Arlington Heights Obituary Records
Arlington Heights obituary records are filed and stored by the Cook County Clerk in Chicago. This northwest suburb has about 76,000 residents and sits entirely in Cook County. Death certificates for anyone who died in Arlington Heights are part of the Cook County vital records system. You can search for these records online through VitalChek, order by mail, or visit the clerk office in downtown Chicago. This guide covers where to go, what it costs, and who can get Arlington Heights obituary records.
Arlington Heights Quick Facts
Where Arlington Heights Death Records Are Kept
Arlington Heights does not run its own vital records office. All death certificates go through the Cook County Clerk. Karen A. Yarbrough is the clerk. The main office is at 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120, in Chicago. This office serves Arlington Heights and every other city in Cook County. They keep death records for events in the past 20 years. Older records may be on file as genealogical copies for those who qualify.
To get an obituary record for someone who died in Arlington Heights, you work with this office. The Cook County death certificates page explains the process in full. You can order online through VitalChek, by phone at (866) 252-8974, or by mail. In-person visits also work during regular business hours. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, the county charges $19 for the first certified copy and $4 for each extra. Genealogical copies cost $10 for the first and $2 for each one after that.
| Office | Cook County Clerk 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120 Chicago, IL 60602 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (866) 252-8974 |
| Fax | (866) 550-1846 |
| Website | cookcountyil.gov |
Note: Arlington Heights is about 25 miles northwest of the Cook County Building, so plan for travel time if you visit in person.
Searching for Arlington Heights Obituary Records
You have three main options. Online is the most common choice for Arlington Heights residents these days. Through VitalChek, you fill out a form and pay by credit card. They mail the copy to you. The base fee is $19 for a certified copy, plus about $10 for VitalChek's service fee and whatever shipping costs. Phone orders work too at (866) 252-8974. You give the same info over the phone and pay with a card.
Mail is the cheapest way to get Arlington Heights obituary records. Write to the Cook County Clerk at 118 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60602. In your letter, put the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and your relationship to them. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check made out to the Cook County Clerk for $19. Allow a few weeks for processing. This avoids the VitalChek fee but takes more time.
In person gets you the record the same day. Drive or take Metra to downtown Chicago. The Cook County Building is near the Clark/Lake CTA station. Go to Room 120. Bring your ID. Staff search and print right there. For Arlington Heights residents, this is the fastest option when you need a death certificate urgently.
Arlington Heights Death Record Resources
The Cook County Clerk website is the starting point for all Arlington Heights obituary requests. This page lists current fees, accepted forms of ID, and links to the VitalChek ordering system.
From this portal you can download mail-in forms, check processing times, and start an online order for an Arlington Heights death record. The site is maintained by the Cook County Clerk office and stays up to date with fee changes.
Who Can Get Arlington Heights Death Records
Death records are restricted in Illinois. Not everyone can get a copy. Under 410 ILCS 535/24, access goes to people with a personal or property right interest. For Arlington Heights obituary records, close family members have the strongest claim. A spouse, parent, child, or sibling can request a certified copy. Legal reps who handle the estate can too, with court documents as proof.
People with a financial interest may also qualify. Insurance companies that need to process a claim tied to an Arlington Heights death can make a request through proper channels. Genealogical researchers can get uncertified copies when the death is 20 or more years old. These plain paper copies work for family history only. They carry no legal weight. Every request needs a valid government-issued photo ID, whether you order in person, by mail, or online for Arlington Heights obituary records.
The 5 ILCS 140 Freedom of Information Act exempts vital records from public disclosure. You cannot use FOIA to get a death certificate in Illinois. This rule applies to all Arlington Heights death records held by Cook County.
Illinois State Resources for Arlington Heights
If Cook County does not have the record you need, the Illinois Department of Public Health may help. IDPH in Springfield keeps death records for the entire state from 1916 to now. Their office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Phone hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at (217) 782-6554. Mail requests to IDPH take about 12 weeks. That is far slower than Cook County for Arlington Heights obituary records.
For historical deaths in Arlington Heights, try the Illinois State Archives death index that covers 1916 to 1972. This free online index lets you confirm that a death record exists without ordering the actual certificate. Once you have a certificate number, you can order the full document from IDPH or Cook County. Under 410 ILCS 535/18, funeral directors must file each death certificate within seven days of the death. This means Arlington Heights deaths appear in both county and state records after that window.
The IDPH death certificate request page walks you through the state-level ordering process step by step.
Cook County Obituary Records
Arlington Heights is in Cook County, and all death certificates are filed through the Cook County Clerk in Chicago. For more on Cook County obituary records, fees, historical records, and other resources, see the full county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Arlington Heights also have obituary record pages with details on searching for death certificates.