How Many Death Certificates Do I Need in Illinois?
From Everendium · Last reviewed October 17, 2026
This guide covers Illinois. For the general overview, see Getting Death Certificates: How Many You'll Need and Why.
Quick answer
Illinois sets no required number of death certificates; the right count depends on how many banks, insurers, and agencies each need an original certified copy. What Illinois does set is the price: A full certified copy costs $19, and each additional copy in the same order costs $4. Online orders through VitalChek add a $15 handling fee, and optional UPS delivery adds $22 within the U.S. County clerks set their own fees, which vary.
This is one of the most common practical questions after a death. Illinois sets no required number, but it does set the price, which makes the count worth deciding before you order.
Is there a set number required by Illinois?
No. The right number depends on how many banks, insurance companies, and government agencies in your situation each need their own certified copy, not on Illinois law.
What will the copies cost in Illinois?
A full certified copy costs $19, and each additional copy in the same order costs $4. Online orders through VitalChek add a $15 handling fee, and optional UPS delivery adds $22 within the U.S. County clerks set their own fees, which vary. At those rates, ten certified copies would cost $55 in state or agency fees, before any online-vendor or shipping charges.
Does it matter when I order in Illinois?
The $4 price for additional copies applies only to copies in the same order, so order your full number together.
Which institutions typically require one?
Banks and credit unions, life insurers, retirement account administrators, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (if applicable) are common examples, though your own list depends on your accounts and assets. See our general guide on getting death certificates.
Can I use photocopies instead?
Generally no. Most institutions require an original certified copy, though it’s worth asking each one, since policies occasionally vary.
Where can I order more in Illinois?
The county clerk where the death occurred can also issue copies, often at a different fee, and the state office in Springfield offers walk-in service on weekdays. Details on each option are in our guide to getting a death certificate in Illinois.
Fees and rules change - confirm current details with the Illinois Department of Public Health or your county clerk before you send payment.
Sources
About this review
Everendium Editorial Team · last reviewed October 17, 2026.
Fees, eligibility rules, and ordering options were checked on October 17, 2026 against the state's own published fee information, application forms, and county government pages listed in the sources. Death certificate fees change often, and some official pages were read only as search extracts, so the current fee should be confirmed on the agency's page before paying. Recommended for periodic re-verification. This is general information, not legal advice
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