WAUKEGAN PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Waukegan City Public Records?

Waukegan City public records include all records, data, and information created or preserved by a government agency, and used for its official functions. Under the Freedom of Information Act, Waukegan City public records should be available to requesters notwithstanding their physical form or characteristics. However, the act provides that certain records should be closed to the public. Some examples include:

• All records specifically exempted by state or federal law

• Private information, including unique identifiers such as a driver’s license number, employee identification number, passwords, and social security number. However, these records may be disclosed as required by another act, state law, federal law, or a court order

• All records where disclosure would unnecessarily invade personal privacy

• Law and administrative enforcement records to the extent that disclosure would interfere with law enforcement proceedings, deprive a person of their right to an impartial hearing or fair trial, identify a confidential source, reveal investigative techniques, or endanger lives or property

• Preliminary drafts, memoranda, recommendations, notes, and other documents that contain opinions on government policies or actions

• Trade secrets, commercial information, or financial information considered proprietary or privileged if disclosure could cause competitive harm.

• Records of a real estate purchase negotiation until its conclusion

• Security threat records, including response policies, security measures, vulnerability assessments, or plans designed to respond to or prevent attacks

Public city records may also be accessible from third-party websites. Record seekers may either opt to use these non-governmental platforms to search for a specific record or multiple city records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search such as:

• The address of the requestor
• A case number or file number (if known)
• The location of the document or person involved
• The name of the subject involved in the record (not juvenile)
• The last known or current address of the registrant

Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.

Waukegan City Crime Statistics

The Illinois State Police (ISP) publishes annual reports with city and county crime statistics. According to its 2020 publication, index crimes reported by the Waukegan Police Department (WPD) totaled 1,729, including 7 criminal homicides, 13 rape cases, 108 robberies, 188 aggravated assault cases, and 215 burglaries. Other reported figures include 1,132 thefts, 62 motor vehicle thefts, and 4 cases of arson. The WPD’s 2020 figures showed a 24% reduction in criminal activity from the previous year. In 2019, the ISP’s report revealed a total of 2,280 index crimes, which was a rate of 2,604.8 crimes per 100,000 residents.

Are Waukegan City Criminal Records Public?

According to the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act, Waukegan criminal records are public. In compliance with the act, interested persons may submit requests for Waukegan City criminal records to the Illinois State Police. Records are obtainable online via name-based requests on the Criminal History Information Response (CHIRP). Each search costs $16, payable by a credit card or an eCheck. The ISP may also provide request forms for mail requests. Persons interested in fingerprint searches may visit an approved live scan fingerprint vendor. A fingerprint search costs $20 plus additional fingerprinting fees charged by each vendor. Residents may contact the ISP by email at isp.contact@illinois.gov or send mails to:

Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
P.O. Box 88727
Chicago, IL 60680-1727

How to Obtain Waukegan City Police Reports and Arrest Records

The Waukegan Police Department generates and maintains copies of police reports and arrest records. Persons seeking police reports and Waukegan City arrest records may submit requests by mail or in person. Mail requests cost $10, while in-person orders cost $5. Residents may visit the Records Department window at City Hall three business days after the request. Visits are entertained at the following address, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, on Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays:

100 N Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 599-2500

Accident reports are also available at the above address and online. However, the online database only provides reports written from January 1, 2015. Persons seeking older records must apply in person. Accident reports cost $10 and $5 for mail and in-person requests, respectively. Charges are payable via money orders or checks made out to the “City of Waukegan.”

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Waukegan City

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office maintains a public online database containing records of registered county sex offenders. Residents may search by name or area, or use the city search to view a list of all registered Waukegan sex offenders. The Sheriff's Office also provides a separate list of non-compliant sex offenders. The search result displays each offender's name, physical description, offense details, and photograph. Other available details include known aliases, age, address, and registration number. Furthermore, the Sheriff's Office allows interested residents to register for notifications of changes in an inmate's status.

Parties must note that the information provided online may change. The Sheriff’s Office does not guarantee that online records are accurate and advises residents to verify records by contacting its office or the Waukegan Police Department.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office
25 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-4000 or (847) 549-5200 (Non-Business Hours)
Fax: (847) 984-5974

Waukegan Police Department
101 N. West Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 360-9000
Fax: (847) 360-9853
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

How to Find Waukegan City Inmate Records

Persons looking for Waukegan City inmate records may use the online inmate search provided by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Users may search by name, booking number, or booking date. The name search requires at least three letters of the inmate’s last name and at least one letter of the person’s first name. To search by booking date, the user must provide a complete date range. Available details include the inmate's full name, address, booking number, gender, and current status. Information on the person's date of confinement, housing location, court date, disposition, bond type, and bond amount is also displayed.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in the Lake County Jail?

Family and friends may visit inmates at the Lake County Sheriff’s Adult Corrections Facility. The Sheriff's Office provides remote video visits via a third-party visitation vendor and also allows onsite video visits at the lobby. While onsite video visits are free, remote visits cost 25 cents per minute. Lobby video visits are permitted on Sundays through Saturdays as follows:

• 9:00 am to 10:30 am
• 11:45 am to 2:30 pm
• 5:30 am to 9:30 pm

Interested persons must schedule all visits online as the facility does not allow walk-in visits. All visits are monitored and recorded.

After their classification, each inmate may receive one thirty-minute onsite visit per week. The facility also restricts inmates to the visitors on the approved lists completed upon booking. All interested persons must schedule 24 hours in advance and may only visit the same inmate once per day.

Visitors are subject to a search upon entering the visitation area. Staff may also conduct an active warrant check on the visitor. Each person must also show at least one of the following types of identification:

• State identification card or driver’s license
• Student ID
• Valid military ID
• Passport with photo
• Government ID card
• Mexican Matricular card
• Illinois Bar Association Card or Court Services ID

Friends and family must be at least 18 years old to visit without a parent or legal guardian. Adults visiting with minors may be required to provide birth certificates, proof of guardianship, or marriage licenses. All parties should note that the facility may cancel visits at any time due to legal proceedings, misconduct, or a violation of visitation rules by either the visitor or inmate. The Sheriff’s Office will not make any refunds for remote visits missed or canceled due to misconduct.

All visitors must dress appropriately. Persons wearing provocative, tight-fitting, or revealing clothing will be denied entry. Visitors visibly under the influence of alcohol or otherwise disorderly or disrespectful may be removed from the facility and subject to criminal charges.

What are Waukegan City Vital Records?

Waukegan City vital records contain details of life events, such as divorces, marriages, births, and deaths. Vital records are generated and maintained by different government agencies which provide access and issue copies to requesters. Waukegan City vital records are obtainable from the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk and the County Clerk. However, under Illinois law, not all vital records are considered public.

Where and How to Obtain Waukegan City Divorce Records

The Lake County Circuit Clerk maintains records of all divorces in the county. Persons seeking access to Waukegan City divorce records may contact the Records Division of the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Each request should contain details of the desired record, including the names of the divorced parties, divorce location, and divorce date. Interested persons may send mail requests or visit the following address:

Clerk of the Circuit Court
Waukegan Branch Court
18 North County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Email: circuitclerk@lakecountyil.gov
Phone: (847) 377-3211 (Records Division)

The Lake County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office also provides an online public access system where interested persons can search for Waukegan divorce records by person, business, or case number. A full name, business name, or case number is required in each case. Available case details include charge details, disposition details, sentencing information, court events, documents filed, filing date, and current case status.

Another option for Waukegan divorce records is the Dissolution of Marriage Verification which can be obtained from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The department’s Dissolution of Marriage Record verifies the facts of divorces finalized since 1962. These facts include names, divorce date, divorce city or county, and the parties’ dates of birth. Requests are possible by mail, fax, or in person. Each verification costs $5.

An interested party may send a completed dissolution of marriage form or a letter containing all required details. Mail orders require checks or money orders made out to the “Illinois Department of Public Health.” Requests should be submitted to the:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 E. Ridgely Ave
Springfield, IL 62702-2737

The department also entertains fax orders sent to (217) 523-2648. Requesters must also send completed application forms or letters. Apart from the verifiable facts, fax orders must also contain the following information:

• A credit card number and expiration date (A $12.95 credit-card handling charge and $19.50 UPS charge are applicable)
• Requester’s daytime phone number plus area code, return address, and written signature
• Valid and readable government-issued photo ID

Where and How to Get Public Waukegan City Marriage Records

The Lake County Clerk’s Office is the county’s official record keeper for vital records. The office issues records of marriages that occur anywhere in the county. However, Waukegan City marriage records are not public. Under law, records are only accessible by the following persons:

• The parties named on the record
• Either party’s child or family member
• Either party’s legal representative or agent

The Clerk's Office issues certified and non-certified records. The first certified copy costs $10 and $4 for each additional copy. Non-certified copies are only available for records at least 75 years old. These records also cost $4 each and are marked "For Genealogical Purposes Only". If the record is not available at the Clerk's Office, the requester will receive a "Certificate of No Record Found" which costs $1.50. Mail, in-person, fax, and email requests are available.

To order by mail, the requester must complete, sign, and submit a Marriage Record Request Form with a check or money order made out to the Lake County Clerk, a self-addressed and stamped envelope, and a photocopy of a valid ID as listed on the request form. Requesters should forward mail requests to:

Lake County Clerk
Vital Records Department
18 N. County Street
Room 101
Waukegan, IL 60085
Email: vitalrecords@lakecountyil.gov

The Clerk's Office offers same-day service to walk-in requesters at the above address. Interested persons may pay by cash, check, money order, credit card, or debit card. Although optional, in-person requesters are advised to visit the Clerk's Office with completed request forms for faster service. Processing time is usually less than 30 minutes, and no appointment is required.

For instructions on placing email or fax orders, interested persons may call (847) 377-2411 to speak to an official at the Clerk’s Vital Record Department.

Where and How to Find Waukegan City Birth Records

The Lake County Clerk’s Office maintains Waukegan birth records. Access to these records is restricted to the following persons:

• The person named on the record if at least 18 years old
• The person’s parent or legal guardian with proof of court appointment
• A legal representative with a notarized authorization from the person named on the record or their parent

The Clerk's Office maintains certified and non-certified Waukegan City birth records. Certified copies are acceptable for official purposes, including employment, insurance, pension, and travel. The first copy costs $10, while additional copies cost $4 each. Each non-certified record costs $4 and is only available for records that are at least 75 years old. Where no record is found, the Clerk's Office will issue a "Certificate of No Record Found" at $1.50.

Persons may order by mail or in person. Each mail order requires a completed Birth Record Request Form, a check or money order payable to the Lake County Clerk, a photocopy of a valid ID, and a self-addressed and stamped envelope.

In-person requesters do not require a request form but may fill one for faster service. All mail and in-person applications should be submitted to:

Lake County Clerk
Vital Records Department
18 N. County Street
Room 101
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-2411
Email: vitalrecords@lakecountyil.gov

Where and How to Find Waukegan City Death Records

Waukegan death records are obtainable at the Lake County Clerk's Office. The office only provides copies to persons who have property or personal interest with the decedent. Other persons, including licensed attorneys, court-appointed representatives, and other agents, may also obtain records by providing legal documents proving their eligibility.

Certified and non-certified copies are available at the Clerk’s Office. A certified record costs $14 for the first copy and $8 for each subsequent copy. Non-certified records cost $4 and are only available for researching family history if the record is at least 20 years old. If no record matches details provided by the requester, the Clerk’s Office will issue a “Certificate of No Record Found.”

Persons requesting via mail must submit a completed Death Certificate Request Form, a photocopy of a valid ID, a check or money order payable to the Lake County Clerk, and a self-addressed and stamped envelope. Mail and in-person requesters may send completed forms to:

Lake County Clerk
Vital Records Department
18 N. County Street
Room 101
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-2411
Email: vitalrecords@lakecountyil.gov