Official
County court
Franklin County Criminal Information
Link to criminal warrants and information.
Open official site Franklin County Criminal InformationStart here
Most requested Franklin County records
Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
Official
Property records
Franklin County Property Assessor
Property assessment and other county real estate resources.
Open official site Franklin County Property Assessor
Official
City records
Franklin County Directory
Index of Franklin County's services and resources.
Open official site Franklin County Directory
Official
Federal
Franklin County Census Information
Quick, easy facts about people, business and geography.
Open official site Franklin County Census Information
Official
County court
Franklin County Circuit Judge
Second Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois.
Open official site Franklin County Circuit Judge
Official
Property records
Franklin County Tax Information
Review and obtain property taxes and more.
Open official site Franklin County Tax Information
Official
City records
Benton Public Library District
Benton Public Library District is a public library in Franklin County, open to the public with its catalogue, its online databases and the local collections it holds.
Open official site Benton Public Library District
Official
State records
Illinois State Board of Elections Voter Registration
Check whether you are registered to vote in Illinois, register online, and read the rules for registering in person, by mail, at driver's license facilities or with a deputy registrar.
Open official site Illinois State Board of Elections Voter Registration
Official
Property records
Franklin County Clerk and Recorder
Franklin County Clerk and Recorder, 901 Public Square, Benton, phone (618) 435-9800, files assumed business name certificates open to public inspection and explains the steps to register a business.
Open official site Franklin County Clerk and RecorderNothing in this category on this page.
Everything else, organized
More official Franklin County record sources
6 more Franklin County sources not listed above.
More county sources
- Franklin County Birth, Death and Marriage RecordsOfficial birth, death, marriage and other certificates from Franklin County.
- Franklin County Business InformationSearch for information for county businesses.
- Franklin County Driver's License & Motor Vehicle RegistrationGet driving license, ID card and vehicle license information.
- Franklin County SchoolsInformation for students and teachers.
- Franklin County NewspaperSearchable newspapers and archives.
- Franklin County Circuit Clerk's OfficeCivil Cases, records and information of General and Limited jurisdiction.
Local record guide
About public records in Franklin County
County profile
Franklin County at a glance
- State
- Illinois
- County seat
- Benton
- Population
- 37,804
- Area
- 431 sq mi
- Founded
- 1818
- Cities and towns
- 15
Franklin County offices and records
Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Franklin County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in the unincorporated areas of Franklin County.
Police Departments. In addition to Franklin County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments operate within Franklin County.
Law Enforcement & Arrests. Franklin County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 204 West Main Street in Benton, Illinois 62812, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Franklin County. Franklin County Jail, operated by the Sheriff's Office, houses inmates awaiting trial and those serving short-term sentences.
Criminal Records. Franklin County Circuit Clerk's Office maintains these records, while the Sheriff's Office handles arrest and booking information.
Arrest Records. Arrest records in Franklin County are maintained by Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records through the Sheriff's Office, often requiring a formal request or application.
Jail & Inmate Records. Inmate lookup is available through the Sheriff's Office, allowing family members and legal representatives to find information about current detainees.
Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Franklin County are taken and retained by Franklin County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office or online databases. While some third-party websites may offer mugshot searches, the most reliable source is the official county website or direct contact with the Sheriff's Office.
Abandoned mine records
Old mine workings in Franklin County
Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.
From the old mine records
What is on record in Franklin County
- Old mine sites
- 2
- Main minerals
- crushed stone; construction sand and gravel
- Holes drawn on the old survey maps
- 27
- Shafts and tunnels
- 17
- What they are
- mine shaft, sand pit, mine dump, air shaft
- Maps surveyed
- 1963 to 1998
- Sources
- USGS mineral file and USGS topographic mine features
Is an old working under a property here?
The mine records hold 2 named mine sites inside the county, 2 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 27 holes drawn inside the county, 17 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are crushed stone; construction sand and gravel.
A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. The Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund is a not for profit created by statute, not a state agency; the cover is bought through the homeowner insurer.
Illinois mine map and abandoned mine records
- ISGS Coal Mines in Illinois Viewer (ILMINES)Map of known underground and surface coal mines and underground industrial mines with an underground mine proximity area, built to show how close coal mines are to a home or business; links to the county coal map series, mine directories and coal mine maps.
- Illinois DNR Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation DivisionThe state program that reclaims pre law coal mine land and investigates subsidence; One Natural Resources Way, Springfield; the homeowner subsidence guide is at https://dnr.illinois.gov/mines/aml/subsidence.html.
- ISGS web applications (ILMINES, PLSS address lookup)The survey's interactive tools: ILMINES with coal company, mine name, mine number, years of operation and mine locations relative to homes, and a PLSS lookup that gives the township, range and section for an Illinois address.
- Illinois DNR subsidence guide and the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance FundThe homeowner guide on pit and sag subsidence (over 800,000 acres undermined for coal) says to contact the AML division and file a claim with the homeowner insurer, which notifies the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund, the statutory reinsurer behind the cover.
Named workings recorded in Franklin County (8 shown, 21 unnamed on the map)
- Old Ben No 21 MineMine Shaft | Sesser map, 1975
- Old Ben No 21 MineMine Shaft | Sesser map, 1975
- Old Ben No 24 MineMine Shaft | Rend Lake Dam map, 1975
- Old Ben No 26 MineMine Shaft | Sesser map, 1975
- Old Ben No 26 MineMine Shaft | Sesser map, 1975
- Orient No 5 MineMine Shaft | Thompsonville map, 1963
- Buchner Sand PitSand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer
- Limestone ProspectStone, Crushed/Broken | Occurrence
Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.
Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.
Straight answers
Franklin County public-records FAQs
Open only the answer you need.
Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Franklin County, Illinois?
Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Franklin County Sheriff or a city police department in Franklin County. Ask that agency for its record. Under 815 ILCS 505/2QQQ, anyone who publishes criminal record information, including photographs, may not charge a fee to remove, correct or modify it. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15(e), a law enforcement agency may not post booking photographs on its social networking site for civil, petty or business offenses or Class B and C misdemeanors, except to help find a missing person or a wanted person.
How do I get a criminal background check in Franklin County, Illinois?
The Illinois criminal history record comes from the Illinois State Police, Bureau of Identification. Under the Uniform Conviction Information Act, conviction information is public: request it by name with the UCIA name based request form or by fingerprints through a Live Scan vendor.
How can I look up sex offenders in Franklin County, Illinois?
Search the Illinois Sex Offender Registry (Illinois State Police), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.
How do I register to vote in Franklin County, Illinois?
Register with the county clerk, or the board of election commissioners where one exists (the local election authority) or through the Illinois State Board of Elections. You can also register online with the state online registration. Regular registration closes 27 days before Election Day and online registration 16 days before; grace period registration and voting run in person at designated sites from the 27th day before through Election Day.
How do I look up property records in Franklin County, Illinois?
Deeds and other recorded land documents in Franklin County are kept by the Franklin County Recorder of Deeds. Property values are set by the Township Assessor in township counties, or the County Supervisor of Assessments, and tax bills come from the County Treasurer, also called the County Collector. Source: official state page.
How do I get a birth or death certificate in Franklin County, Illinois?
Certified birth and death certificates for Illinois come from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records. You may contact the county clerk where the event occurred. By mail with a check or money order payable to IDPH to Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 110 W Lawrence Ave., Springfield, IL 62704-2610, or through the county clerk where the birth occurred. Fee: $10 for a certified copy (or $15 for a certified copy with the information collected at birth); $2 for each additional copy requested at the same time.
How do I find business license records in Franklin County, Illinois?
Business entity filings are searched with the Illinois Secretary of State, Business Services. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships using a business name other than the owners' legal names register it with the county clerk under the Assumed Name Act; some municipalities and counties impose their own taxes.
Same county
Cities, towns and neighboring counties
Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.