Process for Obtaining Illinois Marriage Records

Are you searching the Internet for Illinois marriage records? Gone are the days when the church parishes were the only ones who maintained a record of all marriages conducted there. Today, things have changed quite a bit. Maintaining marriage records is now the business of the state and counties, and the agencies and authorities are required to do this because citizens are given the legal right to access Illinois marriage records.

In fact, marriage records must be disclosed when asked for nationwide. Even in the colonial times, there were many districts and counties in states that issued bonds and licenses by passing marriage license statutes. This means that Illinois marriage records actually go back a long time, much to the delight of all those who need a copy.

Illinois Marriage Records Have Been Maintained for a Long Time

In the State of Illinois, records have been maintained for many years. They actually date back nearly a hundred years. You could find the earliest statewide birth and death records from as early as January 1st, 1916. When you consider the records that are maintained at the county level, these date back even further to 1871.

Illinois marriage records have been maintained in the various counties from 1962 onwards, which is relatively recent when compared to birth and death recordkeeping. In many cases, Illinois marriage records can also be retrieved from before 1962 if you know where to search.

If you need a copy of a state marriage record that dates back earlier than 1962, you will need to send an application to the Clerk's Office in the corresponding county. Likewise, if you need Illinois marriage records of a marriage that took place after 1962, you need to send an application to the following address:

Illinois State Vital Records
Office Division of Vital Records
605 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL 62702-5097

The county office is not the only source where Illinois marriage records are available. Thinking creatively and discovering other ways to conduct your search may provide more detailed results. For example, there are often many other recorded documents that validate important events such as deeds, court cases and wills. Exploring these documents can reveal the information that can lead you directly to the marriage record.

Often, marriages are also announced in the newspaper and have been for many years. If you are aware of the possible date of the marriage, then you could find more information from the archive of the local newspaper. There may have been a small personal or classified advertisement announcing the marriage that can provide additional information needed for your search.

The easiest way to find Illinois marriage records is through the index maintained at the county level. With a little bit of luck and some patience in your fact-finding quest, Illinois marriage records can indeed be found quite easily.