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McHenry County, Illinois public records

In McHenry County, deeds are recorded by the McHenry County Recorder; property values come from the McHenry County Office of Assessments; court files are kept by the McHenry County Circuit Clerk.

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Where to get each record
  2. Deeds and land records
  3. Property values, owners and tax bills
  4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
  5. Marriage records
  6. Divorce records
  7. Birth certificates
  8. Death certificates
  9. Probate records and wills
  10. Business names (DBA)
  11. Voter records
  12. Historical records
  13. Good to know about McHenry County records
  14. Office addresses, phones and hours
  15. Records that are not online: public records requests
  16. Questions people ask
  17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  18. Sources

Where to get each record

RecordOfficeSearch onlineFee
Deeds and land recordsMcHenry County Recorder4Search deeds23Free search, fee for copies—
Property values and ownersMcHenry County Office of Assessments4Property search5—
Property tax billsMcHenry County Treasurer4——
Court casesMcHenry County Circuit Clerk6Circuit Court, 22nd Judicial Circuit7Copies $2.00 first page, $.50 each additional up to 20 pages, $.25 per page after; $6.00 per certification; $6 search fee if information is incomplete8
Marriage recordsMcHenry County Clerk, Vital Records9——
Divorce recordsMcHenry County Circuit Clerk6——
Birth certificatesMcHenry County Clerk, Vital Records9—$12 search fee per birth record (returned if no record found); $4.00 each additional copy issued at the same time10
Death certificatesMcHenry County Clerk, Vital Records9——
Probate and willsMcHenry County Circuit Clerk11——
Business names (DBA)Public filings kept by the County Clerk9——

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in McHenry County are recorded by the McHenry County Recorder.4

Online search
rep4laredo.fidlar.com/ILMcHenry/AvaWeb23Free search, fee for copies
Cost
Free indexed search; images through Laredo (quarterly fee) or Tapestry (pay as you go)2
Who runs it
Fidlar (AVA free search, Laredo subscription) and Tapestry, linked by the Recorder2
Fee schedule
Recorder Fee Schedule (PDF); state and county transfer taxes may also apply12
How to order
Walk in at 667 Ware Road, Room 109, or mail to the Recorder at 2200 N. Seminary Ave.13
Fraud alerts
Free Property Fraud Alert and a Deed Fraud Referral Program under 55 ILCS 5/3-5010.52
Plats
Plats are also listed under the County Clerk9

How deeds work in Illinois

Property values, owners and tax bills

The McHenry County Office of Assessments (Supervisor of Assessments; township assessors value property) sets property values4; the McHenry County Treasurer bills and collects the tax4.

Property search
mchenryil.devnetwedge.com (McHenry County Property Tax Inquiry: current and past assessments)5
Tax bill search
Treasurer Look Up / Pay Your Tax Bill: view current or prior bill, print duplicate14
Parcel map (GIS)
County GIS Department; Interactive Maps15
Appealing a value
Assessment complaint to the Board of Review after township notices are posted; e.g. Richmond Township notices posted July 7, 2026, complaints due August 6, 20265
Board of review
Board of Review hears assessment appeals and defends decisions before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board5
Tax calculation
The County Clerk keeps tax and real estate services9

How property tax works in Illinois

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

CourtCasesRecords kept byCase search
Circuit Court, 22nd Judicial Circuit (single-county circuit, McHenry County)All case types filed with the Circuit Clerk (about 45,000 new cases a year)7McHenry County Circuit Clerk (Civil Division, Room 136)caseinfo.mchenrycountyil.gov/pca Case Information; basic case information free online, documents not displayed7Free search
Circuit
22nd Judicial Circuit, created December 4, 2006 when McHenry split from the 19th Circuit7
Circuit site
22ndcircuitil.gov (22nd Judicial Circuit court administration)16
State directory
Illinois Courts directory lists the McHenry Circuit Clerk at 2200 North Seminary Avenue, Room 352, Woodstock 60098-2837; phone 815/334-431017
Documents
Court documents are not shown online under the Illinois Supreme Court policy; public terminals at the Judicial Center (1st and 3rd floors)7
Fees
Copies $2.00 first page, $.50 each additional up to 20 pages, $.25 per page after; $6.00 per certification; $6 search fee if information is incomplete8
How to order
Email [email protected] with case number, party names, document title and file date; raised-seal copies only by mail8
Remote access
Remote Access subscription: $600.00 start-up fee covering 12 months, then $600.00 a year18
Not public
Adoption, juvenile, expunged/sealed, mental health and impounded cases are excluded8
Filing fee change
Civil filing fee schedules 1 and 3 and appearance fee schedules 1 and 2 rose by $5.00 on October 1, 2026 (Public Act 104-468)19

Criminal records and background checks

Court records
Criminal and traffic cases through the Circuit Clerk; basic case information free online7

How Illinois courts keep their files

Marriage records

McHenry County Clerk (marriage and civil union records)20

State
Illinois does not keep marriage records at the state level; certified copies only from the county clerk21

Illinois marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted22

Early resolution
22nd Circuit Early Resolution Program for self-represented divorce litigants23

Illinois divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

McHenry County Clerk, births in McHenry County from 187710

Who may order
Only individuals authorized under the Illinois Vital Records Act20
Fee
$12 search fee per birth record (returned if no record found); $4.00 each additional copy issued at the same time10
Online ordering
VitalChek (extra fee); no phone orders10
Genealogy
Genealogy birth, death and marriage records by request form; not through VitalChek20

Ordering an Illinois birth certificate

Death certificates

Kept by: McHenry County Clerk20

Ordering an Illinois death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the McHenry County Circuit Clerk (Probate; wills filed in Civil Division Room 136).11

Wills
Original will filed with the Circuit Clerk within 30 days of death; no fee; certified copies $2.00 first page, $.50 each after, plus $6.00 certification24
Efile
All probate filings must be e-filed unless good cause25
Small estate
Small estate affidavit for estates of $150,000 or less with no real estate25

Business names (DBA)

Public filings kept by the County Clerk9

Voter records

County Clerk is the chief election authority9

Historical records

Court records
Circuit Clerk holds records back to the 1850s, including naturalizations before 1929; originals and older records at IRAD, Northern Illinois University26
IRAD
Illinois Regional Archives Depository at NIU, DeKalb, accepts mail search requests26
Recorder history
Recorder's historical documents include the 1872 Atlas of McHenry County27

Good to know about McHenry County records

  • McHenry County is its own judicial circuit (the 22nd), split from Lake County's 19th Circuit on December 4, 2006.7
  • The Recorder's Office operates under Joseph J. Tirio, who is also listed as the County Clerk's FOIA officer and on the Clerk's vital records mailing address.2
  • When created in 1836 the county reached Lake Michigan and its seat was the village of McHenry; Lake County was later split off.28
  • Naturalizations were granted by county courts until 1929; the Circuit Clerk keeps a naturalization records archive online.26
  • Abraham Lincoln argued the 1846 appeal of a McHenry County case (Welch v. Henderson) before the Illinois Supreme Court; the Circuit Clerk publishes the case file.26
  • Property is valued by township assessors; the county Office of Assessments supervises them and the Board of Review hears appeals.5

Office addresses, phones and hours

McHenry County Recorder

Address
Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Room 109, Woodstock IL 60098 (walk-in)13
Mail
McHenry County Recorder, Government Center, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock IL 6009813
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm13

McHenry County Clerk

Address
McHenry County Clerk's Office, 667 Ware Rd, Suite 107, Woodstock, IL 600989
Mail
McHenry County Clerk's Office, 2200 N. Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 600989
Hours
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM9

McHenry County Clerk, Vital Records

Address
667 Ware Road, Suite 107, Woodstock, IL 6009810
Mail
McHenry County Clerk - Vital Records, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 6009810
Phone
815-334-4242 (no vital record information is given by phone)20

McHenry County Circuit Clerk (Civil Division, Room 136)

Address
Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center, 2200 N. Seminary Ave, Rooms 136 & 353, Woodstock, IL 6009829
Mail
2200 N Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 600987
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm29

McHenry County Circuit Clerk (criminal and traffic)

Address
Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center, 2200 N. Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 6009829
Phone
(815) 334-4190 (Traffic Division)30

McHenry County Circuit Clerk (Probate; wills filed in Civil Division Room 136)

Address
Circuit Clerk Civil Division, Room 136, 2200 N. Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 6009824

McHenry County Office of Assessments (Supervisor of Assessments; township assessors value property)

Address
667 Ware Road, Room 106, Woodstock, IL31
Mail
Office of Assessments, 2200 North Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 6009831

McHenry County Treasurer

Address
2100 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098 (southeast corner of Rt. 47 and Russell Ct.)32
Mail
Office of Treasurer, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 6009832
Hours
7:30 AM-5:00 PM Monday-Friday (Treasurer Services)32

McHenry County GIS Department

Address
McHenry County GIS Department, Suite 206, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, IL 60098-830315
Mail
McHenry County GIS, 2200 N. Seminary Ave, Woodstock, IL 60098-263715

McHenry County Clerk (chief election authority)

McHenry County Sheriff's Office

Records that are not online: public records requests

Where to send it
Online FOIA form or directly to the department's FOIA officers (e.g. Recorder 815.334.4110; County Clerk 815.334.4242)33
Response time
5 business days, extendable by 5; 21 business days for commercial requests33
Copy fees
First 50 pages free; 15 cents per page thereafter (black and white)33

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in McHenry County?

The McHenry County Recorder keeps deed records. To order copies: Walk in at 667 Ware Road, Room 109, or mail to the Recorder at 2200 N. Seminary Ave.413

Can I search McHenry County land records online for free?

Yes, searching is free; copies cost extra. Free indexed search; images through Laredo (quarterly fee) or Tapestry (pay as you go). The official search: rep4laredo.fidlar.com/ILMcHenry/AvaWeb2

How much is a birth certificate in McHenry County?

$12 search fee per birth record (returned if no record found); $4.00 each additional copy issued at the same time.10

Where do I get a divorce decree in McHenry County?

Circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted.22

How do I look up who owns a property in McHenry County?

Use the property search of the McHenry County Office of Assessments (Supervisor of Assessments; township assessors value property): mchenryil.devnetwedge.com5

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any McHenry County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Illinois with a full guide: Champaign County, Cook County, DeKalb County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kankakee County, Kendall County, Lake County, LaSalle County, Macon County, Madison County, McLean County, Peoria County, Rock Island County, Sangamon County, St. Clair County, Tazewell County, Will County, Winnebago County. Every county in the state: Illinois county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026
  2. County RecorderMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  3. County Recorder | McHenry County, ILMcHenry County, ILchecked November 8, 2026
  4. HomeMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  5. AssessmentsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  6. Home22nd Judicial Circuit, McHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  7. About UsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  8. Request CopiesClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  9. County ClerkMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  10. County Clerk - Birth RecordsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  11. HomeClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  12. County Recorder - Fee ScheduleMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  13. County Recorder - Contact UsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  14. TreasurerMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  15. Geographic Information System (GIS)McHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  16. .gov registry current-full.csvCISA / get.govchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Circuit Court ClerksIllinois Courtschecked November 4, 2026
  18. Remote Access SubscriptionClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  19. Court Fees & WaiversClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  20. County Clerk - Vital RecordsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  21. Marriage RecordsIllinois Department of Public Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  22. Dissolution of Marriage RecordsIllinois Department of Public Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  23. DivorceClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  24. WillsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  25. ProbateClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  26. Historical Court RecordsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  27. McHenry County Historical Documents (Recorder)McHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  28. History of the McHenry County CourtsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  29. Contact UsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  30. FAQsClerk of the Circuit Court of McHenry Countychecked November 4, 2026
  31. Assessments - Contact UsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  32. Treasurer - Contact UsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  33. FOIA RequestsMcHenry County, Illinoischecked November 4, 2026
  34. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureauchecked November 4, 2026