Search St. Clair County Public Records

Public records in St. Clair County are kept by offices in Belleville, the county seat. St. Clair County has a population over 253,000, making it one of the most populated counties in southern Illinois. The county clerk, recorder of deeds, and circuit clerk each handle different types of records. Court files, vital records, and land deeds are all accessible to the public. St. Clair County is one of seven counties in Illinois that has its own single-county judicial circuit, which means it has a dedicated court system.

St. Clair County Clerk Records

The St. Clair County Clerk handles vital records, marriage licenses, elections, and business registrations. The office is at 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call 618-277-6600 for general questions about public records in St. Clair County.

The clerk's office is your first stop for birth, death, and marriage certificates. You can order vital records online through VitalChek at (888) 290-6363 or request them by mail. In-person requests are handled at the Public Square office in Belleville.

The St. Clair County Clerk website provides access to department information and online services.

Business registrations and election services are also handled through this office.

Vital Records in St. Clair County

The St. Clair County vital records office issues birth, death, and marriage certificates. These are for events that took place within the county. Birth records in Illinois are restricted. Only the person named, their parents, or a legal representative can get a certified copy.

You have three ways to get copies. First, order online through VitalChek. Second, visit the clerk's office in person at 10 Public Square in Belleville. Third, send a request by mail. Each method requires proper ID and the right fee. VitalChek charges extra for online processing, but it is the fastest option if you can't visit in person.

Marriage certificates are available to the public. Death records have some restrictions but are generally accessible to people with a direct interest. Genealogy copies are available for older records at reduced rates. Birth records over 75 years old, death records over 25 years, and marriage records over 50 years qualify.

Note: The genealogy copy fee is $2.00 per record at the county level, which is less than the standard certified copy fee.

St. Clair County Land Records

The St. Clair County Recorder of Deeds is the official land records office for all real estate in the county. The recorder stores deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. The office is at 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220.

You can search land records online through the recorder's website. Web accounts are available for $150.00 per year for frequent users. Copy charges are $1.00 per page. To get a copy of your home deed, call 618-825-2481 or 618-825-2482. You can also email recorder@co.st-clair.il.us with your request.

The St. Clair County Recorder website shows land record search options and copy request details.

For title companies and attorneys, the copy request page has details on bulk orders and web account sign-up.

Court Records in St. Clair County

St. Clair County has its own single-county judicial circuit. This is one of only seven counties in Illinois with that setup. The circuit clerk handles all court case records for the county. Civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases are all part of the court system.

The courthouse is in Belleville. You can request court records in person or by mail. E-filing has been mandatory for most civil case types in Illinois since 2018. That means many recent filings are already in electronic form and may be easier to access.

Court records are public in Illinois, with some exceptions. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and certain family law matters have access limits. For most civil and criminal cases, you can get copies by going through the circuit clerk's office in St. Clair County.

Note: Online case data may not be current. The official record is the paper file at the courthouse. For the most recent filings, check with the circuit clerk directly.

St. Clair County FOIA Records

Any person can file a FOIA request for St. Clair County records. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) requires public bodies to respond within 5 business days. No special form is needed. Write to the FOIA officer at the department that holds the records you want.

For court records, contact the circuit clerk. For county government records, reach out to the specific department. If your request is denied, appeal to the Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's office. The counselor's office can review the denial and push for release of the records if the denial was not proper.

St. Clair County Property Records

Property assessments and tax data are handled by the county assessor in St. Clair County. This is separate from the land records at the recorder of deeds. The assessor determines property values for tax purposes. You can look up assessed values, tax bills, and exemptions through the county website.

The recorder of deeds keeps the actual deeds, mortgages, and liens. If you need to know who owns a property, start with the recorder. If you need the tax amount or assessed value, use the assessor's office. Both are at 10 Public Square in Belleville, which makes it easy to visit both in one trip.

Cities in St. Clair County

St. Clair County has multiple municipalities in the Metro East area. All of them use the St. Clair County court system, county clerk for vital records, and recorder for land records. Belleville is the largest city and county seat. There are no qualifying cities over 100,000 population within St. Clair County, but all public records are handled through the county offices.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Clair County. If you live near the county line, records for your property or court case may be in a neighboring county.