When death certificates open, who can order them now, and the free index, obituary, and probate routes.
How Illinois Death Records Work
Illinois runs one of the country's shortest genealogy clocks: once a death is 20 years old, anyone can buy an uncertified genealogical copy for $10. Certified copies stay restricted to entitled parties at any age. The $10 uncertified genealogical copy is the non-family route once the death is 20+ years old.
Pre-1916 deaths are held only by the county clerk or the regional IRAD depositories, not the state. Content reviewed July 30, 2026 by the SearchSystems editorial team.
When do Illinois death certificates become public?
Illinois runs one of the country's shortest genealogy clocks: once a death is 20 years old, anyone can buy an uncertified genealogical copy for $10.
Can I get a copy if I'm not family?
The $10 uncertified genealogical copy is the non-family route once the death is 20+ years old.
Can I search Illinois deaths online for free?
The Illinois Statewide Death Index covers 1916–1950 through the State Archives; earlier deaths have no statewide index.
What if I just need to confirm a death or find an obituary?
Skip the certificate entirely: newspaper obituaries (many are indexed by library databases), the Social Security death index carried on the big genealogy platforms, and probate case files in the county court that handled the estate all confirm a death without touching the restricted certificate.
Related Illinois Records
The Illinois vital records page covers the full birth-marriage-death picture; birth certificates follow their own (usually longer) privacy clock; probate lives in Illinois court records; and people search shows how death records fit a full person lookup. County pages list the local offices that issue copies.
