Free Lake County IL Public Information: Look Up Anyone’s Record

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Free Lake County Public Records Search

Access Lake County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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In most cases, citizens can view Lake County public records for free if they know what information is available and where to look.

This access to records falls under the federal Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, which allow for transparency and give residents the right to view or acquire criminal records, court documents, arrests, warrants, prisoner information, marriage and divorce records, property records, probation records, and background check reports for the sake of transparency.

Through this resource, individuals can quickly access local agencies’ online tools, addresses, and phone numbers to find public information on residents.

How To Explore Arrest Records & Mugshots via the Lake County Jail

If you are checking for Lake County bookings, the first place to start is with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). Like most county sheriff offices across the country, the LCSO maintains and operates the county jail.

When searching the county sheriff’s office does not yield the results you need, you should then contact the local city or town law enforcement agency. They can generally provide you with information on recent arrests.

The Illinois Department of Corrections cannot help you find out if someone is in jail. They can only inform you of persons in prison, meaning the prisoner has already been convicted of committing a crime. Persons in jail are still awaiting a resolution to their pending charges.

View Arrests & Jail Records via the Lake County Sheriff’s Office

The Lake County Sheriff’s Adult Corrections Facility is the countywide jail that books and holds all persons charged with committing crimes. The jail will release those who have been convicted, or otherwise released on bond or some other resolution of an individual’s case.

You can check Lake County arrest records through the Inmate Search Tool.¹ This tool allows members of the general public to find someone’s mugshot, and the reason for their detention. For the search to yield results, users need to enter at least three letters of a last name, and one letter of a first name. Users may also enter a time period to narrow the results of the search.

After locating the detainee you are looking for, simply click on the booking number on the left side of the screen and you will be able to view details surrounding the detention, including:

• Name
• Address
• Sex
• Custody Status
• Booking Date
• Court Date
• Bond Amount
• Offenses

In addition to using the search tool for jail records, inquirers can call the Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division at 847.377.4150 to find out if someone has been arrested and booked. The online search may not be up to date, so calling the jail may provide more accurate information.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office
29 South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

Citizens can contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for arrest information and police reports. The LCSO Records Section releases incident reports to victims and their representatives, insurance carriers, and anyone suffering injuries as a result of the incident.²

You can receive a copy of an incident report by filling out a Freedom of Information Act Request Form. The first 50 pages of a report are free, and the fee is $0.15 per page after.

The FOIA request can be submitted via email, fax, or mail or in-person to the physical address:

Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Records Section
25 South Martin Luther King Jr. Ave
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

Email: [email protected]
Fax: 847.984.5974

Look Up Arrest Information & Police Reports Through Law Enforcement Agencies in Lake County Illinois

In addition to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, there are several other law enforcement agencies located within the county that interested persons can reach out to for arrest information and police reports.

The City of Highland Park Police Department allows residents to complete a public records request to obtain police records. Residents must provide specific details about the records requested so the department can easily find what’s needed. An incident report is rarely if ever more than 50 pages, but if it is, the fee is $0.15 per page starting with page 51.

Submit the request via fax to 847-433-9488, or via mail or in-person to:

City of Highland Park Police Department
1677 Old Deerfield Road
Highland Park, Illinois 60035

Call 847-432-7730 for more information.

The City of Highwood Police Department does not offer the public a FOIA or police report request form online. They do provide the phone and fax numbers to their records department:

Highwood Police Department
17 Highwood Ave.
Highwood, Illinois 60040

Phone: 847.432.2151
Fax: 847.432.9004

The City of Lake Forest Police Department provides the public with an online request submission form.³

Inquirers must provide their name, address, email, phone number, and the method of record delivery. Records may be received via email, mail, or picked up in person at Lake Forest City Hall between 8:00am – 6:00pm Monday – Saturday.

Lake Forest Police Department
255 West Deerpath
Lake Forest, IL 60045

Contact the non-emergency line for more information at 847-234-2601.

The City of McHenry Police Department does not provide online instructions for obtaining police reports or arrestee information. You can contact the Records Department at 815.363.2200 for more information. The Department is open to the public Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm.

McHenry Police Department
333 South Green St.
McHenry, IL 

The North Chicago Police Department does not offer much information on their records request system. Interested persons should contact the NCPD at 847.596.8700 ext. 8774 or [email protected] for more information about how to request police records and arrest information.

North Chicago Police Department
1850 Lewis Ave,
North Chicago, IL 60064

The Park City Police Department provides the public with an online FOIA request submission.⁴ Interested parties should include, if known, the following information when requesting police records:

• Report number
• Date of incident
• Location of incident
• Type of incident

The name and email address of the requester must be included with the submission for the request to be processed. For more information contact Records Management at 847.662.2135 or [email protected].

Park City Police Department
3355 Belvidere Rd.
Park City, IL 60085

The City of Waukegan Police Department maintains a simple online records request system.

After creating an account, users can fill out a police records request and view the status of the request in real time. The WPD site also states that requests can be filed in person or via mail. Users can visit between 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday at:

Waukegan Police Department
101 North W. St.
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

Contact the WPD at 847.360.9000 for more information.

The City of Zion Police Department does not offer any information online concerning their records request process. Contact the non-emergency line at 847.872.8000 for more information.

Zion Police Department
2101 Salem Boulevard
Zion, Illinois 60099 

How To Carry out a Criminal Records Search in Lake County Illinois

Criminal records is a broad term that encompasses charges, probation, warrants, background check reports, sex offender registries, and more. When searching for Lake County criminal records, unlike many other counties, you generally will not have to contact several different record custodians or agencies.

The Lake County Circuit Court offers a sweeping public index and resources for viewing and obtaining criminal records. These records can help anyone learn more information about a person’s past or their current situation.

Other types of records are hosted by varying county and state agencies. Interested persons should generally start with county resources before using state resources when they need a free public records search.

Find Out if Someone Has a History of Crime in Lake County via the Circuit Court Clerk

The best way to look up someone’s criminal record in Lake County is through the Circuit Court Clerk.

The Lake County Circuit Court (LCCC) houses the criminal court that hears all felony and misdemeanor cases that originate out of the county. That means that all Illinois, state-level criminal cases generated from every law enforcement agency in the county are filed in the LCCC.

The LCCC provides the general public with a Public Access System. This free criminal record check provides access to all public case records filed with the Court. Users can search by name or case number.

The search does not provide mugshots, so if the person you are searching for has a common name, your search may prove a little difficult.

Nonetheless, the search results yield all possible criminal charges filed with the court, excepting those that have been expunged. Click on the bubble on the left side of a case and hit submit. This will display case information including:

• Case Number
• Case Title
• Case Type
• Case Status
• Parties
• Charges
• Disposition
• Court Events
• Documents Filed
• Bond Information

You will have to search the database for each individual case a person was involved in. You should probably gather a person’s middle name as well to narrow your search.

There are no fees associated with viewing this information, and anyone can use the platform. Contact the Clerk at 847.377.3211 or [email protected] for more information about records, including certified copies.

The Lake County Circuit Clerk has several branch offices, as shown below:

Branch	Address	Phone Number
Main	18 North County Street Waukegan, Illinois 60085	847-377-3380
Juvenile	24647 North Milwaukee Ave Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061	847-377-7888
Mundelein	105 East Route 83 Mundelein, Illinois 60060	847-377-3300
North	1792 Nicole Lane Round Lake Beach, IL 60073	847-377-3400
Park City	301 Greenleaf Street Park City, Illinois 60085	847-377-3500

How To Verify if Someone Has an Active Arrest Warrant in Lake County IL

Anyone can look up wanted individuals in Lake County, Illinois.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office provides the public with an Active Warrant List.⁷

Listed in alphabetical order, this document shows all active Lake County warrants generated by the sheriff’s office only. This list does not include warrants generated by other law enforcement agencies in Lake County.

This list displays an accused offender’s name, address, sex, face, date of birth, height, weight, hair and eye color, and date the warrant was issued. This list does not include outstanding warrants that have not been served. However, the sheriff’s office also provides an online directory of Most Wanted Sex Offenders.⁸

When a registered sex offender fails to register or fails to appear in court, a warrant will be issued for their arrest and they will be placed on the list. The list includes an offender’s name and physical description, in addition to their mugshot, offense, and bond information. For more information concerning individuals on this list contact the Sheriff’s Office at 847.594.5200 or the Lake County Crime Stoppers at 847.662.2222.

The Illinois State Police displays Wanted Persons for the public.⁹

Their Division of Operations maintains the wanted person’s list that includes individuals with outstanding warrants reported by law enforcement agencies within the state to the Illinois State Police.

How To Find Probation Records in Lake County Illinois

The Lake County Circuit Court (LCCC) operates the probation services program, including both adult and juvenile probation. Unlike some other counties and states, the LCCC does not offer the public an online method for viewing who is or was on probation.

To learn about how to find out who is on probation you must contact the Adult Probation Services department at 847.377.4504. You can also visit the office between 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday at:

Lake County Adult Probation Services
215 W. Water St.
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

To find out about juveniles placed in probation, call 847.377.7800, or visit the office at:

Lake County Juvenile Probation & Detention Services
24647 North Milwaukee Avenue
Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061

This office is also open between 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday.

It is not clear whether these offices will provide this information to the general public or whether you must be an interested party or representative of the person on probation. You should contact one of the offices for more information.

For a broader lookup radius or to find individuals under supervision in other counties, utilize the steps outlined in the Illinois probationer search resource.

How To Complete a Background Check in Lake County IL

Background checks are generally conducted for personal and professional reasons.

Some of the personal reasons someone may want to get a background check done on another person is to find out what information exists in someone’s past or what criminal situations someone is currently going through. You can find out information about someone you’re dating, or a neighbor, or a new friend.

Consent is not required for personal background checks because the records are generally public. Interested persons can obtain this information without stating the reason unless the reason is for a commercial purpose. Per the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, if you obtain background or other public records for commercial reasons, you must disclose it or be subject to legal action.

Additionally, you cannot use the information for illegal purposes like harassment, stalking, intimidating, or otherwise abusing the person of whom you’ve obtained the information.

The Circuit Court Clerk allows the public to perform Lake County public records searches of another person.¹⁰ The search may be requested via mail or in person, and the request must include:

• Name of Person
• Years to Be Searched
• Type of Cases (criminal)
• Date of Birth
• Self-Addressed Envelope (if mailed)

The request should be mailed or delivered in person to:

Lake County Circuit Court Clerk
ATTN: Record Search
18 N. County St.
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

The fee for a background check is $6 per name per year.

The City of Highland Park Police Department (HPPD) performs record checks for the public. Interested persons must complete a self records check, or other than self records check request. It is unclear whether the records request has an associated fee, so people should contact the HPPD at 847-432-7730 for more information.

There are also statewide agencies that conduct personal background checks. The Illinois State Police collects all criminal history conviction information in the state and compiles the records into a public records repository. Every county within Illinois sends criminal conviction information to the ISP for storage and retention by law.

The name based personal background check service may be utilized online or in person. The online method is through the Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP).¹¹ Users must create an account to take advantage of this convenient method. You must have a valid Illinois driver’s license to use the service.

Additionally, you can fill out Form ISP6-405B to obtain a name based background check on someone. There are several mandatory fields on the form that must be filled out or the request will be denied. They include:

• Document Control Number
• Transaction Control Number
• Subject’s Last Name
• Subject’s First Name
• Date of Birth
• Sex
• Race
• Return Address

The fee to obtain a name based background check is $16.

Professional background checks are generally fingerprint based checks done for employment, licensing, firearms, housing, insurance, elderly care positions, child care positions, volunteer positions with at-risk populations and more.

Although you may need to submit to a background check for one of the aforementioned purposes, those employers and organizations must abide by the federal and state laws that enforce protections against discrimination and fraud.

For example, employers cannot access an applicant’s criminal history until an interview has already been scheduled, per Illinois ban the box law.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the Illinois Department of Human Rights or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to file a complaint. If a professional background check was conducted on you by a background reporting company without your consent you should contact the Federal Trade Commission.

Lake County government agencies do not offer the public with professional background check services. The Illinois State Police, however, does offer complete professional background check services.

The fingerprint based background check requires a subject’s consent. Employers and agencies must complete a Form ISP6-406B in addition to having a subject submit fingerprints through one of the state fingerprint vendors.

The fee for employees is $15 for Illinois state criminal records and $19.25 for FBI records. The fee for volunteers is $15 for Illinois state criminal records and $15.25 for FBI records. Fingerprint cards are $20.

Both name based and fingerprint based forms with the ISP must be forwarded to:

Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
260 N. Chicago St.
Joliet, IL 60432

How To Check Criminal Records in Illinois via State & Federal Agencies

When searching county or local government agencies for criminal records does not yield the results you need, you can broaden your scope by going to state and federal departments to find details of criminal histories in Illinois.

Often, state or federal agencies have more resources for compiling records into online databases than county or local ones. See the state and federal resources below for more information on Illinois public records:

• The Illinois State Police collects and maintains all criminal history conviction information. Illinois state law permits this information to be available for public disclosure.
• The Illinois Department of Corrections provides the public with an individual in custody search. This tool allows users to search via name, inmate number, or date of birth. Interested persons will be able to see an inmate’s mugshot, physical description, charges, prison sentence, and prison location.
• The Illinois State Police also maintains a sex offender registry that identifies all persons convicted of sex offenses.¹²
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides the public with historical data of persons convicted of federal crimes and placed in a federal prison. The results inform users of where an inmate is located and their release date or status.
• The Department of Justice maintains a federal sex offender registry search for all 50 states. This database is for individuals convicted of federal sex crimes.

How To Access Information on Lake County Court Documents & Cases (Illinois)

When searching for Lake County judicial records the first place to start is with the Circuit Court.

The Lake County Circuit Court has jurisdiction over all state level trial cases, including criminal felony and misdemeanor, civil, family, traffic, and probate cases. The Circuit Court’s Public Access System gives members of the general public a free Lake County case search to view information on all court cases filed or resolved in the county.

The Lake County Circuit Court Clerk of Court maintains these records. Most records are public and available for viewing by any member of the public. However, there are some restrictions per the Lake County public policy.

To obtain copies of court documents and records, call 847-377-3211. The main office of the Circuit Court’s Clerk of Court is located at 18 N. County St., Waukegan, IL 60085. You can find the location for the other branches in the “Determine if Someone Has a History of Crime in Lake County” section above.

When cases from the Circuit Court are appealed, they are heard by the Appellate Court Second District.¹³ When cases are appealed from the Appellate Court, they are heard by the Illinois Supreme Court.

These cases are argued and decided in the form of opinions. These opinions can be found using the search tool provided by the Courts.

Opinions can be found by typing in keywords, like a person’s name. Because so few cases actually reach these courts, they also list the decided cases in order of most recent cases toward the bottom of the search page. Use the contact information below if you have questions about appellate cases:

Appellate Court Second District
55 Symphony Way
Elgin, Illinois 60120

Phone: 847.695.3750

Illinois Supreme Court Clerk – Chicago Office
Michael A. Bilandic Building
160 N. Lasalle St., 20th Fl
Chicago, Illinois 60601

Phone: 312.793.1332

Federal cases from Lake County are filed with the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois. The Clerk’s Office is who interested person’s should contact for access to federal court records and documents. The certified copy desk may be reached at 312.435.5699. Inquiries can also be made online. Records searches and certifications for court documents are $32 per name.

The federal court’s Clerk can be reached at 312.435.5670.

U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
Eastern Division
Dirksen U.S. Courthouse
219 South Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60604

Use the resources above to find out how to access Lake County court records.

How To Retrieve Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death Records in Lake County Illinois

Vital records pertain to birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce records.

Lake County public records are maintained by the County Clerk, including vital records, so you can check with the Clerk to view or obtain vital records.

The Clerk’s office maintains vital records that are 75 years or under. For records more than 75 years old, the genealogical records search is available to the public.

People check for vital records when they want to find out if someone is married, or to obtain proof of divorce. Finding out birth and death records help when researching heritage or genealogy, or when enrolling in school or filing for an inheritance.

Regardless of the reason for wanting to view or obtain vital records, the resources below will help any interested party know where to search, and understand the requirements for getting them.

Find Marital Information & Acquire Certificates via the Lake County Clerk or Illinois Department of Health

The Lake County Clerk is the local resource to use when you want to check if someone is married. By completing a marriage record request form, eligible persons can obtain certificates that are at least 75 years old.¹⁴

Lake County marriage records are not public record, and only select individuals may obtain a copy of one:

• Person named on the record
• Child of a person named on the record
• A family member
• Legal representative

After completing the form, eligible persons must include a valid ID or copy, and payment. Certified records are $10 for the first and $4 for each additional; non-certified records are $4, and a certificate of no record found is $1.50. Forms and accompanying ID and payment can be mailed or delivered in person to the Vital Records Department.

Lake County Clerk
Vital Records Department
18 North County St., Rm 101
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

Contact the Vital Records Department at 847.377.2411 or [email protected] for more information.

Lake County Vital Records Department does not issue divorce certificates, however, the County Clerk’s public access system allows inquirers to find out if someone has been divorced.

Divorces are called dissolutions of marriage in Lake County, and they are further divided into dissolutions with or without children. By searching an individual’s name, you can find out if the marriage has been dissolved by looking for the dissolution under case type in the search tool.

Additionally, citizens can order Lake County divorce records and marriage certificates through the Illinois Department of Health. Inquirers must fill out an application for marriage verification or application for dissolution of marriage, and attach a copy of a non expired government issued photo ID and $5 fee payable to:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
925 East Ridgely Avenue
Springfield, Illinois 62702

The application can be submitted in person or mailed to the above address, or faxed to 217.523.2648. The office is open to the public Monday – Friday 10:00am – 3:00pm.

Lastly, the state of Illinois endorses VitalChek, an online vital records platform. Click on the type of record you need and follow the prompts. There are several fees associated with this method.

Get Death & Birth Records via the Lake County Clerk or Illinois Department of Health

Public records in Lake County include both birth and death records, but these are considered protected and are not fully available to the public; instead, only certain individuals can obtain or view them, as outlined below.

You can obtain a certificate of birth if you are one of the following:

• Person named on the record and at least 18
• Parent of person named on the record
• Legal guardian
• Person with notarized authorization

Moreover, you can obtain a certificate of death if you are one of the following:

• Licensed attorney of decedent or estate
• Power of attorney
• Court appointed representative
• Person with notarized authorization

Fill out a birth record request form or death record request form, complete with an ID, or copy of an ID, and submit with payment to the Lake County Clerk Vital Records Department.¹⁵

The Illinois Department of Health also allows citizens to order birth certificates and death certificates. Persons interested in obtaining birth or certificates can order one in several different ways:

• Complete application for death record or application for birth record
• Pay fees: Death certificate $19 (long form certified), $10 uncertified; Birth certificate $15 (long form certified), $10 uncertified
• Mail application with government issued photo ID to the Illinois Department of Public Health, or fax application to 217.523.2648
• Order birth and death certificates online through VitalChek

As a recap, you can obtain Lake County vital records like marriage, birth, and death records through the County Clerk’s office. You can view whether someone has been divorced by checking the Lake County public access system. And you can obtain marriage, divorce, birth, and death records through the Illinois Department of Public Health.

How To Figure Out Who Owns a Property in Lake County Illinois (Free Access)

When searching Lake County public records to find out who owns property, the best place to start is with the County Treasurer’s Office.

They provide the public with a free basic address search where users can find out not only who owns property, but all tax, and assessor information on the property.

The search tool works by inputting a person’s first or last name, or address, or parcel ID. If you don’t know a property’s parcel ID, use the Lake County GIS interactive map.¹⁷

Users can zoom onto a property, or type in an address to find the 10 digit parcel number. Furthermore, once the parcel is located and selected, there are links to find out the property’s tax, historic, street view, and other additional information. If you are remotely tech savvy, this would likely be the best option for you.

Lastly, interested persons can check public records to find property information through the Lake County Recording Division. Users can search official land records for a subscription fee. The options are as follows:

• $5 for 1 day
• $50 for 30 days
• $285 for 180 days
• $540 for 360 days

Responsible Use of Lake County Public Records & Citizens’ Rights

It’s imperative to understand that public records and the information gleaned from them must be used or disseminated responsibly. Not only does it prevent bad actors from the abusing information they receive, but it may also prevent you from being held criminally liable.

Public records are available to anyone of age and for any personal reason. They don’t even require another person’s consent. They mostly just require FOIA requests, which are generally accepted and fulfilled.

However, they should never be used to harass, intimidate, discriminate, or coerce. Obtaining public records for personal reasons like safety, reassurance, or mere curiosity is ethical and lawful.

Running background checks for professional reasons carries with it additional protections, like the Employee Credit Privacy Act that prohibits employers from inquiring about a candidate’s credit history as part of the pre-employment assessment unless the job involves access to confidential financial information.

Alternatively, the Illinois Ban-The-Box law, which prevents public sector employers from inquiring into a candidate’s criminal history on the initial employment application.

If you believe an employer has used your information in an unlawful manner, contact the Illinois Human Rights Commission or the EEOC and file a complaint. Furthermore, when an employer conducts a background check on you without your consent, they have violated your rights under the FTC, and you should file a complaint.¹⁸

Use Lake County public records in ethical and responsible ways by following the guidance above and abiding by the laws of Illinois and the United States; furthermore, check out the Illinois public record search tutorial for statewide lookup guidance.