Public records such as birth, death, criminal, marriage and divorce records are considered as public records and as such open to the public. There are however, some instances when the state would make the information accessible to only the people involved due to the nature of the files. In Illinois divorce records are generally made accessible to the parties included in the divorce or to the nearest family member.
For people who are looking for certified copies of the dissolution of marriage, they may contact the county clerk where the divorce was granted. For verification purposes, one may contact the Vital Records Division. The Vital Records can verify dissolution of marriages dating back to 1962 up to the present. Each request costs $5 and is payable to the Division office. There are many ways to request for verification including through mail, fax or in person requests.
For mail requests, download the application for verification of dissolution of marriage record form. The file is in PDF format so one has to make sure that they have a PDF viewer to view the form. All the fields should be completed, as the Division will not process incomplete forms. Once the form is completed, mail the form together with a cheque or a money order amounting to $5. Make sure that the check is made payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Processing would take about a month’s time.
For fax requests, follow the steps mentioned above for the application form. You can also write your request in the cover sheet. Complete details are required including the details of the party in the record as well as the contact information of the person requesting. Attach a credit card number and expiration date and include one’s signature as well as a copy of any government issued identification card together with the request. Payment for the request includes the $5 record fee, credit card handling fee of $10 and UPS charge of $19.50. The processing time for the request takes about a week. Please take note that UPS will not deliver to a PO Box address and would require an adult person to receive the package.
One can also submit their request by dropping by the Vital Records Division Unit during business hours. The office is open every day from 10am to 3pm, Mondays through Fridays. Processing time takes about three days. To claim the requested report, claimant should bring along a valid identification card with photo.
For certified true copy reports, one can call the County Clerk where the dissolution of marriage was approved. For guidelines on how to request the records, you can call the County’s Public information Office or visit in-person during office hours. Processing time varies as the Office also accepts other requests.
For people who require the records of divorce for information purpose only, they can check out several sites that offer online access to such information. This is the fastest and most convenient way for one to find the information that they need without having to wait for a long time for it.
Learn all about Illinois Divorce Records and where to find the right resource for Marriage And Divorce Records.