Illinois law provides: "All adoption records maintained by each Circuit Clerk shall be impounded ... and shall be opened for examination only upon specific order of the court ... The petitioners to the adoption (and) the attorney of record for the petitioner ... shall be entitled to receive certified copies (copy fees will apply) of the order of adoption in the proceeding at any time within 30 days after the entry of the judgment of adoption without order of court. After 30 days from the entry of the judgment of adoption, no copies may be obtained without prior order of court, but good cause is not necessary to be shown by one of the petitioners to the adoption." 750 Illinois Compiled Statute 50/18 (c).

The Clerk collects a $15.00 fee to submit with the Certificate of Adoption form to the State of Illinois Department of Public Health for one certified copy of the new (amended) birth record.  Additional copies of the same record issued at the same time are $2.00 each. Make check or money order for the amended birth records payable to the Department of Public Health.

Thirty (30) days after the entry of the final judgment order of adoption, no information from the Circuit Clerk's adoption records is available without a court order.

Depending on the type of adoption information sought, information may be obtained via one of the following service agencies:

• Illinois Department of Public Health Adoption Registry. This registry was established for the purpose of (1) providing identifying information to mutually consenting adult adopted or surrendered persons, birth parents, adoptive parents, legal guardians, and birth siblings. See 750 Illinois Complied Statutes 50/18.1(a) and 750 Illinois Compiled Statutes 50/18.1b. For more information, contact:

Illinois Adoption Registry
605 W. Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL 62702-5097
(217) 557-5160 or (Toll Free within Illinois) 877-323-5299

Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange

• Confidential Intermediary. Any adopted person over the age of 21 or any adoptive parent or legal guardian of an adopted person under the age of 21 may petition the court for an appointment of a confidential intermediary for the purpse of obtaining from one or both birth parents or a sibling or siblings of the adopted person information concerning the background of a psychological or genetically-based medical problem experienced or which may be expected to be experienced in the future by the adopted person or obtaining assistance in treating such a problem. See 750 ILCS 50/18.3a. For more information contact:

LaSalle County Circuit Clerk
119 W. Madison Street Room 201
Ottawa, IL 61350
(815) 434-8671

Additional information on adoption is available from the following agencies:

National Adoption Center
(800) 862-3678