Birth Records
Birth Records on File
Birth records on file with the Bureau County Clerk date back to 1878.
Who May Obtain a Birth Record
Only the following persons may obtain a copy:
- Person named on the record (18 years or older)
- Parent(s) named on the record
- Legal Guardian (must show documentation)
- Legal Representative (must show documentation)
- Genealogist document must be 75 years old or older, and person must be deceased
What Identification is Required
In order to complete your request for search of a vital record, you must present one of the following proper forms of identification:
- Illinois or Out-of-State Driver’s License
- Illinois or Out-of-State ID Card
- Passport
The documents you request will be mailed to the address on your identification. If that address is not correct, you will need to provide the office with a copy of a piece of mail (power bill, utility bill, cable tv bill, etc.) that establishes your address.
What is the Fee
- One record search including one certified copy is $18.00
- Each additional copy of same record issued at the same time is $4.00
- One record search without certified copy and uncertified copies marked “For Genealogical Purposes Only” is $10.00
How to Obtain Records
Visit the Office of the Bureau County Clerk, Bureau County Courthouse, 700 S. Main St., Princeton. Office hours are Mon. – Fri., 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Complete Birth Form, present acceptable identification (and any necessary documentation; see chart above), and make payment in the form of cash, check, or money order payable to “Bureau County Clerk”
Complete Birth form, make copy of acceptable identification (and any necessary documentation), and make payment in the form of money order payable to “Bureau County Clerk”. Send to Office of the Bureau County Clerk, 700 S. Main St., Princeton, IL 61356
FAQ
Yes. Uncertified copies of records prior to January 1, 1916, are at a cost of $10.00. Records after January 1, 1916, must be at least 75 years old to be issued as genealogy. Certified copies are only issued to those who are eligible by law to obtain such records. Click here for more information on genealogy in Illinois and in other states.
Yes, all birth records beginning January 1, 1916, are certified copies and contain the official seal of the County Clerk and Registrar of Bureau County, Illinois. The official seal on the document is a “raised seal” that can be felt if touched.
What You Should Know About Legal Access to Vital Records
In an effort to prevent identity theft and protect the privacy of those named on vital records, the Office of the Bureau County Clerk works diligently to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the records maintained by the County Clerk.
*If wanting a birth certificate of a deceased person that was born after 1916, you must provide a death certificate or an obituary of deceased person. You will also need to fill out a form that we send to the state.