Madison County Obituary Records
Madison County obituary records are held by the County Clerk in Edwardsville, across the river from St. Louis. This southwestern Illinois county has more than 265,000 residents and keeps death records dating back to 1877. The clerk office handles all requests for death certificates, whether you need a certified copy for legal matters or a research copy for genealogy. You can order Madison County obituary records by mail or online. The process is simple once you have the right forms and know what fees to expect.
Madison County Quick Facts
Madison County Clerk Death Records
Linda Andreas is the Madison County Clerk. Her office is at 157 N. Main Street, Room 109, in Edwardsville, IL 62025. You can also send mail to P.O. Box 218, Edwardsville, IL 62025. The phone number is (618) 692-6290 and fax goes to (618) 692-8903. This is the one and only office that issues death certificates for Madison County.
The clerk has death records starting in 1877. That is nearly 150 years of obituary data for the county. Madison County offers both mail and online ordering for death certificates. The Madison County death certificates page walks you through the process step by step.
| Office |
Madison County Clerk 157 N. Main Street, Rm #109 Edwardsville, IL 62025 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | P.O. Box 218, Edwardsville, IL 62025 |
| Phone | (618) 692-6290 |
| Fax | (618) 692-8903 |
| Website | madisoncountyil.gov |
Madison County Obituary Record Fees
Madison County charges $23 for the first certified copy of a death certificate. Each additional copy is $8. These are on the higher end compared to other Illinois counties. Delivery options include free standard USPS mail or $40 for FedEx overnight. The overnight option adds cost but gets the record to you the next business day if you need a Madison County obituary record fast.
Online orders go through the county website or VitalChek. Expect additional processing fees for online orders. If you order by mail, send a check or money order payable to the Madison County Clerk. Include the deceased person's full name, date of death, your name, relationship, and a copy of your photo ID. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, the state allows a $10 search fee per name for a five-year search period. Madison County follows this structure.
Note: You must be at least 18 years old to request a death certificate from Madison County.
Madison County Death Certificate Portal
The Madison County Clerk maintains a dedicated page for death certificate orders at madisoncountyil.gov. This is the best place to find forms and current instructions for ordering.
The page covers who can order, what ID you need, and the current fee schedule. It also provides the mailing address and explains the online ordering process for Madison County obituary records. Review this page before you place your order to make sure you have everything ready.
Who Can Get Madison County Death Records
Madison County follows Illinois state law on who can access death certificates. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, only those with a legal right may order a certified copy. That includes immediate family like a spouse, parent, child, or sibling. Legal representatives handling an estate need court documentation. Anyone with a personal or property right interest may request a copy but must prove their claim to the Madison County Clerk.
For genealogical research, the rules ease up a bit. Under 410 ILCS 535/24, death records 20 years old or more can be released as uncertified copies. These work for family tree research but cannot be used for legal purposes. They come on plain paper without a raised seal. Madison County makes these available to anyone with a genealogical interest, and the fee is lower than a certified copy. You still need to be at least 18 to place the request.
How to Order Madison County Obituary Records
Madison County gives you two main ways to get a death certificate. Mail and online are the standard options.
For mail requests, fill out the application form from the Madison County website. Include a photocopy of your valid photo ID. Add a check or money order for $23 payable to the Madison County Clerk. Mail everything to P.O. Box 218, Edwardsville, IL 62025. The clerk processes requests and mails copies back through USPS at no extra charge. If you need it fast, add $40 for FedEx overnight delivery. Make sure to include the full name of the person who died and the date of death. Your relationship to the deceased is also needed for a Madison County obituary record order.
Online ordering is available through the county website. You will need a credit card. The process walks you through a form where you enter the same information as a mail request. Additional service fees apply. The Madison County death certificates page has the link to start this process.
Both methods require valid identification. Madison County accepts government-issued photo IDs like a driver's license, state ID, or passport. The clerk may contact you for more details if your application is incomplete.
Madison County Obituary Record Laws
The rules around death records in Madison County flow from state law. Under 410 ILCS 535/18, every death must be registered by filing a certificate with the local registrar within seven days. The funeral director handles that filing. The attending physician completes the medical section within 48 hours. Once filed, the record enters both the Madison County system and the IDPH database in Springfield.
Death records are not public in Illinois. The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/) does not apply to vital records. You cannot use a FOIA request to get a death certificate from Madison County. The only path is through the clerk office. These protections exist under the Illinois Vital Records Act to prevent misuse and protect families who have lost loved ones. Madison County enforces these rules on every request.
Illinois State Resources for Madison County
If the Madison County Clerk cannot fill your request, the state has a backup. The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps death records from 1916 to the present for all 102 counties. Their office is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue in Springfield, IL 62702. Phone (217) 782-6554 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays. Mail requests to IDPH take about 12 weeks. Going through the Madison County Clerk is faster for deaths in this county.
The Illinois State Archives death index is free to search online and covers 1916 to 1972. This tool helps you find the right record before paying for a copy. FamilySearch has Illinois death records from 1916 to 1947. Libraries in Edwardsville, Alton, and Granite City may have old newspaper obituary archives that add context to official Madison County death records.
The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders site lists contact information for all 102 county clerks. It is a useful tool when you need to track down obituary records across multiple Illinois counties.
Cities in Madison County
Madison County has many communities in the Metro East area across from St. Louis. All death certificates go through the Madison County Clerk in Edwardsville. No cities in Madison County currently meet the 50,000 population threshold for individual city pages.
Major Madison County communities include Granite City, Alton, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Troy, and Bethalto. All obituary records for these areas file through the Madison County Clerk office.
Nearby Counties
Madison County sits in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River. These counties are nearby and may have records if the death took place outside Madison County lines.