Joliet Obituary Records
Joliet obituary records are kept by the Will County Clerk's Office. Joliet is the county seat of Will County, and the clerk's office is right in the city at 302 N. Chicago Street. With about 150,000 residents, Joliet is the fourth largest city in Illinois. A small portion of Joliet extends into Kendall County, but the vast majority of death records for Joliet residents are handled by Will County. The clerk's office offers walk-in, mail, email, and online ordering for death certificates.
Joliet Quick Facts
Will County Clerk Joliet Office
The Will County Clerk is the main office for Joliet obituary records. Since Joliet is the county seat, the clerk's office is located right in the city. Lauren Staley is the current Will County Clerk. Her office handles death certificates for all deaths that occur in Will County, including Joliet.
| Office | Will County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 302 N. Chicago Street Joliet, IL 60432 |
| Phone | (815) 740-4615 |
| Fax | (815) 740-4699 |
| vitalrecords@willcounty.gov | |
| Website | willcountyclerk.gov - Death Certificates |
Will County charges $16 for the first certified copy of a death certificate and $8 for each additional copy. You can order in person, by mail, by email, or online through VitalChek. The VitalChek option adds processing fees on top of the base price. Joliet residents who want the fastest service should visit the office in person at 302 N. Chicago Street.
How to Get Joliet Death Records
Getting a death certificate in Joliet starts with the Will County Clerk. You fill out a request form with the name of the deceased, the date of death, and your connection to that person. The clerk verifies your identity and eligibility before releasing any records. Under the Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), only certain people can get death records.
For ID, Will County accepts a driver's license or state ID from any U.S. state. They also take U.S. passports, foreign passports, military IDs, and naturalization certificates. If you lack a primary photo ID, you can provide two alternative forms of identification. One must show your current address. Acceptable alternatives include utility bills, insurance cards, vehicle registrations, bank statements, pay stubs, voter registration cards, or public assistance cards. Only one of the two can be a bill or piece of mail.
You can also go through the Illinois Department of Public Health for Joliet obituary records. The state charges $19 for a certified copy. Mail requests take about 12 weeks. Urgent requests can be processed in 5 to 7 business days if you provide proof of immediate need and use overnight delivery.
Note: Social Security cards are not accepted as identification at the Will County Clerk's office.
Will County Death Certificates Page
The Will County Clerk maintains an online page with full details on ordering death certificates. Joliet residents can visit the Will County death certificates page for forms, fees, and instructions.
The page covers all the ways you can submit a request, including the option to email your form to vitalrecords@willcounty.gov. It also lists every type of ID the office accepts and explains who is eligible to receive copies of death records in Will County. Joliet residents will find this page helpful before making a trip to the clerk's office or submitting a request by mail.
Who Can Get Joliet Obituary Records
Death records in Illinois are not public. They are restricted under the Vital Records Act. To get a Joliet death certificate, you must be an immediate relative like a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. The informant listed on the death certificate can also request a copy. Legal representatives with documentation qualify too.
If you have a personal or property right interest, you can request records with proof. A property right means something tangible like a car title or property deed tied to the deceased. An insurance claim or estate matter also counts. Under 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(a), death certificates are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, so you cannot use a FOIA request to get them. A court order is another option if you don't qualify through other means.
Genealogical copies of Joliet obituary records are available for deaths that happened 20 or more years ago. These are uncertified copies that cost less than certified ones. They work for family history research but are not valid for legal proceedings. The state charges $10 for a genealogical copy through IDPH. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, the search fee covers a five-year period, and each extra year costs $1 more.
Historical Death Records in Joliet
For older Joliet obituary records, you have a few options. The Will County Clerk has death records for the county, but the availability of very old records can vary. The Illinois State Archives has a death index covering 1916 to 1972. You can search it online by name for free. This index does not give you the full certificate, but it shows enough information to help you request the actual record.
Under 410 ILCS 535/24, death records that are 50 or more years old may be available at the Illinois State Archives for research. Birth records over 100 years old are also there. The Archives is at the Margaret Cross Norton Building in Springfield, and the phone number is (217) 782-4866. For Joliet obituary records from the early 1900s or before, this is often the best starting point.
Newspaper obituaries offer another way to find details about deaths in Joliet. The Joliet Herald-News and other local papers published obituary notices for decades. Many of these have been digitized and are available through public library databases. The Joliet Public Library may have microfilm or digital archives of local newspapers that go back many years.
Note: The Illinois State Archives death index is free to search and covers records from 1916 through 1972.
Kendall County Records for Joliet
A small part of Joliet extends into Kendall County. If a death occurred in that area, you would need to contact the Kendall County Clerk for the record. This is uncommon since most of Joliet is firmly in Will County. If you are unsure which county applies, call the Will County Clerk first at (815) 740-4615. They can usually tell you whether the death falls in their jurisdiction or if you need to go through Kendall County instead.
Will County Obituary Records
Joliet is the county seat of Will County. The Will County Clerk at 302 N. Chicago Street handles death certificates for all of Will County, which has over 696,000 residents. For a full look at Will County obituary resources, fee schedules, and related offices, visit the county page.
Nearby Illinois Cities
Other cities near Joliet with obituary record information and resources through their county clerk offices.