Illinois
Illinois Adoption Records: The 21+ Original Birth Certificate Rule
Illinois runs a release by default compromise, and it leans more open than most states in that category. Under 750 ILCS 50/18.04, the General Assembly's stated policy releases a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate (OBC) to an adult adopted person on request, unless a birth parent named on the record has filed a specific anonymity request. The age threshold is 21, not the 18 that governs most other states.
Information last verified on 2026-08-11. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Illinois's 21+ Release by Default Rule
Section 18.04 of the Illinois Adoption Act frames the state's policy directly: 'the General Assembly supports public policy that releases a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to an adult adopted person upon request unless a specific request for anonymity has been filed with the Registry by a birth parent named on the original birth certificate.' The practical effect flips the usual default: silence from the birth parent means release, not restriction. The age threshold for the adopted or surrendered person is 21, confirmed directly on the Illinois Department of Public Health's own page, not simply 'adult' as a generic description might suggest. The fee is $15, payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health by check or money order, and a photo ID is required with the request.
Birth parents of adoptees born after January 1, 1946 use a parallel Birth Parent Request or Birth Parent Preference form to file for anonymity if they choose. That anonymity election only becomes effective five years after it is signed, and it automatically expires upon the birth parent's death, meaning it is neither instant nor permanent.
Court-File Sealing
Separately from the OBC release rule, 750 ILCS 50/18 impounds the underlying adoption records held by each circuit clerk: 'all adoption records maintained by each circuit clerk shall be impounded in accordance with law,' and the court call of adoption proceedings may not identify any of the parties by name. The same section bars the words 'illegitimate' and 'born out of wedlock' from any adoption proceeding. No separate, explicitly labeled good cause standard for unsealing this file was located; the release mechanic that actually governs public facing access lives in 18.04, described above, rather than in a discretionary court standard here.
IARMIE: Registry, Medical Exchange, and Confidential Intermediary
Illinois runs an integrated system rather than three separate programs. The Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange, IARMIE, is paired with a court appointable Confidential Intermediary program under 18.3A, using intermediaries certified by the Department of Children and Family Services. Eligible registrants include adult adopted or surrendered persons 21 and older, adoptive parents of an adoptee still under 21, surviving relatives of a deceased adopted or surrendered person or birth parent, and legal guardians. IARMIE's design cleanly separates the medical history channel, which is exchanged anonymously regardless of anyone's identity disclosure choice, from the identity disclosure channel itself. The statutory basis includes the Vital Records Act, the Illinois Adoption Act, and Public Act 96-0895.
Non-Identifying Information
The same eligible registrant categories that apply to IARMIE generally apply to its non-identifying information function: adult adopted or surrendered persons 21 and older, adoptive parents of an adoptee under 21, surviving relatives, and legal guardians. Because medical information moves anonymously through IARMIE independent of the identity choice, this is one of the more reliably documented non-identifying information channels found across this cluster's research.
How to Apply
For the original birth certificate: submit the Request for a Non-Certified Copy of Original Birth Certificate to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Vital Records, along with a $15 fee and photo ID. Birth parents file the separate Birth Parent Preference form to elect anonymity.
For the registry, medical exchange, or a confidential intermediary: contact the Illinois Department of Public Health's IARMIE program. The $15 fee is waived for anyone who submits a medical questionnaire along with their registration.
This article is part of recordinglaw.com's Adoption Records by State series. For a state by state explanation of the original birth certificate concept itself, see How to Get Your Original Birth Certificate. For search strategy and honest expectations, see How to Find Birth Parents. For how mutual consent registries work across states, see Adoption Reunion Registries.
A general, non-adoption birth certificate is a different question with different rules; see Are Birth Certificates Public Records? for that distinction. Sealed adoption files also come up in Illinois's broader public records rules; see Illinois Court Records. Where a birth parent search runs into a death, see Illinois Death Records, and for a name trail after marriage or divorce, see Illinois Marriage and Divorce Records.
Disclaimer
This article explains Illinois's rules for adoption records, original birth certificates, and the IARMIE program. It is general legal information, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for a licensed Illinois attorney or the Department of Public Health's own guidance. Forms and fees change; verify current requirements with the department before relying on them.
Last updated: 2026-08-11. Fees and forms reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can an adoptee get their original birth certificate in Illinois?
At 21, not 18. An adopted or surrendered person born in Illinois who is 21 or older may request a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate, and release proceeds by default unless a named birth parent has filed a specific anonymity request.
Can a birth parent block release of the original birth certificate in Illinois?
A birth parent can file an anonymity request with the Registry, but it is not instant. The election only takes effect five years after it is signed and expires automatically when the birth parent dies. Until it is filed and in effect, release proceeds by default.
How much does an Illinois original birth certificate request cost?
The fee is $15, payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health by check or money order. The separate IARMIE registry fee, also $15, is waived for anyone who submits a medical questionnaire with their registration.
What is IARMIE?
The Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange. It combines a mutual consent registry, an anonymous medical and health information exchange, and a Department of Children and Family Services certified Confidential Intermediary program who can search for a party who has not yet registered.
Can I get non-identifying medical history without revealing my identity in Illinois?
Yes. IARMIE exchanges medical, genetic, and health history information anonymously, independent of whether the parties involved have chosen to allow identity disclosure to each other.
Is Illinois's adoption court file public?
No. Adoption records held by the circuit clerk are impounded under 750 ILCS 50/18, and the court call of proceedings does not identify the parties by name. Access to the birth certificate specifically runs through the separate 18.04 release process described above.
Updates
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The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on 3 statutory provisions held in our own legal record, each retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 750, Act 50 (Adoption Act)
§ 18Records confidentialIn force
(a) The word "illegitimate", the words "born out of wedlock", and words of similar import shall not be used in any adoption proceeding in any respect. (b) The court call of adoption proceedings shall not identify any of the parties by name. The parties may be identified by initials or pseudonyms. The case shall be identified by its general number. The names of the lawyers representing the parties may appear on the court call, and the type of application that is being made to the court may also be identified. (c) All adoption records maintained by each circuit clerk shall be impounded in accordance with the procedures provided by the Illinois Supreme Court's General Administrative Order on Recordkeeping and shall be opened for examination only upon specific order of the court, which order shall name the person or persons who are to be permitted to examine the file. Certified copies of all papers and documents contained in any file so impounded shall be made only on like order. The guardian ad litem for a minor sought to be adopted shall have the right to inspect the court file without leave of court during the pendency of the proceeding.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at ilga.gov
§ 18.04Original Birth Certificate Access; legislative intentIn force
The General Assembly recognizes that it is the basic right of all persons to access their birth records, and, to this end, supports public policy that allows an adult adoptee to access his or her original birth certificate. The General Assembly further recognizes that there are circumstances under which a birth parent may have compelling reasons for wishing to remain anonymous to a child he or she surrendered for adoption. In an effort to balance these interests, the General Assembly supports public policy that releases a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to an adult adopted person upon request unless a specific request for anonymity has been filed with the Registry by a birth parent named on the original birth certificate.
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at ilga.gov
§ 18.3aConfidential intermediaryIn force
(a) General purposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, (1) any adopted or surrendered person 21 years of age or over; or (2) any adoptive parent or legal guardian of an adopted or surrendered person under the age of 21; or (3) any birth parent of an adopted or surrendered person who is 21 years of age or over; or (4) any adult child or adult grandchild of a deceased adopted or surrendered person; or (5) any adoptive parent or surviving spouse of a deceased adopted or surrendered person; or (6) any adult birth sibling of the adult adopted or surrendered person unless the birth parent has checked Option E on the Birth Parent Preference Form or has filed a Denial of Information Exchange with the Registry and is not deceased; or (7) any adult adopted birth sibling of an adult adopted or surrendered person; or (8) any adult birth sibling of the birth parent if the birth parent is deceased; or (9) any birth grandparent may petition the court in any county in the State of Illinois for appointment of a confidential intermediary as provided in this Section for the purpose of exchanging medical information with one or more mutually consenting biological relatives, obtaining…
Official text (excerpt) · as of 2026-07-29 · Read the full section at ilga.gov
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Sources and References
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Adoption Records (original birth certificate request)(dph.illinois.gov).gov
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE)(dph.illinois.gov).gov
- 750 ILCS 50/18.04, original birth certificate access policy(ilga.gov).gov
- 750 ILCS 50/18, adoption records confidential(ilga.gov).gov