The papers, entries, records and ordinances, or parts thereof, of any city, village, town or county, may be proved by a copy thereof, certified under the signature of the clerk or the keeper thereof, and the corporate seal, if there is any; if not, under his or her signature and private seal.
8-1203.Municipal records.
Article VIII. Evidence · Part 12. Records and Patents · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceLocal government papers, entries, records, and ordinances may be proved by a copy certified by the clerk or keeper under the entity's corporate seal, or under signature and private seal if no corporate seal exists.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/8-1203
Plain-English Summary
This section extends the certified-copy method of Section 8-1202 to local government records: the papers, entries, records, and ordinances, or parts of them, of any city, village, town, or county.
The clerk or keeper of the records certifies the copy. If the entity has a corporate seal, that seal is used along with the certifying signature; if it has none, the certificate proceeds under the clerk's or keeper's signature and private seal instead.
This works together with Section 8-1205's requirement that the certificate itself state whether a seal exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What local government records can be proved under this section?
The papers, entries, records, and ordinances, or parts of them, of any city, village, town, or county.
Who certifies the copy?
The clerk or the keeper of the records.
What seal is used if the municipality has a corporate seal?
The corporate seal, together with the clerk's or keeper's signature.
What happens if there is no corporate seal?
The copy is certified under the clerk's or keeper's signature and private seal.
Does this section cover partial ordinances, or only complete ones?
It covers ordinances or parts of them, so a certified excerpt qualifies.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-707.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: proving municipal ordinances illinois courtcertified copy city records illinoiscounty records evidence illinois