Search Harvey Records
Harvey is a city in Cook County with about 20,200 residents, located in the south suburbs of Chicago. The Harvey residents directory draws from Cook County public records managed by the county clerk, circuit court, assessor, recorder, and treasurer. Harvey falls in the 6th Municipal Court District with its courthouse in Markham. This page covers how to find public records, where to search online, and what fees you can expect when looking up records for Harvey.
Harvey Quick Facts
Vital Records for Harvey Residents
Birth, death, and marriage records for Harvey residents go through the Cook County Clerk. The main office is at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602. Phone (312) 603-5656 for general info. Vital records line is (312) 603-7790. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The suburban office in Markham at 16501 S. Kedzie Avenue is the closest location for Harvey residents.
Birth certificates cost $15 for the first copy. Each extra is $4. You need a valid government photo ID. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) controls who gets certified copies. Birth records are private for 75 years. Death records stay sealed for 20 years. Cook County has vital records going back to 1872, which is older than what the state office holds.
The Illinois Department of Public Health handles vital records at the state level by mail and online. Processing is slower than the county, but it is an option if you can not visit in person.
The IDPH page has forms, fee info, and step-by-step instructions for ordering vital records from the state.
Harvey Court Records
Harvey is in the 6th Municipal Court District. The courthouse is in Markham at 16501 S. Kedzie Avenue. Traffic cases, misdemeanors, and some civil filings for the south suburbs are heard there. Felony cases and complex civil matters are handled at the main courthouse in Chicago.
The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court runs the court records system for all of Cook County. You can search online for civil, criminal, domestic relations, probate, and traffic cases. The online docket has brief summaries. It takes a few days for new filings to show up. Call (312) 603-5030 for customer service.
Most court records are open to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). There are exceptions for sealed cases, juvenile records, and certain mental health filings. But the bulk of cases filed in the Markham court are open for anyone to view.
The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is another state resource. It lets you search by name or location to find registered sex offenders. The search is free.
This tool pulls data from across the state, so results are not limited to Cook County alone.
Property Records in Harvey
Property records for Harvey go through Cook County offices. The Cook County recordings search lets you look up deeds, mortgages, liens, and other filed documents online. Only documents from after 1985 are in the online system. Older records need an in-person visit to the office in Chicago.
Fees for recording in Cook County were updated in April 2024. Deeds, mortgages, and easements cost $107 to record. Certified paper copies run $55. Certified digital PDFs are $65. Non-certified paper costs $27.50 and non-certified electronic copies are $5. If your property record has an error, use the Database Correction Form and email it to the office.
The Cook County Assessor handles property value assessments. Reassessments happen on a three-year cycle across 38 townships. You have about 30 days to file an appeal once you get your notice. Call 312.443.7550 with questions. The Cook County property info portal shows billed amounts, five-year tax history, exemptions, and documents tied to your Harvey address.
Tax payments go through the Cook County Treasurer. Pay online with a bank account for no fee. The Treasurer does not accept phone requests any more. Email the office instead. Expect a reply in about 3 business days. The office is at 118 North Clark Street, Room 212. Phone is 312.443.5100.
FOIA and Local Records in Harvey
You can file a FOIA request with the City of Harvey for local government records. This covers police reports, building permits, code enforcement files, council minutes, and most other city documents. Harvey must respond within five business days. The first 50 pages are free. After that, up to 15 cents per page for black and white copies. Electronic copies by email are free.
If a request is denied, Harvey must state the reason and the specific law section behind the denial. You can appeal to the Illinois Attorney General. The FOIA law is at 5 ILCS 140. It applies to every government body in Illinois, from small villages to the largest county offices.
The Illinois Department of Corrections runs an inmate search tool. Harvey residents sometimes use this when looking for info about someone who may be in state custody. The search is free and shows current inmates along with basic offense and sentence data.
The IDOC search covers state prisons only. For federal inmates, you would need to check the Bureau of Prisons website instead.
Cook County Residents Directory
Harvey is entirely within Cook County. All county-level records for Harvey residents come from Cook County offices. For the full list of search tools, fees, and contact info, visit the county page.
Nearby Illinois Cities
These south suburban cities near Harvey have residents directory pages with local record info and search tools.