To apply for an Illinois birth certificate by PDF, download the Application for Search of Birth Record Files from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) website, complete it, and mail it to the Division of Vital Records in Springfield with a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate Mailed requests currently take about 12 weeks to process, so start early if you need the certificate for a passport, school enrollment, or another deadline.
Where to Find the PDF
The form is called the Application for Search of Birth Record Files, and it’s a fillable PDF hosted on the IDPH site.2Illinois Department of Public Health. Application for Search of Birth Record Files The same form is used whether you want a certified copy for legal use or an uncertified genealogy copy.
Who Can Apply
Illinois limits certified copies to specific people. Under the Vital Records Act, a certified copy may go to the person named on the record (if of legal age), a parent or other legal representative of that person, or someone with a genealogical interest in the record.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 410 ILCS 535/25 – Vital Records Act State and federal agencies and a State’s Attorney handling a criminal case can also request copies. Anyone holding a valid court order can obtain a copy regardless of relationship.
If you don’t fit any of those categories, IDPH will reject the request.
Choose Standard or Detailed
The form asks you to pick one of two versions before you send it in.
The standard copy costs $10 for the first copy and $2 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. It lists the child’s name, date of birth, sex, place of birth, each parent or co-parent’s name, their birthplace, their age, the file date, the date issued, and the state file number. For passports, school enrollment, driver’s license applications, and most other purposes, this version is what you want.
The detailed copy costs $15 for the first copy and $2 for each additional. It includes all information collected at the time of birth, which has varied over the years, and can include medical or demographic details the standard version leaves out.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate
When in doubt, order the standard copy. It satisfies almost every legal and administrative use.
Filling Out the Form
The PDF asks for the following about the person whose certificate you’re requesting:
- Full name, including first, middle, and last name prior to first marriage or civil union.
- Date of birth: month, day, year.
- Place of birth: hospital, city or town, county, and state.
- Father or co-parent’s name, including name prior to first marriage or civil union and current legal last name.
- Mother or co-parent’s name, including name prior to first marriage or civil union and current legal last name.
Every field matters. The Division of Vital Records is searching through millions of records, and a misspelled name or wrong county can send the search off course. If you’re ordering for a parent or grandparent and don’t know every detail, get as close as you can and understand that incomplete information may delay processing or return no result.
Photo ID
Every application must include a copy of a valid, readable, unexpired government-issued photo ID. A state driver’s license or U.S. passport is the most common. If your ID is expired, unreadable, or missing, IDPH returns the request unprocessed.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate IDPH publishes a separate list of acceptable IDs linked from the application instructions; check that yours qualifies before mailing.
Payment
Pay by check or money order made out to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Match the amount to the type and number of copies you request; a mismatched payment will slow things down.
The statute sets a $10 search fee, and it’s non-refundable.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 410 ILCS 535/25 – Vital Records Act If IDPH searches the archives and finds no record, your money doesn’t come back. The fee pays for the search itself.
When Fees Are Waived
Illinois waives birth certificate fees for three groups:
- People released from the Department of Corrections or Department of Juvenile Justice on parole, mandatory supervised release, final discharge, or pardon can get one free birth certificate by presenting a verification form from the releasing agency.
- Residents of domestic violence shelters pay no search or certificate fee and can receive up to four birth records per year.
- People whose homeless status is verified through the process set by the State Registrar pay no search or certificate fee, subject to the same four-records-per-year limit.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 410 ILCS 535 – Vital Records Act Fee Waiver Provisions
Where to Send It
Mail the completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and your check or money order to:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702-27372Illinois Department of Public Health. Application for Search of Birth Record Files
Use a trackable mailing method. You’re sending a copy of your government ID and personal information, and IDPH won’t confirm receipt during processing, so delivery confirmation is worth the small extra cost.
You can also walk the application into the Division of Vital Records office at the same Ridgely Avenue address on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for birth and death records only.5Illinois Department of Public Health. Birth Records Another option is the county clerk in the county where the birth occurred; clerks keep their own copies and may have different turnaround times.1Illinois Department of Public Health. Obtain Birth Certificate
How Long It Takes
Mailed requests currently take roughly 12 weeks from the day IDPH receives your paperwork.5Illinois Department of Public Health. Birth Records That’s nearly three months, and IDPH does not provide status updates while a request is in the queue.
If the division finds an error on your application or needs more documentation, it will mail you a notice, which adds more time. The way to avoid that is to double-check every field, confirm your ID copy is legible, and verify your payment amount before sealing the envelope. When your request is fulfilled, IDPH mails the certified copies with the raised official seal that makes them valid for legal use.
If the Certificate Has an Error
The Application for Search of Birth Record Files is not the form for corrections. If your birth certificate has a misspelled name, wrong date, or incorrect parental information, Illinois allows changes under the Vital Records Act and 77 Ill. Adm. Code, Part 500 using a different form, the Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request, available on the IDPH website.6Illinois Department of Public Health. Correct Birth Certificate You’ll submit that form with a valid, readable, unexpired photo ID, and IDPH may require additional supporting documentation depending on what you’re trying to fix. A simple spelling correction might need one supporting document; changing a parent’s name could require court orders or other legal records.
If You Don’t Qualify as an Eligible Requester
Illinois offers uncertified copies for genealogical research when the person’s date of birth is at least 75 years before the current date.7Illinois Department of Public Health. Genealogy You use the same Application for Search of Birth Record Files to request one.
A genealogy copy is not a substitute for a certified birth certificate. It won’t be accepted for a passport, Real ID, or any official identification purpose. It’s a research document only.