Background Check
Illinois Background Check Resources
Background checks are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Most state laws concerning public records and background checks are very liberal and straightforward. In the State of Illinois, public records are readily available to anyone wishing to obtain them through appropriate official state agency channels. Background checks are instrumental in the parties' ability to enter into various legally binding contracts, and as such, are always a good idea. Background checks generally require a written permission prior to performing the inquiry. Occasionally, it is possible to obtain such reports without permission, but the results may lack in-depth details.
If the background check adversely affects the consumer, the party accessing public records must provide a copy of the report and a summary of the consumer's rights under FCRA, and allow the consumer reasonable time to contest the report. Due to the increasing threat of identity theft, some states (i. e. California) may now require the employer to provide a copy of the background check report to the consumer regardless of its content.
Call the telephone numbers listed below (or visit the listed websites) to learn how to access the specific background check information you're seeking. Public information may be accessible online or by phone, mail or in person.
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
ILLINOIS STATE INFORMATION HOT LINE:
(217)782-2001
ILLINOIS STATE WEB SITE:
www.state.il.us
State Archives
Criminal Records
Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
260 N. Chicago St.
Joliet IL 60432
(815) 740-5216 x5184
(815) 740-5215 (fax)
www.isp.state.il.us
Department of Corrections
Driving Records
Driving Analysis Section
Drivers Services Department
2701 S Dirksen Parkway
Springfield IL 62723
(217) 782-2720
(fax number not provided)
www.sos.state.il.us
Vehicle Ownership Information
Vehicle Services Department
Vehicle Record Inquiry
408 Howlett Building
Springfield IL 62756
(217) 782-6992
(217) 524-0122 (fax)
www.sos.state.il.us
Prepaid Legal Services
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Vital Statistics
(birth, death, divorce) [no marriage certificates]
State Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
605 W. Jefferson St.
Chicago IL 60601
(217) 782-6554
(217) 782-6553 (fax)
www.idph.state.il.us/vital/vitalhome.htm
Genealogical Marriage Index (1763 to 1900)
Business/Corporate Records
Department of Business Services
Corporate Department
Howlett Building
Springfield IL 62756
(217) 782-7880
(217) 782-9521 (fax)
www.sos.state.il.us
Corporations and LLC's
Workers Compensation Information
Industrial Commission
100 W. Randolph, 8th Fl
Chicago IL 60601
(312) 814-6611
(fax number not provided)
www.state.il.us/agency/iic
UCCs and Federal Tax Liens
(state tax liens available only at county level)
Secretary of State
UCC Division
Howlett Building, Room 030
Springfield IL 62756
(217) 782-7518
(fax number not provided)
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
It's always best to call before sending written inquiries in order to obtain exact addressing/ordering information.
Note: Government agencies are continually updating and expanding online access to their records; consequently, this page is continually updated and expanded. Check back for the latest information!
City-County Cross Index
Adams County
507 Vermont St.
Quincy, IL 62301
(217) 277-2100
ONLINE: Circuit Court Records
www.circuitclerk.co.adams.il.us
Alexander County
2001 Washington Ave.
Cairo, IL 62914-1717
(618) 734-0107
Bond County
203 West College
Greenville, IL 62246-0407
(618) 664-3208
Boone County
601 N. Main St., Suite 202
Belvidere, IL 61008-2609
(815) 544-0371
Brown County
200 W. Court, Room 4
Mount Sterling, IL 62353
(217) 773-2713
Bureau County
700 S. Main St.
Princeton, IL 61356-2037
(815) 872-2001
ONLINE: Circuit Court Index
www.bccirclk.gov/remote.htm
Calhoun County
P.O. Box 187
Hardin, IL 62047
(618) 576-2451
Carroll County
301 North Main St., P.O. Box 152
Mount Carroll, IL 61053
(815) 244-0230
ONLINE: Circuit Court Records
www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL008015J
Cass County
County Courthouse
100 E. Springfield St.
Virginia, IL 62691-1599
(217) 452-7225
Champaign County
1776 E. Washington
Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 384-3725
ONLINE: Circuit Court
https://secure.jtsmith.com/clerk/clerk.asp
Christian County
P.O. Box 647
Taylorville, IL 62568-0647
(217) 824-4966
Clark County
501 Archer Ave.
Marshall, IL 62441
(217) 826-2811
Clay County
P.O. Box 160
Louisville, IL 62858-0160
(618) 665-3253
Clinton County
County Courthouse
Carlyle, IL 62231-1840
(618) 594-2464
Coles County
651 Jackson Ave., Rm 122
Charleston, IL 61920-0227
(217) 348-0516
ONLINE: Circuit Court Records
www.judici.com/courts/index.jsp?court=IL015025J
Cook County
P.O. Box 642570
Chicago, IL 60664-2570
(312) 603-7586 [criminal]
(773) 869-3140 [Circuit Court]
Crawford County
1 Courthouse Square
Robinson, IL 62454
(618) 544-3512
Cumberland County
Courthouse Square
P.O. Box 146
Toledo, IL 62468-0146
(217) 849-3601
De Witt County
P.O. Box 439
Clinton, IL 61727
(217) 935-2195
DeKalb County
110 E. Sycamore St.
Sycamore, IL 60178
(815) 895-7131
Douglas County
401 S. Center St.
P.O. Box 467
Tuscola, IL 61953
(217) 253-2352
Du Page County
505 N County Farm Rd
Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 682-7100
Edgar County
115 West Court, Room J
Paris, IL 61944-1739
(217) 466-7447
Edwards County
50 E. Main St.
Albion, IL 62806
(618) 445-2016
Effingham County
P.O. Box 628
Effingham, IL 62401-0628
(217) 342-4065
Fayette County
P.O. Box 401
Vandalia, IL 62471-0401
(618) 283-5009
Ford County
200 W. State St., Room 101
Paxton, IL 60957
(217) 379-2461
Franklin County
P.O. Box 607
Benton, IL 62812-0607
(618) 439-2011
Fulton County
100 N. Main St.
P.O. Box 152
Lewistown, IL 61542-0226
(309) 547-3041
Gallatin County
P.O. Box 550
Shawneetown, IL 62984-0550
(618) 269-3140
Greene County
519 N. Main St.
Carrollton, IL 62016
(217) 942-3421
Grundy County
111 E. Washington St.
P.O. Box 675
Morris, IL 60450-0675
(815) 941-3256
Hamilton County
Public Square
McLeansboro, IL 62859-1489
(618) 643-3224
Hancock County
Courthouse Square
P.O. Box 39
Carthage, IL 62321-0039
(217) 357-2616
Hardin County
Main St.
P.O. Box 187
Elizabethtown, IL 62931
(618) 287-2735
Henderson County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 308
Oquawka, IL 61469
(309) 867-3121
Henry County
100 S. Main
Cambridge, IL 61238
(309) 937-3572
Iroquois County
1001 E. Grant
Watseka, IL 60970
(815) 432-6950
Jackson County Clerk
1001 Walnut St.
Murphysboro, IL 62966
(618) 687-7300
Jasper County
100 W. Jourdan St.
Newton, IL 62448
(618) 783-2524
Jefferson County
County Courthouse, Room 105
100 South Kent St.
Mount Vernon, IL 62864
(618) 244-8008
Jersey County
201 W. Pearl St.
Jerseyville, IL 62052
(618) 498-5571
Jo Daviess County
330 N. Bench St.
Galena, IL 61036
(815) 777-2295
Johnson County
P.O. Box 96
Vienna, IL 62995-0096
(618) 658-4571
Kane County
County Clerk
719 S. Batavia Ave.
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 232-3413
Kankakee County
189 E. Court St.
Kankakee, IL 60901-3997
(815) 937-2905
Kendall County
111 W. Fox St.
Yorkville, IL 60560
(630) 553-4183
Knox County
200 S. Cherry St.
Galesburg, IL 61401
(309) 345-3817
Lake County
18 N. County St.
Waukegan, IL 60085
(847) 360-6680
LaSalle County
P.O. Box 430
Ottawa, IL 61350
Lawrence County
County Courthouse
1100 State Street
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
(618) 943-2815
Lee County Clerk and Recorder
P.O. Box 329
Dixon, IL 61021
(815) 284-5234
Livingston County
112 W. Madison St.
Pontiac, IL 61764
(815) 844-20602
Logan County
P.O. Box 278
Lincoln, IL 62656-0278
(217) 735-1163
Macon County Clerk
141 S. Main St., Room 104
Decatur, IL 62523-1488
(217) 424-1454
Macoupin County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 107
Carlinville, IL 62626
(217) 854-3211
Madison County
County Clerk
157 N. Main St., P.O. Box 218
Ewardsville, IL 62025
(618) 692-6240
Marion County
Clerk and Recorder
101 E. Broadway, P.O. Box 637
Salem, IL 62881-0637
(618) 548-3856
Marshall County
P.O. Box 328
Lacon, IL 61540-0278
(309) 246-6435
Mason County Clerk
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 77
Havana, IL 62644
(309) 543-6619
Massac County
P.O. Box 429
Metropolis, IL 62960-0429
(618) 524-9359
McDonough County
County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 837-4889
McHenry County Clerk
2200 N. Seminary Ave.
Woodstock, IL 60098
(815) 334-4307
McLean County
P.O. Box 2400
Room 704
Bloomington, IL 61702
(309) 888-5301
Menard County
P.O. Box 465
Petersburg, IL 62675-0465
(217) 632-2615
Mercer County
P.O. Box 66
Aledo, IL 61231-0066
(309) 582-7122
Monroe County
100 S. Main St.
Waterloo, IL 62298-1322
(618) 939-8681
Montgomery County
#1 Courthouse Square
Hillsboro, IL 62049-1196
(217) 532-9546
Morgan County
P.O. Box 1286
Jacksonville, IL 62651-1387
(217) 243-5419
Moultrie County Clerk
10 S. Main St.
Sullivan, IL 61951
(217) 728-4622
Ogle County
Clerk and Recorder
P.O. Box 357
Oregon, IL 61061-0357
(815) 732-1130
Peoria County
324 Main St. #101
Peoria, IL 61602
(309) 672-6953
Perry County
Clerk and Recorder
P.O. Box 438
Pinckneyville, IL 62274
(618) 357-6726
Piatt County
101 W. Washington St., P.O. Box 558
Monticello, IL 61856
(217) 762-4966
Pike County Courthouse Clerk
100 E. Washington St.
Pittsfield, IL 62363
(217) 285-6612
Pope County
Clerk's Office
P.O. Box 216
Golconda, IL 62938-0216
(618) 683-3941
Pulaski County
P.O. Box 118
Mound City, IL 62963-0109
(618) 748-9300
Putnam County
120 N. 4th St., P.O. Box 236
Hennepin, IL 61327
(815) 925-7016
Randolph County
1 Taylor St., P.O. Box 309
Chester, IL 62233
(618) 826-5000
Richland County Clerk
Courthouse
103 W. Main St.
Olney, IL 62450
(618) 392-2151
Rock Island County
210 15th St.
PO Box 5230
Rock Island, IL 61204
(309) 786-4451
Saint Clair County
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 277-6832
Saline County
10 E. Poplar St.
Harrisburg, IL 62946
(618) 253-5096
Sangamon County
200 S. 9th St.
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 753-6674
Schuyler County
102 S. Congress St., P.O. Box 200
Rushville, IL 62681
(217) 322-4633
Scott County
101 E. Market St.
Winchester, IL 62694
(217) 742-5217
Shelby County Courthouse
301 E. Main St., P.O. Box 230
Shelbyville, IL 62565
(217) 774-4212
Stark County
130 W. Main, P.O. Box 97
Toulon, IL 61483
(309) 286-5941
Stephenson County
15 N. Galena Ave.
Freeport, IL 61032
(815) 235-8266
Tazewell County
11 S. 4th St.
Mc Kenzie Building
Pekin, IL 61554-4298
(309) 477-2214
Union County
Box H
Jonesboro, IL 62952
(618) 833-5913
Vermilion County
6 N. Vermilion St.
Danville, IL 61832-5806
(217) 554-7700
Wabash County
4th & Market St., P.O. Box 277
Mount Carmel, IL 62863
(618) 262-5362
Warren County Courthouse
100 W. Broadway
Monmouth, IL 61462-1797
(309) 734-5179
Washington County
101 E. Saint Louis St.
Nashville, IL 62263
(618) 327-4800
Wayne County
301 E. Main St., P.O. Box 187
Fairfield, IL 62837
(618) 842-7684
White County
301 E. Main St., P.O. Box 339
Carmi, IL 62821
(618) 382-2321
Whiteside County
200 E. Knox St.
Morrison, IL 61270
(815) 772-5188
Will County
14 W. Jefferson St.
Joliet, IL 60432
(815) 727-8592
Williamson County
200 W. Jefferson St.
Marion, IL 62959
(618) 997-1301
Winnebago County
404 Elm St.,
Room #104
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 987-3144
The Investigative Directories page of Background Check Gateway contains one of the most comprehensive listings of public records directories on the Internet.
Woodford County
115 N. Main
Eureka, IL 61530-1293
(309) 467-3312