SearchSystems Editorial

Reviewed and updated October 1, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.

About this guide

Cook County is a county in Illinois with about 5.2 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are not in one place: court cases, jail bookings, deeds, property values, vital records and records requests each belong to a different office. This guide names the office that holds each kind of record, links to its own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 8 county office pages for Cook County, every one opened and checked.

In this guide: Where the records live, Jail and arrests, Court records, County Clerk, Deeds and property, Vital records, State's Attorney, Records requests, Statewide sources, More directory links, Cities and towns, Other counties and Questions.

Where Cook County public records live

Each kind of Cook County record is kept by a different office. The list below names the office SearchSystems verified for each one; the sections that follow give its phone, address and hours where the office publishes them.

Arrests, jail and inmate lookups in Cook County

A person arrested in Cook County is booked into the jail, and the booking record (name, charges, bond and the next court date) is public in most cases. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for jail and inmate information in Cook County.

Jail rosters usually show the people in custody now. Once a person is released, the case continues in the court records below.

Court records and case lookups in Cook County

Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic cases filed in Cook County are kept by the clerk of the court that heard them. Many courts offer an online case search; the page below is the one SearchSystems verified for Cook County.

County Clerk of Cook County

The county clerk is the county's record keeper. What the office holds differs by state: in some states it files marriage licenses and vital records, in others deeds, court papers or the meeting records of the governing board. Its own website below says what it holds in Cook County.

Deeds, land records and property values in Cook County

Two offices share property records. The recording office files deeds, mortgages, liens and the other documents that affect title to land in Cook County. The assessment office sets the taxable value of each parcel and usually offers a free parcel search by address or owner name.

Recorded documents: County Recorder

Property values: Supervisor of Assessments

  • Website: cookcountyil.gov/agency/assessor (page title: Assessor)
  • Phone: (312) 443-7550
  • Address: 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60602
  • Hours: Monday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm
  • Checked: September 23, 2026, the page answered.

Birth, death and marriage records in Cook County

Certified copies of birth and death certificates for events in Cook County are issued by the office below. The Illinois state vital records office also issues certified copies for any event in the state.

State's Attorney for Cook County

The State's Attorney is the office that prosecutes criminal cases in Cook County. The case files themselves are court records (above); the prosecutor's office handles victim services and questions about pending prosecutions.

Public records requests to Cook County

Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it. Many counties run one request page for every department; it is listed below when SearchSystems verified one for Cook County.

Statewide Illinois sources

Some records are kept by the state rather than the county. These are the Illinois state offices SearchSystems verified; each link opens the state office's own page.

More Cook County links from the SearchSystems directory

These links come from the SearchSystems directory for Cook County and were opened again on October 1, 2026. Each one still answers.

Criminal records

Property records

Recorded documents

Vital records

Cities and towns in Cook County

Cook County has 119 incorporated cities and towns (2024 Census Bureau count, population in parentheses). City records such as council minutes, permits, business licenses and police reports are kept by each city; the records on this page are county records whatever the city.

  • Chicago (2,721,308)
  • Cicero (82,090)
  • Schaumburg (77,099)
  • Evanston (76,006)
  • Arlington Heights (75,596)
  • Palatine (65,951)
  • Skokie (65,850)
  • Des Plaines (58,832)
  • Orland Park (58,020)
  • Oak Lawn (56,531)
  • Mount Prospect (55,460)
  • Berwyn (55,152)
  • Tinley Park (54,856)
  • Oak Park (52,947)
  • Hoffman Estates (50,920)
  • Glenview (47,634)
  • Park Ridge (38,445)
  • Streamwood (38,360)
  • Wheeling (38,329)
  • Hanover Park (36,685)
  • Calumet City (34,855)
  • Northbrook (34,546)
  • Elk Grove Village (31,802)
  • Niles (29,918)
  • Burbank (28,606)
  • Lansing (28,107)
  • Wilmette (27,443)
  • Oak Forest (26,813)
  • Chicago Heights (26,533)
  • Morton Grove (24,467)
  • Melrose Park (23,999)
  • Rolling Meadows (23,732)
  • Elmwood Park (23,698)
  • Maywood (23,364)
  • Blue Island (21,805)
  • Park Forest (21,016)
  • South Holland (20,775)
  • Dolton (20,697)
  • Harvey (19,781)
  • Evergreen Park (19,301)

The 40 largest are listed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Cook County website?

No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official offices listed above; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.

How do I find out if someone is in jail in Cook County?

Use the jail or inmate page SearchSystems verified for Cook County at cookcountyil.gov/service/locate-inmate. Rosters usually show the people in custody now; after release, the case continues in the court records.

Where do I look up a court case in Cook County?

The court records page SearchSystems verified for Cook County is at cookcountyil.gov. A case number finds a case fastest; a name search returns every case with that name.

Who records deeds in Cook County?

The County Recorder, at cookcountyclerkil.gov/recordings. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Cook County are filed there.

How do I get a birth or death certificate for Cook County?

From the office SearchSystems verified for Cook County vital records at cookcountyclerkil.gov, phone (866) 252-8974, or from the Illinois state vital records office.

How do I request a public record from Cook County?

Through the records request page at cookcountyil.gov. A record that is not covered there is requested from the office that holds it.