ByHow to Get a Copy of Your Marriage Certificate in Illinois
Marriage certificates are very important, as they help you to legally change your name to your partner's name, organize for property succession to a spouse, file taxes, apply for loans and mortgages, and share health benefits, among many other advantages. You might have misplaced your marriage certificate copy, or you need to get it on another person's behalf. Whatever your case, you are required to request one directly from your state or county government.
You can get a certified copy of your marriage certificate, but it’s not easy. DoNotPay makes it easier to request copies through our Certificates of Marriage Product, and you can request copies right from your . If this sounds interesting to you, read along to discover how to get your Illinois marriage certificate and the documentation required for the process.
How to Get a Marriage License in Illinois
Contrary to other states, Illinois requires applicants to get their marriage certificates in the county where they were wed, not the county where they live.
Requirements to Get Your Marriage Certificate in Illinois
The procedure is more or less the same for most counties:
- The first step is for both you and your partner to complete the marriage license form with the required information and sign it. They will advise you to first go through the document and understand the information needed before filling it out.
- If either you or your partner was married before, you would have to provide the date the marriage ended and the county and the state where the marriage was dissolved.
- Both of you must be 18 years of age and above.
- If either of you does not speak or understand English, you must provide an interpreter to help you with the application process.
Documents to Bring
The following are some of the documentation you will require:
- Evidence of identity and age
Your driver's license or passport will do. If these primary forms of identification are not available, a certified copy of your birth certificate or a life insurance policy will work.
- Evidence of divorce
If you or your partner have divorced in the last six months, you must carry a certified copy of your divorce decree.
Illinois Marriage License Fee
Above all things, do not forget to carry money to pay for your marriage license. You are required to pay a one-time fee to get your certificate. Different counties have different rates. For example, in Cook County it will cost you $60, you will only spend $35 in DuPage. Most counties accept payments in the form of cash, checks, or credit card (with a small processing fee).
It is worth noting that your marriage license only gives you the go-ahead to marry; it is not evidenced that you are married. This is where the marriage certificate comes in. Also, keep in mind that the marriage licenses are only valid for 60 days.
Challenges of Getting Your Illinois Marriage Certificate by Yourself
As observed, involves a very lengthy process filled with a lot of documentation. What is more, the entire process of doing it yourself is expensive. However, you do not have to go through all this hassle on your own. DoNotPay is here for you. You can focus on your wedding plans and let DoNotPay take care of the rest for you.
Here are the costs to get a copy of the marriage certificate in Illinois:
| City/County/State Office | Contact Address and Phone Number | Processing Fee |
| Champaign County Clerk | 1776 E. Washington
Urbana, IL 61802 Phone: 217-384-3720 Fax: 217-384-1241 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $16.50 Additional copies: $13.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $16.00 Additional copies: $13.00 |
| Coles County Clerk | 651 Jackson Ave
Courthouse, Room 122 Charleston, IL 61920 Phone: 217-348-0501 Fax: 217-348-7337 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $18.00 Additional copies: $5.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $18.00 Additional copies: $5.00 |
| Cook County Clerk's Office | 118 N. Clark Street, Cook County Building
Room 120 Chicago, IL 60602 Phone: 866-252-8974 Fax: 866-550-1846 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $15.00 Additional copies: $4.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $15.00 Additional copies: $4.00 Marriage Restricted First copy: $15.00 Additional copies: $4.00 |
| Dekalb Co. Clerk/Recorder Vital | 110 East Sycamore Street
Sycamore, IL 60178 Phone: 815-895-7149 Fax: 815-895-7148 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $15.00 Additional copies: $5.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $15.00 Additional copies: $5.00 |
| Dupage County Clerk | 421 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187 Phone: 630-407-5500 Fax: 630-407-5501 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $14.00 Additional copies: $2.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $14.00 Additional copies: $2.00 |
| Kane County Clerk | 719 S. Batavia Avenue
Geneva, IL 60134 Phone: 630-232-5950 Fax: 630-232-5866 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $16.00 Additional copies: $6.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $16.00 Additional copies: $6.00 |
| Kankakee County Clerk | 189 East Court Street
Kankakee, IL 60901 Phone: 815-939-8836 Fax: 815-939-8832 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $10.00 Additional copies: $4.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $10.00 Additional copies: $4.00 Marriage Certificate (Non-Certified) First copy: $10.00 Additional copies: $2.00 |
| Lake County Clerk | County Court House
18 North County Street Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: 847-377-2400 Fax: 847-360-3608 | Marriage Certificate
First copy: $10.00 Additional copies: $4.00 Civil Union Certificate First copy: $10.00 Additional copies: $4.00 |
Getting Your Illinois Marriage Certificate With DoNotPay
If you want to get a copy of your marriage certificate but do not know where to start, DoNotPay will help you in just seven easy steps:
- Go to the Certificates of Marriage product on DoNotPay.
- Select whether the certificate belongs to you or a relative/loved one. If it belongs to someone else, enter the details of both people on the certificate, and select/upload evidence that proves your relationship with them. If the certificate is yours, enter the details of your spouse.
- Enter the city, state, and county where the marriage certificate was issued as well as the date it was issued.
- Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
- Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.
- Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
- If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.
Why You Should Use DoNotPay to Get Your Marriage Certificate in Illinois
Don't waste your time going through the tedious and confusing process of getting your marriage certificate yourself. After all, you have more than enough on your plate, given your wedding preparations. Trust DoNotPay to get your Illinois marriage certificate because DoNotPay is:
- Fast
- Easy
- Reliable
DoNotPay will guide you through a few questions to locate the certificate and ask you to confirm your identity before generating a completed request form. Once you have confirmed that everything is correct, we will mail the form to the state records office or the specific county with a check to cater for the application fee on your behalf.
Let also DoNotPay help you deal with:
- Online marriage certificate
- Marriage certificate online application
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Conclusion
DoNotPay can help you do many things easily and efficiently. Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to know more.