Cook County Residents Directory

Cook County is the most populous county in Illinois with over 5.1 million residents. You can search the Cook County residents directory to find property records, court cases, vital records, tax data, and more. The county seat is Chicago, where the main clerk offices are at 118 N. Clark Street. Several suburban courthouses also serve the county in Markham, Maywood, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, and Bridgeview. Most records are open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Online search tools make it easy to find what you need from home, and in-person visits are an option at any of the Cook County office locations.

Cook County Clerk Records

The Cook County Clerk is the chief election officer and the keeper of vital records for Cook County. When Monica Gordon was sworn into office on December 2, 2024, she became the youngest woman and just the third African American to serve in this role. The office maintains birth, marriage, civil union, and death certificates dating back to 1872. They also issue property tax rates and permanent real estate index numbers for properties across Cook County.

The Cook County Clerk's website has info on all services the office provides in the Cook County residents directory.

The main office is at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, Chicago, IL 60602. Phone (312) 603-5656 for general questions. For vital records, call (312) 603-7790. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Suburban offices are in Markham at 16501 S. Kedzie Avenue, Maywood at 1311 Maybrook Drive, and Skokie at 5600 W. Old Orchard Road. Free birth records are available for verified homeless individuals, domestic violence victims, and formerly incarcerated persons in Cook County.

Cook County Property Records Search

The Cook County Clerk's recordings division lets you search property records online. Only documents recorded after 1985 are available for online purchase. If you need something from before 1985, you have to go in person. Documents bought online must be downloaded and printed by the customer. The office does not mail copies of purchased documents in Cook County.

The property search portal is the main tool for finding recorded documents in the Cook County residents directory.

Recording fees changed on April 1, 2024. Deeds, leases, mortgages, and easements all cost $107 to record. Non-standard documents add $88 on top of the class fee. Certified paper copies cost $55. A certified digital PDF runs $65. Non-certified paper copies are $27.50 and non-certified electronic copies are just $5. If your property is indexed wrong, you can complete a Database Correction Form and email it to the office. For suspected fraud on your property, report it to the Property Fraud Unit at (312) 603-4000 in Cook County.

Note: Re-recording of documents was stopped in February 2017 for Cook County records.

Cook County Residents Directory Tax Records

Cook County property owners can search tax records online using their 14-digit Property Index Number or street address. The Cook County property info portal shows billed amounts, a five-year tax history, exemptions, and documents like deeds and liens. You can also pay taxes online and search for refunds through this site.

The Cook County Assessor reassesses property values every three years on a rotating basis between 38 townships. You typically have 30 days to file an appeal after getting your notice. Appeal reviewers may take 3 to 5 months to finalize a decision. The Cook County Assessor office is at 118 N. Clark Street, and you can call 312.443.7550 with questions about your assessment in Cook County.

The Cook County Treasurer handles tax payments. There is no fee for paying online with a bank account. The Treasurer's Office no longer takes phone requests. Email them instead and expect a response within 3 business days. The office is at 118 North Clark Street, Room 212, and you can call 312.443.5100 for Cook County tax questions.

Search Cook County Court Records

The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court runs the court records system. This office is the front door to the justice system in Cook County. The electronic docket has brief summaries of court documents and events. Keep in mind that online info is not the official court record. Recent filings may not appear right away since it can take a few days for updates to show in the system.

The Circuit Court Clerk site offers searches for civil, law, chancery, domestic relations, probate, traffic, and naturalization cases in the Cook County residents directory.

Cook County has six municipal court districts. The First District is in Chicago at the Daley Center, 50 W. Washington. The Second is in Skokie, the Third in Rolling Meadows, the Fourth in Maywood, the Fifth in Bridgeview, and the Sixth in Markham. Customer service for the circuit court clerk is at (312) 603-5030. Phone payments go through (888) 497-8701. Under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/), most court records in Cook County are open to the public.

Cook County Vital Records Fees

Birth certificates from the Cook County Clerk cost $15 for the first copy. Each additional copy in the same order is $4. If you order through VitalChek online, expect an extra processing fee of about $13.45. You need a valid government-issued photo ID to get vital records in Cook County. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535/) sets the rules for who can get certified copies. Birth records are confidential for 75 years and death records for 20 years.

For records before January 1916, contact the Cook County Clerk directly since the state office only has records from that date forward. The Cook County Clerk has records going back to 1872, which is much further than what the state keeps. Walk-in requests at the Chicago office are often handled the same day in Cook County.

Cities in Cook County

Cook County has over 130 municipalities. Chicago is the county seat and by far the largest city. All of them are served by the Cook County offices listed above for property records, vital records, and court cases. Select a city below to find city-specific resources in the residents directory.

Other cities in Cook County include Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, Cicero, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, and many more. All use Cook County offices for public records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cook County. If you are not sure which county handles your records, check the address. You need to contact the right county office to get what you need.