Death Certificates

Our office keeps on file death certificates of people who died in McLean County from 1878 on. For death certificates of people who did not die in McLean County, please contact either the county where the death occurred or the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records at (217) 782-6553 or -6554 (10 am - 3 pm).  By law, we cannot make corrections to a death record.  Contact the Illinois Department of Public Health-Vital Records for corrections.

Cost: $17 for the first certified copy, $11 for each additional copy of the same record. Each time you order, the first copy costs $17.

To Obtain a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate, You Must Be One of the Following:

The next of kin

The informant listed on the death certificate 

The executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate 

Someone who has a personal or property right interest in the certificate

Under Illinois State Law (410 ILCS 535-Vital Records Act) only specific individuals have legal access to birth, death, or marriage certificates. The McLean County Clerk’s Office will issue certificates to authorized individuals only. To do otherwise is a violation of Illinois Law. Vital records are not considered public information, neither are they subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

All requests, whether they are made in person, by mail, or online, must be accompanied by the unexpired Driver’s License, State ID or passport of the requestor, or the request will not be fulfilled.

Original ID must be presented in person; by mail or online, provide a copy of the ID.

If you do not have any of these forms of identification, contact our office by calling (309) 888-5190 for more options.

Note: Absolutely no information can be given over the telephone regarding vital records.

If you have an urgent need for a vital record, please contact the Illinois Department of Public Health.

I also need another type of record:
Birth certificate
Marriage Certificate
Birth Certificate of a Deceased Person