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Chicago, IL Public Records

Chicago is in Cook County, Illinois. Public records for Chicago residents are administered at the county level — use the Cook County record types below.

Population: 8,609,571
County: Cook County
Time zone: Chicago
ZIP codes: 84

Photo: Qiang Lai / Pexels

Records

Public records in Cook County

Select a record type to see how and where to obtain it for Chicago and the rest of Cook County.

Vital

Birth RecordsCertified birth certificates issued by the state vital-records office, often through the county where the birth occurred. Access is generally limited to the person, immediate family, or a legal representative.Death RecordsDeath certificates from the state vital-records office or county registrar — used to settle estates and claim benefits. Older records are frequently open to the public.Divorce RecordsDivorce decrees from the county court that granted the divorce; the state vital-records office keeps a searchable index.Marriage RecordsMarriage licenses and certificates filed with the county clerk where the license was issued, and indexed by the state vital-records office.

Criminal

Arrest RecordsArrests booked by county sheriffs and local police, compiled in the state criminal-history repository. An arrest is not a conviction.Criminal & Felony RecordsA person's criminal history — charges, convictions, and sentencing — held by county courts and the state criminal-history repository.DUI RecordsDUI/DWI charges and convictions found in county court records and on a driver's record at the state DMV.Inmate RecordsCurrent and former inmates located through the state Department of Corrections locator, county jail rosters, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Police RecordsIncident and arrest reports held by local police and sheriff's departments; many are released on request under state public-records law.Sex Offender RecordsRegistered sex offenders, published free to the public in each state's registry and the national NSOPW registry.Warrant RecordsActive arrest, bench, and search warrants issued by county courts and served by the sheriff's office. Availability varies by county.

Property

Property RecordsDeeds, ownership, assessments, and parcel data held by county recorders and assessors.Asset RecordsOwnership and valuation of real property and titled assets, recorded with the county recorder and assessor.Unclaimed PropertyForgotten funds — dormant accounts, uncashed checks, refunds, and deposits — held by the state unclaimed-property office. Free to search and claim.

Court

Court RecordsCivil, criminal, traffic, and probate case records from state and county courts.Bankruptcy RecordsFederal bankruptcy filings, searchable through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). Registration is free; documents carry a small per-page fee.Judgments & LiensCivil money judgments and recorded liens from the county civil court and recorder — a check on outstanding debts and claims.Probate & Family Court RecordsEstate, guardianship, adoption, and family-law matters heard by the county probate and family courts.

Business

Business FilingsEntity registrations, DBAs, and corporate filings from the Secretary of State.

Licensing

Professional LicensesOccupational and professional license lookups from state licensing boards.

Vehicle

License Plate RecordsRegistration and title status tied to a plate, from the state DMV. Owner lookup is restricted to authorized parties under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).VIN RecordsTitle, brand (salvage/flood), odometer, and theft history by VIN — through NMVTIS, the official federal title system. Owner details are not public (DPPA).

Coverage

ZIP codes in Chicago