to file Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
The form sets no deadline: you submit it whenever you need a certified copy of a marriage or civil union record. No processing time is printed on it.
If you want more than one copy of the same record, ask for them in the same request. The form gives a separate rate for each additional copy of the same record only when it is requested at the time of the first order.
Hours and locations for in-person service depend on the office, so call (312) 603-7790 before you visit.
Documents you need
- A check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk, included when you order by mail.
- A photocopy of your photo identification (for example a driver's license or State ID), included when you order by mail.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope, included when you order by mail.
How to fill out Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
Choose certificate type and quantity
Enter the number of 8" x 10" certificates and, if you want wallet certificates, the number of sets of wallet certificates. Wallet certificates are only available in person or by mail.
Mark Marriage or Civil Union
Select Marriage or Civil Union to show which type of record you are requesting.
Enter Groom / Partner A
Write the full name of Groom / Partner A on the first name line.
Enter Bride / Partner B
Write the name of Bride / Partner B, using the maiden name if applicable.
Enter the date of the event
On the Date of Marriage or Civil Union line, enter the date the marriage or civil union took place.
Enter the place of the event
On the Place of Marriage or Civil Union line, write the city or village in Cook County where it took place.
Enter your name and address
Fill in Your Name, Mailing Street Address and City State Zip with the details of the person ordering and where the record should be sent.
Add a daytime contact
Enter a daytime phone number or email address on the Daytime Phone Number/Email Address line.
Sign the request
Sign on the Signature line.
Review, download and assemble
Check names, date and place, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. For a mail order, add a check or money order, a photocopy of your photo ID and a self-addressed stamped envelope, and send as described under How to submit.
How to submit Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form – Cook County, IL
The form lists four ways to order a standard certificate and two for wallet certificates:
- Mail: send the completed form to Bureau of Vital Records, PO Box A3390, Chicago, IL 60690, with a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk, a photocopy of your photo identification and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail works for standard and wallet certificates.
- VitalChek hotline: call (866) 252-8974 and charge the order to a major credit card; an additional fee applies. Standard certificates only.
- Local Currency Exchange: call (847) 759-8905 for locations and hours; an additional fee applies to obtain your record this way. Standard certificates only.
- In person: visit 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, Illinois, or one of three suburban offices, and pay with cash, debit or credit card. Call (312) 603-7790 for locations and hours. Standard and wallet certificates.
A fee applies to every order; the amounts are printed on the form, and the Vital Records office answers questions at 312.603.7788. The agency's website is cookcountyclerk.com. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing the request without a photocopy of your photo identification, which the form lists among the items to include with a mail order.
- Leaving out the self-addressed stamped envelope when ordering by mail.
- Making the check or money order payable to anyone other than the Cook County Clerk.
- Trying to order wallet certificates through the VitalChek hotline or a Currency Exchange; they are only available in person or by mail.
- Sending the mail order to the street address in Chicago instead of Bureau of Vital Records, PO Box A3390, Chicago, IL 60690.
- Entering a place of marriage or civil union that is not a city or village in Cook County.
- Not marking whether the record is a Marriage or a Civil Union, or omitting the maiden name of Bride / Partner B where it applies.
- Sending the form unsigned.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the form for a Cook County birth certificate?
No. This is the Cook County Clerk's Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form, and it asks only for marriage or civil union details: both names, the date and the place in Cook County. It does not request a birth certificate.
What is the Cook County Marriage or Civil Union Record Request Form used for?
It is used to order certified copies of a marriage or civil union record from the Bureau of Vital Records at the Office of Cook County Clerk. You choose standard 8" x 10" certificates, wallet certificates, or both, and give the names, date and place of the event.
How do I order a Cook County marriage record by mail?
Fill out the form and mail it to Bureau of Vital Records, PO Box A3390, Chicago, IL 60690. Include a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk, a photocopy of your photo ID and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Can I order wallet certificates by phone or at a Currency Exchange?
No. The form says wallet certificates are only available in person or by mail. The VitalChek hotline and the local Currency Exchange are listed only for standard certificates.
Is there a fee to request a marriage or civil union record?
Yes. Certified copies carry a fee, and additional copies of the same record are priced differently when requested at the same time. The VitalChek hotline and Currency Exchange add a further fee. Check the form for amounts or call 312.603.7788.
Where can I order a marriage or civil union record in person?
Visit 118 N. Clark St., Room 120, Chicago, Illinois, or one of three suburban offices, and pay with cash, debit or credit card. Call (312) 603-7790 for locations and hours before you go.
Can I fill out this form online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not submit the order to the Cook County Clerk and is not affiliated with it; you send the form by mail or bring it in person.
What is the difference between a standard and a wallet certificate?
A standard certificate is an 8" x 10" official embossed certificate. A wallet certificate is credit-card size and is ordered as a set of 2. Wallet certificates are only available in person or by mail.
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