GUIDELINES TO OBTAIN VITAL RECORDS IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY

WHAT ARE THE LAWS REGARDING VITAL RECORDS?

Under Illinois law, birth & death records are not considered to be public information nor are they subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Illinois law prohibits giving out any information from a vital record by phone or issuing any vital records by fax.

BIRTH RECORDS

To obtain a birth record, an individual must be:

• Child named on certificate (applicant must be at least 18 years old)
• Mother of the child
• Father of the child, if listed on the birth certificate or with documentation of paternity
• Legal guardian (with proof of guardianship)

Cost: $18 for the first certified copy & $8 for each additional copy at that same time. Cash, check or money order (made out to Livingston County Clerk) is acceptable payment. A current driver’s license, state I.D. or passport are acceptable forms of identification.

MARRIAGE/CIVIL UNION RECORDS

• Copies are restricted to the parties only.
• A current driver’s license, state I.D. or passport are acceptable forms of identification. Upon request, the couple may have the application copied on the back of the certified copy of the marriage license.

Cost: $16 for the first certified copy & $8 for each additional copy at that same time. Cash, check or money order (made out to Livingston County Clerk) is acceptable payment.

DEATH RECORDS

To obtain a death record, an individual must be:

• The next of kin
• The informant listed on the death certificate.
• Someone who has a person or property right interest in the record, and documentation to show this.

Cost: $22 for the first certified copy & $10 for each additional copy at that same time. Cash, check or money order (made out to Livingston County Clerk) is acceptable payment. A current driver’s license, state I.D. or passport are acceptable forms of identification.

GENEALOGY RECORDS

The public may view birth, marriage & death indexes before 1916. Illinois law prohibits public access to records after 1916. Office staff will assist in locating records after that date.

• Cost: $3 for each genealogical/non-certified copy, if exact date is provided.
• A minimum, non-refundable, search fee of $10 is required through first five (5) years searched, if exact date is not known.
  • Additional years searched after first five (per name – payment required before records released), $1 fee.
• Copies will be marked for genealogical purposes only.

Records start from:

• Births: 1856 (on file 75 years & older are considered genealogy)
• Marriages: 1837 (on file 50 years & older are considered genealogy)
• Deaths: 1878 (on file 20 years & older are considered genealogy)

HOW TO OBTAIN A BIRTH, MARRIAGE/CIVIL UNION, OR DEATH RECORD

• Official Records Online, additional $10 Service Fee. Click HERE for Livingston County, Illinois, or on the below Official Records Online button.
• In person, please visit the Livingston County Clerk’s office, located at 112 W. Madison St., Pontiac, IL. We are open Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, except County holidays.
• By mail, print the Application for Copy of Vital Record form & fill it out, sign and date it.
• Include a copy of your valid, government-issued photo identification & a check or money order. Mail to:
  • Livingston County Clerk, Attn: Vitals, P.O. Box 618, Pontiac, IL 61764-0618

If you do not have a current/valid photo I.D., submit two documents with your name, one of which must show your current address, that prove your identity. One piece of documentation can be a bill or piece of mail. The other piece of documentation must be one of the following items listed below:

• Medical/car insurance card
• Car registration paperwork
• Credit card statement
• Bank statement
• Paycheck stub with imprinted information
• Public assistance card
• Voter’s registration card
• EBT Link Card (Illinois Electronic Benefit Transfer)
• Social Security Cards are NOT acceptable.

A Matricula Consular card issued after October 2006 and not currently expired is acceptable on its own. However, if issued prior to Oct. 2006, we need ONE additional documentation showing current address as noted above. If you do not have any of the items listed above, please submit a copy of a current utility bill (electricity, cellular phone, water, etc.) showing your name and your current address.

If your driver’s license is expired and you have an extension sticker on the back, you must submit a copy of both sides.

If you have an expired driver’s license that is no more than six months expired, we need ONE additional documentation showing your name and your current address.

If you are currently incarcerated, you can submit a dated copy of your prison intake/offender summary sheet containing your photo. If you have been released from prison within the last six months, we will accept a copy of the release papers along with the prison photo ID.

If you are writing from a state or federal agency, you can submit a copy of your photo work badge.

If you have any questions, call the Livingston County Clerk’s office at (815) 844-2006.