Homewood Records Search
Homewood is a village in Cook County with about 19,300 residents in the south suburbs of Chicago. The Homewood residents directory draws from public records held by Cook County offices, including the clerk, circuit court, assessor, recorder, and treasurer. Homewood is served by the 6th Municipal Court District with a courthouse in Markham. This page shows you where to search, what records are available, and how much you can expect to pay.
Homewood Quick Facts
Vital Records for Homewood
Birth, death, and marriage records for Homewood 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 Markham suburban office at 16501 S. Kedzie Avenue is the closest Cook County location for most Homewood residents.
Birth certificates are $15 for the first copy. Each extra copy in the same order costs $4. You need a valid photo ID. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) sets who can get certified copies in Illinois. Birth records are private for 75 years. Death records are sealed for 20 years. Cook County has records going back to 1872, which is older than the state office collection.
You can also request vital records from the Illinois Department of Public Health. They process mail and online requests. Slower than the county office, but it works when you can not visit in person.
The IDPH site shows forms, fees, and the steps you need to take for each type of vital record request.
Homewood Court Records
Homewood is in the 6th Municipal Court District. The courthouse in Markham at 16501 S. Kedzie Avenue handles traffic, misdemeanor, and some civil cases for the south suburban area. Felony cases and complex civil matters go to the Daley Center in Chicago.
The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court runs all court records for Cook County. Search online for civil, criminal, domestic relations, probate, and traffic cases. The electronic docket shows brief case summaries. New filings can take a few days to appear. Customer service is at (312) 603-5030.
Most court records are public under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Sealed cases and juvenile records are exceptions. The rest is open to anyone. You can look at records online or request copies at the Markham courthouse.
The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is a free state tool for looking up registered offenders by name or location anywhere in Illinois.
The registry covers the whole state, not just Cook County. You can search by ZIP code or address to check a specific area near Homewood.
Property Records in Homewood
Property records for Homewood are at Cook County offices. The Cook County recordings search covers deeds, mortgages, liens, and other filed documents. Online records go back to 1985. Older records need an in-person visit. Documents bought online must be downloaded by you.
Recording fees were updated in April 2024. Deeds, leases, mortgages, and easements cost $107. Certified paper copies are $55. Certified digital PDFs are $65. Non-certified paper is $27.50. Non-certified electronic copies are $5. Report suspected property fraud to the Cook County Property Fraud Unit at (312) 603-4000.
The Cook County Assessor reassesses property values every three years. You have about 30 days to appeal after your assessment notice arrives. The office phone is 312.443.7550. Use the Cook County property info site to see tax bills, payment history, exemptions, and related documents for Homewood properties.
Tax payments go to the Cook County Treasurer. Online bank account payments are free. The office does not accept phone requests any more. Email them and allow 3 business days for a response. Phone is 312.443.5100. The office is at 118 North Clark Street, Room 212.
State Resources for Homewood
The Illinois State Police offers statewide criminal background checks for $16. These pull records from all 102 counties in Illinois. This goes much further than a Cook County court search. It is a good tool when you need a full state picture.
ISP checks can be run by name or fingerprint. Results come from the full statewide criminal history database.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has a free tool for checking professional licenses. Look up whether a doctor, contractor, or other licensed professional near Homewood has a valid license. The results show license type, status, and any state actions on file.
FOIA Requests in Homewood
You can request public records from the Village of Homewood under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. This includes police records, building permits, code enforcement files, meeting minutes, and other village documents. Homewood must respond within five business days. If they deny your request, they must state the reason and cite the law.
The first 50 pages are free. After that, black and white copies cost up to 15 cents per page. Electronic records sent by email are free. The full FOIA law is at 5 ILCS 140. Appeal denied requests to the Illinois Attorney General.
Cook County Residents Directory
Homewood is fully within Cook County. All county-level records come through Cook County offices. For the complete list of search tools, contacts, and fees, visit the county page.
Nearby Illinois Cities
These south suburban cities near Homewood have residents directory pages with local search info.