Reviewed and updated October 11, 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.
Knox County is a county in Illinois with about 49,000 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 2 county office pages for Knox County, every one opened and checked, and lists 6 more whose site blocks automated checks.
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 Knox County public records live
Each kind of Knox 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 and jail bookings: knoxsheriff.org (details)
- Court cases: illinoiscourts.gov/courts-directory/25/Knox-County-Courthouse/court (details)
- County records: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_clerk (details)
- Deeds and recorded documents: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_recorder/index.php (details)
- Property values and parcels: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/assessment_office/index.php (details)
- Birth and death certificates: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_clerk/vital_records/index.php (details)
- Criminal prosecutions: knoxcountyil.gov/business_detail_T6_R56.php (details)
- Public records requests: knoxcountyil.gov/transparency/freedom_of_information_requests.php (details)
Arrests, jail and inmate lookups in Knox County
A person arrested in Knox 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 Knox County.
- Website: knoxsheriff.org (page title: Knox County Sheriff's Office)
- Phone: 888-868-4631
- Checked: September 28, 2026, the page answered.
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 Knox County
Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic cases filed in Knox 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 Knox County.
- Website: illinoiscourts.gov/courts-directory/25/Knox-County-Courthouse/court (page title: Knox County Circuit Court | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts)
- Phone: (309) 345-3847
- Checked: September 23, 2026, the page answered.
- Statewide court case search: illinoiscourts.gov
County Clerk of Knox 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 Knox County.
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_clerk
- Checked: October 2, 2026, the site blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), and the page was found in a live search index on October 2, 2026; open it directly in a browser.
Deeds, land records and property values in Knox County
Two offices share property records. The recording office files deeds, mortgages, liens and the other documents that affect title to land in Knox 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
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_recorder/index.php
- Checked: October 2, 2026, the site did not answer our automated check (HTTP 403); open it directly in a browser.
Property values: Supervisor of Assessments
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/assessment_office/index.php
- Checked: October 2, 2026, the site did not answer our automated check (HTTP 403); open it directly in a browser.
Birth, death and marriage records in Knox County
Certified copies of birth and death certificates for events in Knox County are issued by the office below. The Illinois state vital records office also issues certified copies for any event in the state.
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/departments/county_clerk/vital_records/index.php
- Checked: October 2, 2026, the site did not answer our automated check (HTTP 403); open it directly in a browser.
- Illinois state vital records office: dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/birth-re...
State's Attorney for Knox County
The State's Attorney is the office that prosecutes criminal cases in Knox County. The case files themselves are court records (above); the prosecutor's office handles victim services and questions about pending prosecutions.
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/business_detail_T6_R56.php
- Checked: October 2, 2026, the site did not answer our automated check (HTTP 403); open it directly in a browser.
Public records requests to Knox 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 Knox County.
- Website: knoxcountyil.gov/transparency/freedom_of_information_requests.php
- Checked: October 11, 2026, the site did not answer our automated check (HTTP 403); open it directly in a browser.
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.
- Statewide court case search: illinoiscourts.gov
- State prison inmate locator: idoc.illinois.gov/offender/inmatesearch.html
- Sex offender registry: illinois.gov/services/service.sex-offenders.html
- State vital records office: dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/birth-re...
- State criminal history records: isp.illinois.gov/BureauOfIdentification/MyRecord
- Business entity search: ilsos.gov/departments/business-services/business-searches.html
- Unclaimed property search: icash.illinoistreasurer.gov
More Knox County links from the SearchSystems directory
These links come from the SearchSystems directory for Knox County and were opened again on October 2, 2026. Each one still answers.
- Birth, Death, Other Records - Illinois Department of Public Health (dph.illinois.gov)
- Inmates - VineLink (vinelink.vineapps.com)
- SEC.gov | Search Filings (sec.gov)
Cities and towns in Knox County
Knox County has 14 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. SearchSystems has a guide to the city offices of Galesburg; the linked name open it.
- Galesburg (29,289)
- Abingdon (2,871)
- Knoxville (2,840)
- East Galesburg (744)
- Wataga (723)
- Oneida (681)
- Yates City (637)
- Williamsfield (557)
- Altona (451)
- Victoria (259)
- Henderson (257)
- Maquon (215)
- Rio (205)
- St. Augustine (114)
Other counties in Illinois
SearchSystems has a guide like this one for every county in Illinois.
- Adams County
- Alexander County
- Bond County
- Boone County
- Brown County
- Bureau County
- Calhoun County
- Carroll County
- Cass County
- Champaign County
- Christian County
- Clark County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Coles County
- Cook County
- Crawford County
- Cumberland County
- De Witt County
- DeKalb County
- Douglas County
- DuPage County
- Edgar County
- Edwards County
- Effingham County
- Fayette County
- Ford County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Gallatin County
- Greene County
- Grundy County
- Hamilton County
- Hancock County
- Hardin County
- Henderson County
- Henry County
- Iroquois County
- Jackson County
- Jasper County
- Jefferson County
- Jersey County
- Jo Daviess County
- Johnson County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- LaSalle County
- Lake County
- Lawrence County
- Lee County
- Livingston County
- Logan County
- Macon County
- Macoupin County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- Massac County
- McDonough County
- McHenry County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Morgan County
- Moultrie County
- Ogle County
- Peoria County
- Perry County
- Piatt County
- Pike County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Putnam County
- Randolph County
- Richland County
- Rock Island County
- Saline County
- Sangamon County
- Schuyler County
- Scott County
- Shelby County
- St. Clair County
- Stark County
- Stephenson County
- Tazewell County
- Union County
- Vermilion County
- Wabash County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- White County
- Whiteside County
- Will County
- Williamson County
- Winnebago County
- Woodford County
Knox County Arrest Records
The Knox County arrest records guide names the five agencies that report arrests to the FBI here and the 3,116 arrests the four agencies with every month of 2025 on file reported that year. It also says where a person arrested here is held, how to find out about an arrest and how to get a copy of the report.
Knox County Records Guides
SearchSystems has nine more guides to Knox County, each written from the county's own offices and figures: Knox County warrants (who issues and serves them, where a person arrested on one is held, how to check for one), Knox County inmate search (the jail page of the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the jail numbers and who books people), Knox County criminal records (the court file, the Illinois criminal history and the local arrest records), Knox County court records (which court hears what, the case search and who keeps the files), Knox County police reports (which agency holds a report and what the Illinois Freedom of Information Act requires), Knox County traffic tickets (which court takes the ticket, who writes them and the driving record), Knox County DUI (the DUI law, the arrest, the court case and the license case), Knox County divorce records (which court holds the file and how a certified copy is had) and Knox County property records (deeds, assessed values, permits and evictions).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the official Knox 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 Knox County?
Use the jail or inmate page SearchSystems verified for Knox County at knoxsheriff.org, or call 888-868-4631. 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 Knox County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for Knox County is at illinoiscourts.gov, phone (309) 345-3847. A case number finds a case fastest; a name search returns every case with that name.
How do I request a public record from Knox County?
From the office that holds it: the court for case files, the County Recorder for deeds, the sheriff for jail records, and so on. Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices.