Death Records in Lee County

Lee County death records are kept by the County Clerk's Office in Dixon, Illinois. This page covers how to search and request Lee County death certificates, who is eligible to receive them, and what options are available through both the county office and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Lee County Clerk's Office

The Lee County Clerk maintains all vital records for deaths that take place in Lee County, Illinois. The office is at 112 E. 2nd Street, Dixon, IL 61021. Phone: 815-288-3309. For general county information, visit the Lee County official website.

Dixon is the county seat for Lee County, a rural county in northwestern Illinois. All deaths recorded in Dixon and in the surrounding communities throughout the county are registered at the clerk's office on 2nd Street. The clerk processes requests for certified death certificates for legal purposes and genealogical copies for family history research.

Certified copies are used for settling estates, claiming life insurance, and other legal or financial needs. Genealogical copies are uncertified but carry the same information and are available for deaths that are at least 20 years old. Call 815-288-3309 before visiting to confirm current hours, fees, and any required forms.

Requesting Lee County Death Certificates

You can request a Lee County death certificate in person at the Dixon clerk's office, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Each method leads to a certified document from the county clerk.

Visiting 112 E. 2nd Street in Dixon is the fastest route. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Know the full legal name of the deceased, the date of death, and where in Lee County the death occurred. State your relationship to the person and your purpose for the request. Pay the fee at the office. Call ahead to confirm hours before traveling to Dixon.

For mail requests, send a copy of your photo ID, the death details, a signed statement of purpose, your return mailing address, and a check or money order to the Dixon address. Do not mail cash. Add time for processing plus round-trip mail delivery when estimating how long your request will take.

The Lee County official website provides contact information and general services details for the county clerk's office in Dixon.

Check the county website before visiting the Dixon office to confirm hours and any updated procedures for vital records requests.

The VitalChek Illinois vital records portal handles online orders for Lee County death certificates and ships them to your address without requiring a visit to Dixon.

VitalChek is authorized by Illinois to process vital records orders statewide. It adds a service fee to the base certificate cost and is a good option for those who prefer card payment or faster shipping.

Who Can Request Lee County Death Records

Illinois does not allow unrestricted access to death records. Under 410 ILCS 535/24, only eligible individuals may receive a certified death certificate. These records are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Eligible requesters include the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the deceased. Others who may qualify are people with a direct personal or property interest in the record, licensed attorneys acting for an eligible party, funeral directors involved in the case, and genealogical researchers seeking records that are at least 20 years old. Genealogical copies are not certified and cannot be used for legal purposes. All applicants must show valid photo identification.

Note: If you are not sure whether you qualify, call the Lee County Clerk at 815-288-3309 before submitting your application or any payment.

Illinois Department of Public Health Records

The Illinois Department of Public Health is the statewide resource for vital records, including all death records registered in Illinois. If the Lee County Clerk does not have the record you need, or if the death occurred before local records were consistently maintained, IDPH may be able to help. The Vital Records office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Phone: (217) 782-6554, weekdays 10am to 3pm. Learn more at the IDPH death records page.

A search fee is required under 410 ILCS 535/25 before IDPH processes any request. Standard mail turnaround is around 12 weeks. If you can document urgent need, expedited options may be available.

The IDPH death records page walks Lee County residents through the statewide options for finding and requesting death certificates through the Springfield office.

IDPH holds records from all 102 Illinois counties and can issue certified copies when a county-level office cannot fulfill a request.

Communities in Lee County

Lee County includes Dixon, Amboy, Ashton, and a number of smaller communities. Death records for all of these towns are filed with the Lee County Clerk at 112 E. 2nd Street, Dixon. No cities in Lee County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee County. If you need a record from near the county line, check with the county where the death occurred.