Death Certificates

Death certificates and cremation permits are issued by Coroner's staff as needed seven days a week once information is received online from funeral home staff. In 2015 there were a total of 2,775 death certificates signed by either the Coroner or the deceased's physician for those deaths reportable to the Coroner. Of these 2,775 deaths, there were 1,603 cremation permits issued. Death Certificates for Coroner’s Investigative Cases are signed by the Coroner, or by the hospital Physician attending to the death. Medical Death certificates are most often signed by the Primary care Physician of the deceased.  

Types of Death Certificates

There are two types of death certificates issued by coroner's staff, a temporary death certificate and permanent death certificate. 

Temporary Death Certificate

A temporary death certificate is issued whenever possible within 2 business days following the death of your loved one. It contains all information that appears on the permanent death certificate except for the cause and manner of death. In the cause of death section of a temporary death certificate will be the words pending investigation. This means that cause of death has not yet been determined; perhaps an autopsy and/or testing has been performed or coroner's staff is awaiting written opinion from your loved one's physician regarding the cause of death. 

Permanent Death Certificate

The permanent death certificate is issued when cause and manner of death has been determined. This often occurs within days following the death. If an autopsy was completed, the results of the manner and cause of death will take between 4-6 weeks, due to toxicology and histological tests, and biopsies. Once those tests have resulted, the cause and manner of death can be determined, and the permanent death certificate can be issued.    

Request Copies

A copy of the temporary and/or permanent death certificate may be obtained either through the funeral home or the Division of Vital Records:

Peoria City/County Health Department
2116 N Sheridan Road
Peoria, IL 61604
Phone: 309-679-6034

Coroner's staff is unable to issue certified copies of death certificates. You may also be able to obtain a copy of the death certificate through the Peoria County Clerk's Office:

Peoria County Courthouse
324 Main Street
Room 101
Peoria, IL 61602
Phone: 309-672-6059