Search Kankakee County Death Records

Kankakee County death records are filed with the County Clerk in Kankakee, Illinois. This page explains how to request death certificates in Kankakee County, what the fees are, how far back local records go, and what options are available for genealogy researchers.

Kankakee County Clerk's Office

The Kankakee County Clerk handles death records for all deaths that occurred in Kankakee County. The office is at 189 E. Court St., Kankakee, IL 60901. Phone: (815) 937-2990. Email: countyclerk@kankakeecountyil.gov. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Visit the Kankakee County Clerk website for additional information.

Death certificates are available for events that occurred in Kankakee County from 1877 to the present. That is a substantial range for a county-level office. The clerk's staff can confirm whether a record is on file, explain what you need to bring, and tell you which copy type is right for your situation. They do not share record details by phone, so you will need to submit a formal request to receive any information from the file itself.

The office handles many types of vital records alongside death certificates, including births and marriages. Staff are familiar with both current requests and older historical records going back into the 1800s.

Death Certificate Fees in Kankakee County

The Kankakee County Clerk charges $20 for the first certified copy of a death record. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $5. These fees are set by the county and may be updated by the county board from time to time.

Genealogical records in Kankakee County cost $10 per search. This applies to uncertified genealogical copies of death records that are at least 20 years old. Anyone doing family history research can request these non-certified copies without meeting the stricter eligibility requirements that apply to certified copies.

A genealogy record is defined under Illinois guidelines as a death certificate that is 20 years or older. Marriage licenses 50 years or older and birth certificates 75 years or older also qualify for genealogical access. Keep this in mind if you are researching multiple record types from Kankakee County.

Note: Contact the Kankakee County Clerk at 815-937-2990 to confirm the current fee schedule before mailing a request or making the trip to the office.

How to Request Kankakee County Death Records

You can get a death certificate from Kankakee County by visiting the clerk's office in person, sending a request by mail, or ordering through VitalChek online. Each route requires the same basic information: the full name of the deceased, date of death, county of death, your name, your relationship to the person, and valid photo ID.

In-person requests at 189 E. Court St., Kankakee during business hours are the fastest option. Pay the fee at the counter. Mail requests go to the same address and require a photocopy of your ID, all required details, a signed statement of purpose, and a check or money order for the correct fee. Do not send cash. Allow extra time for mail processing in both directions.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek for Kankakee County. VitalChek adds a service fee and handles shipping directly to your address. It accepts credit cards and is useful when you cannot visit the Kankakee office during business hours.

The VitalChek Kankakee County ordering portal allows you to request death certificates online and have them shipped directly without visiting the clerk's office.

VitalChek is the county's authorized online ordering partner and processes requests through the same official county clerk records system used for in-person orders.

Who Can Request Kankakee County Death Records

Certified death certificates in Illinois are not open to the general public. Under 410 ILCS 535/24, only eligible people can request a certified copy. Death records are also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act in Illinois.

Eligible requesters typically include immediate family members such as the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased. Others who may qualify include people with a direct personal or property interest in the record, attorneys representing an eligible party, and funeral directors involved in the case. For genealogical research, uncertified copies of records that are at least 20 years old are available to anyone with proper identification. All requests require a valid government-issued photo ID.

Kankakee County Genealogy Records

Kankakee County has death records going back to 1877. That is one of the older county-level collections in Illinois. For researchers tracing family lines, this depth of historical records can be very useful. Birth records in Kankakee County begin in 1878 and marriage records go back to 1853, making the county a rich resource for genealogy work across multiple record types.

Genealogical copies of death certificates that are at least 20 years old are available at the county clerk's office. These copies are uncertified but contain the same information as a certified copy. Contact the Kankakee County Clerk at 815-937-2990 to ask about the search fee and process for genealogical requests before submitting your application.

Illinois Department of Public Health

IDPH holds statewide death records for all 102 Illinois counties, including Kankakee County. If the county clerk cannot locate a record or if you need documentation from before 1877, IDPH may have it. The Vital Records office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Phone: (217) 782-6554, available weekdays 10am to 3pm. Full details are available at the IDPH death records page.

Under 410 ILCS 535/25, IDPH collects a search fee before processing any request. Standard mail turnaround is about 12 weeks. Expedited processing is available for documented urgent cases.

Cities in Kankakee County

Kankakee County includes the city of Kankakee and other communities like Bourbonnais, Bradley, and Manteno. No cities in Kankakee County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All death records for communities in the county are handled through the Kankakee County Clerk at 189 E. Court St., Kankakee.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Kankakee County. If you are unsure which county has the death record you need, check with the county where the death occurred.