How to Search Illinois Public Records
Illinois uses Circuit Clerks for court records and township assessors (with a county Supervisor) for property. Statewide e-filing through eFileIL. Cook County (Chicago) has its own separate systems.
- Court cases: Circuit Clerk in each county. Cook County uses cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.
- E-filing: eFileIL (efileil.tylertech.cloud) — statewide for all Illinois courts.
- Property: Township assessors; county Supervisor coordinates. Recorder for documents.
- Sex offenders: ISP Sex Offender Registry at isp.illinois.gov.
- Business entities: Secretary of State Cyberdriveillinois.com.
Illinois Counties — Most Searched
Statewide Databases
Each database below serves a specific purpose — choose the one that fits your search.
Criminal & Court Records
Jail & Inmate Records
Sex Offender Registry — ISP
IDOC — Inmate Search
Vital Records — Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce
Business Entity Search — SOS
Attorneys — ARDC
How to Search Illinois Criminal Records
Start with the county Circuit Clerk for criminal case records. Cook County has the most comprehensive online system. For most of Illinois's 102 counties, online access is limited — call or visit. The Illinois State Police (ISP) offers background checks but there is no free online statewide name search. For current county jail inmates, go to the county Sheriff's website (Cook County Sheriff has an online inmate search at iic.ccsheriff.org). For state prison inmates, use the IDOC inmate search.
How to Search Illinois Court Records
Go to the Circuit Court — it's the only trial court in Illinois. Each of the 102 counties operates within one of 24 judicial circuits. Circuit Court handles all criminal, civil, family, juvenile, probate, and traffic. Cook County's circuit is uniquely structured with separate divisions and departments. There is no separate county or municipal court system in Illinois (except for Chicago's quasi-judicial administrative hearings).
How to Search Illinois Property Records
In Cook County: start with the Cook County Assessor at cookcountyassessoril.gov for valuations (this is a unique two-step system — the Assessor sets values, then the Board of Review hears appeals). For deeds, go to the Cook County Recorder at cookcountyclerkil.gov. Outside Cook County: start with the County Assessor (or Township Assessor in some counties) for valuations, then the County Recorder for deeds and recorded documents. For tax bills, go to the County Treasurer.
How to Get Illinois Vital Records
For birth, death, and marriage records from before 1916, go to the Cook County Clerk's genealogy division or the Illinois State Archives. For modern records, order from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records. For marriage licenses, go to the County Clerk. For divorce records, go to the Circuit Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted.
Why does my Illinois search return no results? ▼
Each record type is stored separately by a different office. If your search returns nothing, you are almost certainly in the wrong system. Use the filter above to identify the correct database for your record type.
Is there a single database for all Illinois records? ▼
No. There is no single database that covers all records in Illinois. Each office maintains its own system, so you must search them separately depending on the record type.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Illinois court records? ▼
Illinois has 24 judicial circuits. Each Circuit Clerk maintains their own online case search. There is no single statewide portal. Cook County has a separate system at cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.
What is eFileIL? ▼
eFileIL (efileil.gov) is the mandatory electronic filing system for all Illinois courts. Attorneys and self-represented litigants file cases electronically. It is a filing portal, not a public search tool.
Is there a free statewide criminal search in Illinois? ▼
No free statewide criminal database. The ISP offers a background check for a fee. Individual Circuit Clerk websites provide free case-level searches within their jurisdiction.
BBB A+ Rated