By Milos Djordjevic, Funeral Director and Owner, Caring Cremations
Who files the death certificate
You do not file it yourself. The doctor who cared for your loved one (or the Medical Examiner, if the death was investigated) certifies the cause of death. Your funeral director then files the certificate electronically with the State of Illinois.
When the plan is cremation, one more step comes first: for any death in Cook County, the funeral director must get a cremation permit from the Cook County Medical Examiner before the death certificate is filed. That permit currently costs $150, which is why it appears as a separate line on cremation price lists.
The most common delay is waiting for the doctor's signature. A good funeral director follows up for you.
What certified copies cost
The Cook County Clerk keeps death records for Chicago and suburban Cook County. Certified copies cost $17 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record, ordered at the same time. Ordering extra copies up front is much cheaper than coming back later for another "first" copy.
Who can order them
Illinois law limits certified copies to relatives and people who can show a financial interest in the death, such as the executor of the estate.
Five ways to order
- Through us. Most families simply tell us how many copies they need when making arrangements, and we order them.
- Online through VitalChek, the Clerk's online vendor. VitalChek adds a $13.45 processing fee, and delivery takes about 10 to 15 business days by regular mail.
- By phone at (866) 252-8974.
- By mail to the Cook County Clerk's Bureau of Vital Records, with the request form, proof of your relationship, a copy of your photo ID, a check and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- In person at the Clerk's downtown office or one of its suburban courthouses, where most records print while you wait. Many currency exchanges can also order them for a $5 surcharge.
How many copies you need
Most families need between 5 and 10. Count one for each of these that applies:
- Each life insurance policy
- Each bank, credit union or brokerage account
- Each pension, annuity or retirement account
- Real estate and vehicle titles
- The probate court, if the estate goes through probate
- Veterans benefits, if your loved one served
Some institutions will return the copy or accept a scan. Ask before you send an original.
If the death was outside Cook County
Deaths in DuPage, Lake, Will and other counties are recorded by that county. The steps are similar, and we order those copies for families too.
Questions? Call us any time at
(773) 866-2273.
Sources (checked Oct 26, 2026): Cook County Clerk — Death Certificates; Cook County Medical Examiner — Information for Funeral Directors.
