Illinois, Monroe County
Where Columbia's records are kept. Columbia has its own city government, clerk's office and police department; county and state offices keep its other public records.
Start here
The cards below include Columbia's own offices, along with State of Illinois offices; the Monroe County offices are on our Monroe County page. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
Police & jail
Illinois' state prison agency, with links to the Individual in Custody Search, victim notification, wanted fugitives, sex offender information and Freedom of Information Act requests.
Open official site Illinois Department of CorrectionsState records
The Illinois State Archives in Springfield keeps state government records and offers online databases, digital collections and research visits for historical and genealogy work.
Open official site Illinois State ArchivesCounty court
Covers southern Illinois from the Melvin Price Federal Courthouse in East St. Louis and a second office in Benton, posting opinions, court calendars, local rules, general orders and forms.
Open official site U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of IllinoisCounty court
Official site of the Illinois Judicial Branch, with Supreme and Appellate Court news and opinions, a Find Your Court guide to each county, e-FileIL information and Re:SearchIL for documents filed through eFileIL.
Open official site Illinois CourtsVital records
Handles mailed requests for Illinois birth and death records, which take about 12 weeks; death records go only to people with a personal or property interest, and marriage copies come from county clerks.
Open official site Illinois Department of Public Health Division of Vital RecordsPolice & jail
Keeps Illinois criminal history records tied to more than five million fingerprint files; people review or challenge their own record through a Live Scan Access and Review request, and the Joliet office requires appointments.
Open official site Illinois State Police Bureau of IdentificationPolice & jail
Names people wanted on fugitive warrants issued at the request of the Illinois Department of Corrections; tips about where they are go to a toll free line, and information from the public stays confidential.
Open official site Illinois Department of Corrections Wanted FugitivesPolice & jail
The Illinois State Police posts every sex offender required to register, except adjudicated juveniles, with name, birth date and address, and maps murderer and violent offender against youth registrants as well.
Open official site Illinois State Police Sex Offender RegistrationFederal
U.S. Census Bureau fact table for Columbia city, Illinois: current population estimates plus age, sex, housing, income and business figures drawn from the 2020 Census, American Community Survey and Economic Census.
Open official site U.S. Census Bureau QuickFactsState records
Columbia's city site handles permits, licenses and inspections, online portals and payments, concern reports and bid opportunities, and posts agendas, minutes, maps and the municipal code. City offices: 208 S Rapp.
Open official site City of ColumbiaState records
Administration of public records 208 South Rapp Ave. Columbia, IL 62236 Phone: (618) 281-7144 ext. 116
Open official site Columbia City ClerkPolice & jail
Law enforcement services 1020 North Main Street Columbia, IL 62236 Phone: 618-281-5151 Fax: 618-281-6644
Open official site Columbia Police DepartmentEverything else, organized
13 more Columbia sources not listed above.
Local record guide
Local profile
Columbia, a place of 10,999 people, is in Monroe County, whose county seat is Waterloo. Court and property records sit with Monroe County, and birth and death certificates come from the State of Illinois. Columbia's own offices are in the cards above, and our Monroe County page lists each county office.
Labor Department file
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division closed 14 investigations with a Columbia address since fiscal 2005 and recorded $48,979 in back wages agreed for 23 workers. Snapshot of April 22, 2026; a case here is a finding by the Division, not a court judgment, and the city is the one written on the employer's record.
| Employer | Cases | Back wages | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Rehabilitation & Nursing Center LLC | 1 | $35,162 | 11 |
| Columbia Community Unit Schoo District No. 14 | 1 | $5,948 | 1 |
| Dr. Anil Gupta M.D. | 1 | $4,369 | 10 |
| Stuckmeyer Farms, Inc. | 4 | $0 | 0 |
| Luhr Bros, Inc. | 2 | $0 | 0 |
| Linmax Corp. | 1 | $0 | 0 |
| Columbia Community Unit School District #4 | 1 | $0 | 0 |
| O'Connor Contracting, Inc. | 1 | $0 | 0 |
Every employer whose address on the record is in Columbia, by back wages agreed; 3 employers have a page of their own and open from the table, the rest show their whole record in this row. The Illinois wage theft records page ranks the whole state.
Straight answers
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Voter registration in Illinois is run by the Illinois State Board of Elections and local election officials. Its site lists the registration deadline, online voter registration, polling places and the local election office for Columbia.
Deeds for property in Columbia are recorded by the Monroe County office that records deeds, and the county office that assesses property keeps the tax values. Our Monroe County page lists the county offices.
The Columbia community relies on its vital services, such as the local fire department and police department, to ensure the safety and welfare of its residents. The Columbia Fire Department, [http://www.columbiaillinois.com/Directory.aspx?did=6](http://www.columbiaillinois.com/Directory.aspx?did=6), provides emergency response and fire prevention services, while the Columbia Police Department, [http://www.columbiaillinois.com/Directory.aspx?did=2](http://www.columbiaillinois.com/Directory.aspx?did=2), is responsible for law enforcement and maintaining public order.
Businesses that operate in Columbia register with the Illinois Secretary of State, which runs the state business entity search. A local business license, where Columbia requires one, comes from the town or Monroe County.