How to Fill Out and Submit the Illinois Birth Certificate Request Form

To request a copy of your Illinois birth certificate, fill out the Application for Illinois Birth Record (form VR 180), attach a photocopy of a valid government-issued photo ID, include the correct fee by check or money order payable to IDPH, and submit everything to the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records by mail or in person. You can also order through the county clerk where the birth occurred, or online through the state’s authorized vendor, VitalChek.

The Form You Need and Where to Get It

Illinois uses two closely related forms for birth record requests: the Application for Illinois Birth Record (VR 180) and the Application for Search of Birth Record Files. Both are available as PDFs on the Illinois Department of Public Health website.¹ Print, complete, and sign the form before you submit anything. Unsigned applications are returned without processing.

Who Is Allowed to Request a Copy

Before you fill anything out, check that you qualify. Illinois law restricts certified birth records to a short list of people:

The person named on the record, if they are 18 or older.
A parent listed on the certificate, or another legal representative of that person.
Someone with a genealogical interest in the record.
A court of competent jurisdiction, by order.

Legal guardians and court-appointed representatives must include certified court documentation proving their authority. Attorneys representing the subject or their estate may also qualify.² Anyone outside these categories will be turned away.

Filling Out the Form, Field by Field

Complete every field on the form. The top section asks for information about the person whose birth certificate you are requesting:

Full name on the birth record (first, middle, last) exactly as it appeared at birth.
Date of birth (month, day, year).
Place of Illinois birth (city and/or county).
Sex.
Mother or co-parent’s name, including maiden name before first marriage, as listed on the birth record.
Father or co-parent’s name, as listed on the birth record.
Birth certificate number, if known. This is not required, but it speeds the search.

The mother’s or co-parent’s maiden name is specifically flagged on the form as required. If you leave it blank, the search often hits a dead end even when the record exists.¹ If you genuinely do not know it, fill in every other field as completely as you can.

The next section is about you, the requester. Enter your full name, your relationship to the person on the record, your mailing address, phone number, email address, and the intended use of the certificate. If you want the certificate mailed somewhere other than your home address, fill in the separate “mail to” address. Then sign and date the form.

The Photo ID You Must Include

Every application must include a legible photocopy of a non-expired, government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver’s license, U.S. passport, FOID card, active-duty military ID, VA-issued photo medical card, or a federally issued tribal ID card. The ID must show your photo, name, date of birth, and both an issue date and expiration date. If the ID carries information on both sides, copy both sides.¹

If Your ID Is Expired or You Don’t Have One

If your photo ID expired less than six months ago, include one additional document showing your name and current address, created within the last six months. If your ID expired more than six months ago, or you have no government-issued photo ID at all, include two documents showing your name and current legal address.

For the two-document option, one piece can be a utility bill or other recent mail. The second must be one of the following: a medical or car insurance card, car registration paperwork, a credit card statement, a bank statement, a paycheck stub with printed information, a public assistance card, a voter’s registration card, or an active-duty military ID with issue and expiration dates.³

Social Security cards are not accepted by IDPH, even as a secondary document. If that is the only backup you have, you will need to obtain one of the alternatives above before submitting.

Choosing the Copy Type and Fee

Pick the right version before you fill in the form. The choice affects both the fee and whether the certificate will be accepted for your purpose.

Basic certified copy, $10. Contains name, date of birth, sex, place of birth, parents’ names and ages, parents’ places of birth, file date, date issued, and state file number.
Full certified copy, $15. Includes all information collected at the time of birth. This is the version most agencies want to see.
Genealogical copy, $10. For family history research. Not valid for legal purposes like passport applications.
Commemorative birth certificate, $40. A decorative keepsake, not accepted for legal identification.
Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time, $2.⁴

For a passport, REAL ID, or Social Security matter, the full certified copy at $15 is almost always the safe choice.

For mail-in requests, pay by check or money order payable to IDPH. Cash is not accepted by mail. Illinois law requires payment before any search begins, and the fee is non-refundable even if no matching record is found.⁵ If you are not certain the birth was recorded in Illinois, consider sending the base search fee and any additional-copy fee as separate checks, so that only the search check is cashed if nothing turns up.

How to Submit the Form

Illinois gives you four ways to get the request to the right office. The best one depends on how fast you need the certificate and where you live.

By Mail

Send your completed application, ID copy, and payment to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Ave-2737
Springfield, Illinois 62702⁴

Mail processing currently takes about 12 weeks from when IDPH receives your paperwork. The agency does not provide status updates during that window, so you will not receive confirmation that your request was received or is in progress.⁶

In Person in Springfield

The Division of Vital Records office at 925 E. Ridgely Ave. in Springfield accepts walk-in requests for birth and death records only, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you can get there, this is the fastest state-level option.⁴

Through the County Clerk

Contact the county clerk in the county where the birth occurred. County clerks hold local vital records and can often issue certified copies without the 12-week wait you would face going through IDPH by mail.⁴

Online Through VitalChek

VitalChek is the state’s authorized online vendor. It adds its own processing and shipping fees on top of the state’s base certificate fee, but it is the most convenient route if you cannot visit an office and do not want to wait three months.⁷

Before You Mail It, Check for the Common Problems

Most returned applications fail for the same handful of reasons. Run through this list before you drop the envelope in the mailbox:

The form is signed and dated.
Every field is filled in, including the mother’s or co-parent’s maiden name.
A legible photocopy of a non-expired, government-issued photo ID is attached, with both sides copied if applicable.
If your ID is expired or missing, the correct number of supporting documents is included, and none of them is a Social Security card.
The check or money order matches the fee for the copy type you selected and is payable to IDPH.
If you are requesting as a legal representative, certified court documentation proving your authority is attached.

A form that clears all six is one the office can actually process.

1
Illinois Department of Public Health. Application for Illinois Birth Record
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FindLaw. Illinois Code 410 ILCS 535/25
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Illinois Department of Public Health. Valid Government Issued Photo ID
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Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate
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Illinois Department of Public Health. Application for Search of Birth Record Files
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Illinois Department of Public Health. Birth Records
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VitalChek. Illinois (IL) Birth Certificates