Department · County Clerk & Recorder
County Clerk & Recorder
Vital records, deeds, marriage licenses, elections.
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Thank you for visiting the Hamilton County Clerk & Recorder department webpage. We aim to provide convenient access to important information and hope that our visitors find it to be a great resource for the community. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. We greatly value feedback on how we can better serve your needs.
The duties and responsibilities of the County Clerk & Recorder’s office are many and varied. From this office we – are the Election Authority, administering all elections and maintaining voter registration records – the keeper of land records, vital records, military discharge records, assumed business name filings, and statement of economic interest forms – the Local Registrar for new births, deaths, and marriages that occur in Hamilton County – the keeper of various taxing district filings and calculator of property tax extensions – the delinquent tax collector – the county benefit and payroll administrator – the accounts payable clerk – the County Board Secretary, appointed FOIA officer, and OMA designee – and the county website administrator. With a great team of four individuals, we manage these tasks together.
Other important notes about our office:
Marriage & civil-union licenses: Applicants should arrive by 3:30 p.m., as the process takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Recordings: Documents received after 3:30 p.m. are recorded on the next business day.
Accepted forms of payment: cash, money order, check, or debit/credit. Payment methods to vary by transaction. No debit/credit available for recordings. Delinquent Taxes require cash, cashier’s check, or money order only per statute.
Who's in the office
Birth certificates
$20.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for each additional copy. Bring a photo ID and complete an application in the office, or request remotely through Official Records Online. Copies can be issued to the person named (if 18 or older), a listed parent, a legal guardian, the person’s legal representative, an authorized agent with notarized permission, a state or federal agency, by court order, or for genealogical purposes once on file at least 75 years.
Death certificates
$26.00 for the first copy and $14.00 for each additional copy. Photo ID and an application are required, or request remotely through Official Records Online. Copies are issued to anyone with a genealogical, personal, or property-right interest (genealogical requests require the death on file at least 20 years), a state or federal agency, the estate’s administrator or executor, by court order, or to an accredited veterans’ organization (no charge).
Marriage certificates
$20.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for each additional copy. Photo ID and an application are required, or request remotely through Official Records Online. Copies may be given to any individual providing pertinent information; genealogical requests require the marriage on file at least 50 years.
Marriage & civil-union licenses
$75.00, cash or check. Start the application online or in the office — both applicants must appear together at the Clerk’s office with a photo ID and a copy of their birth certificates. There is a one-day waiting period (unless waived by a judge); the license is valid for 60 days and must be used in Hamilton County. The signed license must be returned to the Clerk’s office within 10 days of the ceremony. Applicants under 18 require parental consent signed in the office.
Voter registration & elections
Check your voter registration status or request a vote-by-mail ballot electronically. Military and overseas voters can apply through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. Statewide forms and information are at the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Genealogy searches
Uncertified genealogical copies are $6.00 search fee for up to five searches, plus $2.00 per copy. Birth and death records begin in 1878 and marriage records date back to 1821. Records may be released for genealogy only once on file the required number of years — births 75+ years, deaths 20+ years, marriages 50+ years.
Online land-record search
Search recorded land records online, anytime, through Laredo Anywhere (subscription) or Tapestry (pay per search). Manage Laredo billing through the Laredo Connect portal. See the Links tab for the full list of portals.
Subscription agreement for remote access to county land records through Laredo.
How to search the county's old index books in Laredo.
Request form for a genealogy search of county vital records.
Request form for a certified copy of a recorded DD214 (military discharge).
Illinois voter registration application (form R-19).
Start a marriage, civil-union, or assumed-name application online, then finish at the Clerk's office.
Certified Vital Records ONLY. Genealogy applications can be found under the "Forms & Documents" tab.
Subscription land-record search for frequent users (deeds, mortgages, plats).
Manage your Laredo Anywhere subscription and billing.
On-demand, pay-per-search land-record access for occasional users.
Free alerts when a document is recorded against your name or property in Hamilton County.
Confirm your Illinois voter registration online.
Request a Hamilton County vote-by-mail ballot electronically.
Statewide election information and forms.
Federal voting application for military and overseas voters.
Illinois Department of Public Health — statewide birth, death, and other records.
Statewide public, land, and county records for research and genealogy.
Look up commissioned Illinois notaries public.
State tax forms, transfer declarations, and revenue information.
Who can get a copy of a birth certificate?
The person named (if 18 or older), a listed parent, a legal guardian, the person’s legal representative, an authorized agent with notarized permission, a state or federal agency, or anyone with a court order. Records on file 75+ years are available for genealogy.
How do I apply for a marriage license?
Applicants can begin the process prior to coming into the office, under the “Links” tab on the County Clerk page, or you may complete the application in office on the office Ipad. Both applicants must appear together at the Clerk’s office with a photo ID and a copy of their birth certificates, and arrive by 3:30 p.m. (the process takes about 30 minutes). There is a one-day waiting period; the $75 license is valid for 60 days and must be used in Hamilton County.
How soon is my document recorded?
Documents are recorded when they come into the office, however anything received after 3:30 p.m. will be recorded the next business day.
How do I check my voter registration?
You can check your voter registration by selecting the “Check Voter Registration Status” link, under the “Links” tab on the County Clerk page. You may also contact the County Clerk’s office.
How far back do your genealogy records go?
Birth and death records begin in 1878; marriage records date back to 1821 (1869–1872 are very limited). Genealogical copies require records on file 75+ years (births), 20+ years (deaths), or 50+ years (marriages).