The Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation is the Illinois Residential form, provided by the Cook County Clerk, that a property owner signs to revoke a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) already recorded in Cook County. It identifies the owner, the recorded date and Document Number, the legal description, the PIN and the property address, and it carries owner, witness and notary sections. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form itself is published by the Cook County Clerk at cookcountyclerkil.gov.
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What is Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation – Cook County, IL?
The Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation is the Illinois Residential Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation form, headed with the citation 755 ILCS 27/1 et seq., on which a property owner states that they revoke a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) recorded in the County of Cook, State of Illinois.
The form is built around the instrument being revoked. It asks for the date on which the TODI was recorded and its Document Number, then identifies the property by legal description (written on the form or attached as an exhibit), Property Identification Number (PIN) and commonly referred to address. The owner declares that the revocation was completed and signed before a notary public on a stated date and that they were of sound mind and memory.
Three groups sign the document:
- the property owner or owners (Owner A and Owner B lines);
- witnesses, whose declaration must be attested and signed in the presence of the owner or owners, all witnesses and the notary public;
- a notary public, who completes the Notary Verification Section and affixes a stamp.
A special notice printed on the form says it is provided by the Cook County Clerk as a courtesy, does not constitute legal advice, and is issued without any title examination or review of your individual estate plan. It adds that Clerk's Office staff may not assist with preparing this or any legal document, and it directs questions to an attorney or licensed estate planning professional.
Who needs to file Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation – Cook County, IL?
The main group is owners of Illinois residential property who signed a Transfer on Death Instrument recorded in Cook County and now want to revoke it. The form is written for one or two owners: it has signature blocks for Owner (A) and Owner (B).
Others take part in completing it:
- Two witnesses, Witness (A) and Witness (B), who sign the witness declaration in the presence of the owner or owners, of each other and of the notary.
- A notary public, who completes the verification section.
- The person who prepares the form, who is named in the PREPARED BY and MAIL TO block at the top.
The form refers only to a TODI recorded in the County of Cook, State of Illinois. It is a courtesy form and carries a notice that the Cook County Clerk does not review your estate plan or examine title. If you have questions about how to complete it, the form tells you to contact an attorney or licensed estate planning professional, because Clerk's Office staff may not help prepare it. The Clerk's forms page adds that it is your responsibility to determine the correct instruments and forms for your transaction.
When to file Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation – Cook County, IL
The form has no due date printed on it. It is used after a Transfer on Death Instrument has been recorded and the owner decides to revoke it, because the revocation must cite the date the TODI was recorded and its Document Number.
Timing inside the process is fixed by the signing ceremony. The form states that the revocation was completed and signed before a notary public on a date the owner writes at the top, and the witness declaration must be attested and signed in the presence of the owner or owners, all witnesses and the notary public. The owner, witness and notary dates should therefore agree with that ceremony. For any filing or recording deadline, ask an attorney or licensed estate planning professional, as the form's special notice directs.
Documents you need
- Legal description of the property as an exhibit, only if you check ATTACHED AS AN EXHIBIT instead of writing it in the lines provided on the form.
How to fill out Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation – Cook County, IL
Complete the Prepared By block
At the top, enter the name, address and city/state/zip under PREPARED BY and MAIL TO. Then enter the property owner's name, address and city/state/zip under NAME & ADDRESS OF PROPERTY OWNER.
Enter the signing date and owner details
Fill in the day, month and year the revocation was completed and signed before a notary public, then the owner name or names. Add the street address, city or village, county, state and zip code where the owner currently lives.
Identify the recorded instrument
Enter the date the Transfer on Death Instrument was recorded and its Document Number. The form already states that it was recorded in the County of Cook, State of Illinois.
Provide the legal description
Check WRITTEN BELOW or ATTACHED AS AN EXHIBIT. If you choose the first, write the legal description on the lines provided.
Enter the PIN and property address
Type the Property Identification Number (PIN) in the printed pattern of digit boxes. Then enter the COMMONLY REFERRED TO ADDRESS of the property.
Print owner names and sign
Print Owner (A) and, if there is a second owner, Owner (B). Each owner signs and enters the date signed before the notary, in the notary's presence.
Complete the witness declaration
Witness (A) and Witness (B) print their names, sign and date the declaration. They sign in the presence of the owner or owners, each other and the notary public.
Have the notary complete verification
The notary enters the state and county, the day, month and year in the "Given under my hand and notarial seal" line, prints their name, signs and affixes the notary stamp.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, the Document Number, the legal description choice and the PIN against your records. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, take it to be signed and notarized as required, and send it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation – Cook County, IL
The form does not list channels, but it opens with a PREPARED BY and MAIL TO block, in which you enter the name and address of the person who prepared the document and to whom it is to be mailed. It prints no Clerk mailing address, portal or appointment rule.
- Before sending: make sure the owner signatures, the witness signatures, the notary section and the notary stamp are complete, and that the legal description is either written on the form or attached as an exhibit.
- Where to find it: the Cook County Clerk publishes this form under Instruments/Affidavits on its recordings forms page, https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings/forms-recording. That page states that the forms are provided as a convenience and that the Clerk is not responsible for printing discrepancies that may affect margins, readability or recordability.
- Questions about the process: the Clerk's Office staff may not assist with preparing the document, so use an attorney or licensed estate planning professional.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the Cook County Clerk's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the legal description box unchecked, or writing nothing below it when you checked WRITTEN BELOW or attaching nothing when you checked ATTACHED AS AN EXHIBIT.
- Omitting the date the Transfer on Death Instrument was recorded or its Document Number, which identify the instrument being revoked.
- Having the witnesses sign outside the presence of the owner or owners, each other and the notary; the witness declaration must be attested and signed in all of their presence.
- Submitting the form without the notary verification section completed and the notary stamp affixed.
- Entering the PIN in the wrong format instead of the printed pattern of 2-2-3-3-4 digits.
- Expecting Cook County Clerk staff to help prepare the form; the notice says they may not assist, and the form is not legal advice or a title examination.
- Leaving out the PREPARED BY and MAIL TO block, which tells the recipient whom to return the document to.
- Using a different date at the top than the date the owners actually signed before the notary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation?
It is the Cook County Clerk's Illinois Residential form for revoking a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) that was recorded in Cook County. It names the owner, the recorded date and Document Number of the TODI, the legal description, the PIN and the property address, and it is signed by the owner, witnesses and a notary.
Is this the form for a Cook County birth certificate?
No. This form revokes a recorded Transfer on Death Instrument for real property under 755 ILCS 27/1 et seq. It has no connection to birth certificate requests, which are a different matter handled by other documents.
Does the Transfer on Death Instrument Revocation need a notary?
Yes, the form is built around notarization. It states that the revocation was completed and signed before a notary public, and it includes a Notary Verification Section with a line for the notary's name, signature and stamp.
Who has to witness a TODI revocation in Cook County?
The form has two witness lines, Witness (A) and Witness (B). The witness declaration must be attested and signed in the presence of the owner or owners, all witnesses and the notary public, and the witnesses affirm the owner was of sound mind and free of undue influence.
Can Cook County Clerk staff help me complete this form?
No. The special notice on the form says Clerk's Office staff may not assist with preparing it or any legal document, and that the form is not legal advice. It tells you to contact an attorney or licensed estate planning professional with questions.
Can I fill out the TODI revocation form online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file, record or notarize the form; signatures, witnesses and the notary must still be handled as the form requires.
What do I need to know to complete the legal description line?
You must check one box: WRITTEN BELOW, where you write the legal description on the lines provided, or ATTACHED AS AN EXHIBIT, where you attach it. The form also asks separately for the PIN and the commonly referred to address.
Where do I get the official Cook County TODI revocation PDF?
The Cook County Clerk publishes it at cookcountyclerkil.gov/publication/transfer-death-instrument-revocation and lists it under Instruments/Affidavits on its recordings forms page. The Clerk notes that forms are a convenience and you are responsible for choosing the correct forms for your transaction.
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