The Illinois Department of Public Health preserves the state's records on births, deaths, marriages and divorces. More than 400,000 are registered annually. Since birth and death records first began to be collected by the Department in 1916, 27 million have been placed on file, including some delayed records dating back to the mid 1800s.

Individuals occasionally may need certified copies of birth, death, marriage or divorce documents for such diverse purposes as applying for passports, fulfilling school entrance requirements, filing license applications, or seeking insurance or government benefits. Generally, these records are available only to the individual or to a member of his or her immediate family.

If the event took place in Illinois and you are seeking a copy of the record, you may be able to obtain it from one or more agencies. In addition to the Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital Records, county clerks and circuit clerks may have the documents on file.