Jefferson County Birth Records

Jefferson County birth records are held by the County Clerk's office in Mount Vernon. The clerk handles all requests for certified birth certificates for people born anywhere in the county. Jefferson County has about 37,100 residents and sits in southern Illinois along Interstate 57 and Interstate 64. Birth records from 1916 forward are also on file at the state level. You can search for a Jefferson County birth certificate by visiting the courthouse, sending a mail request, or calling a third-party ordering service to get a copy.

Jefferson County Clerk's Office

The Jefferson County Clerk is the office that stores and issues birth certificates in the county. It is in the Jefferson County Courthouse in Mount Vernon. Call (618) 244-8023 for hours and to ask what you should bring. Walk-in service is available on weekdays during business hours. The staff can look up records and print certified copies while you wait in most cases.

For mail orders, send a written request to the clerk with the full name on the birth record, date of birth, parents' names, and the reason you need the certificate. Include a photocopy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $15 payable to "Jefferson County Clerk." Additional copies of the same record are $2 each. The clerk will process the request and mail the certificate to you. Expect one to two weeks, depending on how busy the office is. If the record cannot be found under the information you provided, the office will contact you.

Jefferson County is a member of the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders, which lists contact information for all county clerk offices across the state.

How to Get Jefferson County Birth Certificates

There are three ways to order. In person at the Mount Vernon courthouse is the fastest route. Show up with your ID, fill out a request, pay the fee, and get your certificate printed on the spot. This is ideal for anyone who lives in or near Mount Vernon.

Mail is the second option. Write a letter with the birth name, date of birth, parents' names, your ID copy, and payment. Send it to the clerk's address and wait for the certificate to come back, usually in one to two weeks. The third option is VitalChek, which takes phone orders and accepts credit cards. VitalChek adds a processing fee on top of the county's $15 charge. It works well if you are out of state or need to pay by card. For people in Jefferson County, though, the courthouse visit is hard to beat on both speed and cost.

Always provide the name as it was at birth. If there has been a name change since then, note both names. This prevents the clerk from searching for the wrong record.

Jefferson County Birth Records Online

The Illinois Department of Public Health provides a birth records page that covers all 102 Illinois counties, including Jefferson. You can learn about forms, fees, and processing times for state-level orders on this site.

The IDPH page is helpful for understanding the difference between short-form and long-form certificates and for reviewing who qualifies to receive a copy. If you choose to order through the state instead of the Jefferson County Clerk, this is where to begin.

The IDPH vital records overview page has additional links for death records, marriage records, and other vital record types available in Illinois.

This broader page can be useful if you need more than just a birth certificate from Jefferson County or if you are researching multiple family records at once.

Jefferson County Birth Record Eligibility

Illinois law controls who can get a certified birth certificate. Under 410 ILCS 535, the list is limited. The person on the record (18 or older) can request their own. A parent named on the certificate can also get it. Legal guardians and legal representatives with the right paperwork qualify too. A court order grants access in other situations. You must show a valid ID with every request at the Jefferson County Clerk's office.

For genealogy research, records 75 years old or more are available to anyone under 410 ILCS 535/17. These copies are not certified. They are stamped for genealogical use only and cannot serve as legal identification. But for tracing family roots in Jefferson County and the surrounding area, they are very useful.

Misuse of a birth certificate is a Class 4 felony under 410 ILCS 535/27, carrying up to three years in prison.

Jefferson County Birth Certificate Fees

A certified copy from Jefferson County costs $15 for the first one. Each additional copy of the same record is $2 when ordered together. These fees are set under 410 ILCS 535/14. Pay by check or money order for mail requests. Cash may be accepted at the counter.

State-level fees through IDPH are $10 for short-form and $15 for long-form certificates. Genealogical copies are $10. Additional copies are $2 each. The state takes about 12 weeks for mail orders. You can reach IDPH at (217) 782-6554 or visit the office at 925 E. Ridgely Ave in Springfield for walk-in service weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Note: VitalChek orders include an additional service fee beyond the standard county or state charge.

Correcting Jefferson County Birth Records

The Jefferson County Clerk cannot correct birth certificates. All corrections are handled by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This rule applies to every county in the state. The correction procedures are spelled out in 410 ILCS 535/12.

Minor corrections within one year of the birth date are simpler to fix. Major corrections like name changes, date changes, or parent information updates need more forms and take longer. IDPH takes about 12 weeks to process corrections by mail. Call (217) 782-6554 or email DPH.VITALS@illinois.gov to begin the correction process for a Jefferson County birth record.

State Birth Records for Jefferson County

The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps birth records for every county from 1916 onward. If you were born in Jefferson County after that date, the state has your record on file. IDPH charges $10 for a short-form copy and $15 for a long-form with all details. Genealogical copies are $10. Extra copies cost $2 each.

The state office is at 925 E. Ridgely Ave in Springfield. Walk-ins are accepted weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with same-day pickup available. Mail orders take about 12 weeks. Springfield is a couple hours north of Mount Vernon, so the drive is possible but not always practical. For Jefferson County residents, the county clerk in Mount Vernon will get you a certificate faster. But the state route is good for people who are out of state or want to use VitalChek for credit card payment.

Nearby Counties

Jefferson County borders several other southern Illinois counties. Birth records are filed in the county where the birth took place. If a hospital was near a county line, the record might be in one of these neighboring counties instead.