To get a Joliet birth certificate, request a certified copy from the Will County Clerk’s office in Joliet or directly from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Joliet is the county seat of Will County, so the local clerk maintains birth records for anyone born within county lines, and the state keeps a parallel copy you can order from anywhere. In person at the clerk’s office, you can usually walk out with the certificate the same day; by mail or through IDPH, plan on a wait.
Who Can Request the Record
Illinois restricts access to birth records to cut down on identity theft. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, a certified copy can be issued to the person named on the certificate (if they are of legal age), a parent listed on the record, or a legal representative of that person. Legal guardians and attorneys must show written proof of their authority. A court can also order the record released in any case. Government agencies and prosecutors can obtain records for official purposes.
If you need the certificate of a relative who has died, you generally must be next of kin or show a personal or property interest in the record, and you will need to provide proof of death (such as an obituary or death certificate) when the birth record is 75 years old or less.
What You Need to Apply
Give the clerk enough information to pull the right record: the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, and both parents’ names, including the mother’s maiden name. Fill in every field. Incomplete applications are returned, which can cost you a week or more.
You also need a valid, current, legible government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license, state ID, or passport works. Expired, unreadable, or missing ID means your request comes back unprocessed.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Valid Government Issued Photo ID
No Photo ID?
If you do not have a valid photo ID, you can substitute two documents that show your name, at least one of which shows your current address. Acceptable options include a utility bill (electricity, phone, water) or other mail showing your name and current address, paired with a second document such as a medical or car insurance card, car registration, credit card statement, bank statement, printed paycheck stub, public assistance card, voter registration card, or active-duty military ID.
A Social Security card is not accepted as identification for Illinois vital records requests.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Valid Government Issued Photo ID A lot of people assume it qualifies and get their request bounced.
Where to Order
In Person at the Will County Clerk
The Will County Clerk’s office in Joliet handles walk-in requests. Bring the completed application, your ID, and payment. The clerk accepts cash, checks, and credit cards in person. Most walk-in applicants leave the same day with their certified copy.
By Mail
Both the Will County Clerk and IDPH accept mail-in applications. Mail requests to the clerk generally require a check or money order. Figure on at least seven to ten business days once your request is in the mail, plus mailing time both ways.
Directly From IDPH
Because Illinois birth records are kept at both the county and state level, you can order from IDPH regardless of where you now live. This is the better route if you were born in Joliet but moved out of state. IDPH requires a valid government-issued photo ID with every request, and will return applications missing an ID or submitted with an expired one.2Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate
Online Through VitalChek
Will County and IDPH both authorize VitalChek for online orders. It is convenient if you cannot visit in person and do not want to mail paperwork, but VitalChek adds service and processing fees on top of the government fee, so your total cost will be higher than ordering directly.
Short-Form or Long-Form, and What It Costs
Illinois issues two versions. The long-form certificate contains the full information collected at birth and is accepted everywhere, including for passport applications. The short-form has only the basics: the child’s name, date and place of birth, and parent information. Some agencies will not accept the short form, so if you are not sure what you need, order the long form.
Through IDPH, the long form is $15 for the first copy and $2 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. The short form is $10 for the first copy and $2 for each additional copy.2Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate Will County Clerk fees differ from the state schedule, so confirm the current price with the clerk before you send payment.
If you are getting the certificate for a passport, international travel paperwork, or anything that may need authentication later, order a second certified copy up front. It is cheaper than placing a separate order later.
Fixing a Mistake on the Certificate
Misspelled names, wrong dates, and incorrect parent names turn up more often than people expect. To correct a record, complete an Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request form and sign it in front of a notary. Submit the notarized affidavit with a copy of your current photo ID and a $15 check or money order payable to IDPH. That fee includes one certified copy of the corrected certificate; additional copies are $2 each.3Illinois Department of Public Health. Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request
Supporting documentation is what makes or breaks a correction. IDPH generally wants documents created before you turned 19 that show the correct information.4Illinois Department of Public Health. Correct a Birth Certificate What counts depends on the field:
- First or middle name: baptismal records, school records, marriage certificates, military ID, Social Security documents (Numident or earnings certification, not the card), or immunization records.
- Surname: parents’ marriage certificate (if the marriage was before your birth), a parent’s naturalization certificate, or an older sibling’s birth certificate filed before yours.
- Parent’s name: parents’ marriage certificate, parents’ birth certificates, or naturalization certificates.
- Date of birth: hospital records, baptismal records, school records, or immunization records.
If your documents do not clearly support the correction, IDPH may require a court order instead. White-out or cross-outs void the affidavit, so start over on a clean form if you slip.3Illinois Department of Public Health. Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request
Illinois also allows the gender marker on a birth certificate to be changed to M, F, or X using the same Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request. The form must be completed in full, signed, and notarized, and minors need a parent, co-parent, or guardian to submit it. If you are also changing your legal name, include a certified copy of the court order. Once IDPH processes the request, a new record is created, and the original and supporting documents are sealed and impounded unless opened by court order or at your own request.5Illinois Department of Public Health. Gender Reassignment
Using the Certificate Abroad
If you need to use your Joliet birth certificate in another country, most governments require an apostille, a standardized authentication stamp that confirms the document is genuine. In Illinois, apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s office at $2 per document.6Illinois Secretary of State. Apostilles and Certifications You can submit by mail or walk in at the Springfield office. Mail payments are check or money order payable to “Secretary of State”; walk-ins can also pay cash.
The apostille attaches to the certified copy itself, so order an extra certified copy for this purpose. Do not send your only copy to Springfield and leave yourself without one.
Older Records for Family History
If you are researching family history and the person was born more than 75 years ago, you can request an uncertified copy for genealogical purposes even if you would not otherwise qualify for a certified copy. These are stamped “for genealogical purposes only” and cannot be used as legal identification. You still submit an application, and IDPH decides eligibility based on your documentation.7Illinois Department of Public Health. Genealogy For records 75 years old or less, you need to qualify as an eligible requester under the standard rules or get a court order.
Penalty for False Information
Lying on the application is not a paperwork issue. Under Illinois law, knowingly providing false information on a vital records application, or using or attempting to use a fraudulent birth certificate, is a Class 4 felony.8Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 410 ILCS 535 – Section 27 A Class 4 felony in Illinois carries a prison sentence of one to three years.9Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 730 ILCS 5 – Section 5-4.5-45 The statute reaches a wide range of conduct, from false statements on the application to altering a certificate after issuance or handing someone else’s certificate to a person not authorized to receive it.