Search Cook County Public Records

Cook County public records are kept by several offices in Chicago and across the county. With over 5.1 million residents, Cook County is the largest county in Illinois and the second most populous in the nation. The county clerk, circuit court clerk, and assessor each maintain different types of public records. Most are available online, in person, or through a FOIA request. Land records, vital records, court case files, and property tax data are all accessible to the public from Cook County offices.

Cook County Clerk Office

The Cook County Clerk handles vital records, elections, and business filings. Monica Gordon is the current clerk. The office keeps birth, death, marriage, and civil union certificates going back to 1872. That is one of the longest records spans for any county in Illinois. As of December 2020, the clerk also took over all duties of the former Cook County Recorder of Deeds. So land records now go through this office too.

You can visit the Cook County Clerk main office at 118 N. Clark St., Room 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The last customer is accepted at 4:45 PM. Call (312) 603-5656 for questions about Cook County public records.

The clerk also runs business name registrations and notary services. Cook County has an award-winning genealogy website for older records.

Cook County Land Records

The Recordings Division stores all land records for Cook County. This includes deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats. You can search recorded documents online by PIN, grantor, or grantee name. The search is free to use. The division also runs a Property Fraud Unit to protect homeowners from deed fraud in Cook County.

A Recordings Legal Help Desk staffed by volunteer attorneys is available to help people with questions about land records. The office also offers E-Certify for verified electronic certificates of recorded documents in Cook County.

Note: The Cook County Recorder of Deeds no longer exists as a separate office since all duties moved to the County Clerk in December 2020.

Court Records in Cook County

The Clerk of the Circuit Court keeps all court case files for Cook County. The main office is at 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602. Cook County has its own single-county judicial circuit. The circuit court hears civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and other case types.

Cook County offers free online case search for several divisions. You can look up civil, law, chancery, domestic relations, child support, probate, and traffic cases. The system also has naturalization records from 1906 to 1929 and unclaimed child support data. E-filing has been mandatory for civil cases in Cook County since July 2018.

Keep in mind that online data is not the official court record. The actual files are paper copies kept at the courthouse. Updates to the online system may take a few days. For the most recent filings, check the public access terminals at the courthouse. You can also submit a public records request to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for specific Cook County court records.

Cook County Vital Records

The County Clerk's office issues birth, death, marriage, and civil union certificates for events that took place in Cook County. Records go back to 1872. You can order copies online through VitalChek, in person at the main office, or by mail.

Birth records in Cook County are not public. Only the person named on the record, their parents, or a legal guardian can get a certified copy. Death records need a personal or property interest. Marriage certificates are open to the public. Genealogy copies for records older than 75 years (birth), 25 years (death), or 50 years (marriage) are available at reduced fees.

FOIA Requests in Cook County

Any person can file a FOIA request for Cook County public records. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) requires all public bodies to respond within 5 business days. You do not need a special form. Write to the FOIA officer at the specific Cook County department that has the records you need.

For court records, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court. For county government records, contact that department directly. Journalists and media should use the specific media FOIA process. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's office by calling 877-299-3642.

Cook County Property Records

The Cook County Assessor handles property tax assessments and valuations. You can look up any property in Cook County by address or PIN. The assessor's data includes current values, tax bills, and exemptions. This is separate from the land records at the Recordings Division, which stores deeds and mortgages.

The county also offers property fraud alert services. If someone tries to file a document against your property, you get notified. This free service helps protect homeowners in Cook County from deed theft and other fraud.

Cities in Cook County

Cook County has more than 130 municipalities. Many of the largest cities in Illinois are in Cook County. All of them use the Cook County circuit court system and county clerk for vital records and land records. Select a city below for local public records resources.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cook County. If you live near the edge of Cook County, your records may be in a neighboring county depending on your exact address.