Where do I get my newborn’s birth certificate?
Great News! The Cook County Clerk has taken over the birth/death recording duty of the Chicago Department of Health. Now all birth and death records for Chicago and Cook County are available through one office. Birth certificates may be obtained online, by phone, by mail or in person.
What does the Senior Freeze Exemption do?
The Senior Freeze Exemption allows qualified senior citizens to apply for a freeze of the equalized assessed value (EAV) of their properties for the year preceding the year in which they first apply and qualify for this exemption.
To qualify for the taxable year 2009, you must meet all these requirements:
• Be born prior to, or in the year 1944,
• Have a total gross household income of no more than $55,000 for 2008,
• Own the property, or have a legal, equitable or leasehold interest in the property on 1/1/07 and 1/1/08
• Be liable for the payment of 2008 and 2009 property taxes, and
• Use the property as a principal place of residence on January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2009.
What is a P.I.N. and where do I find it?
A P.I.N. is a Property Index Number. This number is used to identify your property for assessment and tax purposes. You may find your PIN by address on the Cook County Assessor’s website in the property search engine.
Why aren’t my exemptions listed on my property tax bill?
Exemptions such as Homeowner’s, Senior and Senior Freeze are only available on the second installment property tax bill which is received in the fall. The first installment does not reflect these exemptions.
How is the Retail Sales Tax distributed?
The total retail sales tax in the City of Chicago is 9.75%, 6.25% goes to the State of Illinois, 1.75% goes to the City of Chicago, 1.25% goes to Cook County and 1.00% goes to the Regional Transit Authority.
How often do I have to fill out property tax exemption forms?
Exemption forms must be renewed on a yearly basis.
Can I pay my traffic ticket online?
Yes, the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court website allows you to pay your tickets online.
What does the County do?
• Provides health services through Stroger Hospital and a network of 23 community-based clinics.
• Operates the largest criminal and civil court system in the world and the largest single-site jail in the country.
• Maintains the Cook County Forest Preserves, one of the largest open space systems in the world, with over 67,700 acres, 10 golf courses, over 200 miles of multi-use trails, as well as swimming pools, toboggan runs, lakes and the world renowned Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden.
• Provides municipal services such as policing and zoning for unincorporated areas and maintains nearly 600 miles of roads.
What does the Cook County Board of Commissioners do?
- The Cook County Board of Commissioners is the legislative body for Cook County, whose 5.4 million residents make it the second most populous county in the country.
- The County Board oversees the County’s 23,000 employees and is responsible for its $2.4 billion annual budget.
- The Board also serves as the board of the Cook County Forest Preserve.
- It levies taxes, passes ordinances and approves all county purchases over $10,000.
- The County Board exercises control over other elected officials through passage of their budgets and approval of bond issues, contracts and special large expenditures.
How can I find out if I live in the 2nd District?
For the suburban areas, the county provides health, economic development and environmental control services.
You can find out by visiting the Chicago Board of Elections Website.
What do I need in order to obtain a Passport?
There are different requirements if you are a first time or renewal applicant. Please visit the U.S. Department of State to see which requirements apply to you.
Can I get a passport from a County office?
Yes. The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court offers passport services. To learn more about what is required please visit the Cook County Clerk’s website.
