Cook County Clerk's Office, 69 W. Washington St., 5th Floor

Birth Certificates

The Cook County Clerk's office keeps official records of births that occur in Chicago and suburban Cook County.

Under state law, you may legally obtain a certified copy of your own birth certificate and/or the birth certificate of your child (your name must appear on the child's birth certificate).

GOOD NEWS

The Cook County Clerk has taken over the birth and death record-keeping duty of the Chicago Health Department. This means one-stop shopping for all Chicago/Cook County records.

Parents of children born in Chicago hospitals: Please be patient during the transition and hold birth certificate requests until Tuesday, September 9, 2009. For more information, click here.

Court-appointed legal guardians may obtain birth certificates of the children they care for if they submit a certified copy of the appointment. Certified copies of appointments can be obtained from the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Requesting a birth certificate

You may obtain a birth certificate in one of 5 methods:

	Order Online
	Order By Phone Call Toll-Free: (866) 252-8974
	Write us Mail your request to: Cook County Clerk David Orr Bureau of Vital Records P.O. Box 642570 Chicago, IL 60664-2570 Include the following items: a completed Birth Certificate Request Form* a photocopy of your photo identification (e.g. drivers license, state issued identification, etc.) a check or money order payable to the Cook County Clerk for $15 (additional copies of the same record cost $4 each) a self-addressed stamped envelope Note: Be sure to include your phone number with your mail request.
	Go to a local Currency Exchange Call (847) 759-8905 for Currency Exchange hours and locations in Chicago and suburban Cook County, or visit www.mycurrencyexchange.com. There is a $5 surcharge for records obtained at Currency Exchanges.
	Visit us in person Downtown Chicago Cook County Vital Records Daley Center 50 W. Washington St. East Concourse Level - 25 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 603-7790 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday North suburbs/Skokie 5600 W. Old Orchard Road, Room 149 Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 470-7233 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday Northwest suburbs/Rolling Meadows 2121 Euclid Ave., Room 238 Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 (847) 818-2850 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday West suburbs/Maywood 1311 Maybrook Square, Room 109 Maywood, IL 60153 (708) 865-6010 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday South suburbs/Markham 16501 S. Kedzie Ave., Room 238 Markham, IL 60426 (708) 210-4150 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday Southwest suburbs/Bridgeview 10220 S. 76th Ave., Room 238 Bridgeview, IL 60455 (708) 974-6150 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday *Please note that some requests made at suburban locations may not be ready the same day.

For more information

E-mail: vitalrecords@cookcountygov.com

(*) = Documents Require
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For information call: (312) 603-5656