A search for the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson in the decay channel $H \rightarrow ZZ^{(∗)} \rightarrow 4l$ with each 𝑍 boson decaying to an electron or muon pair is presented using $pp$ collisions from the LHC at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of $1.66 \pm 0.07$ fb^-1 recorded by the CMS detector in 2010 and 2011. The search covers Higgs boson mass $(m_{\text{H}})$ hypotheses of $110 < m_{\text{H}} < 600$ GeV/c². Twenty-one events are observed, while $21.2 \pm 0.8$ events are expected from Standard Model (SM) background processes. The events are not clustered in mass excluding interpretation as the SM Higgs boson and its $(4l)$ mass distribution is consistent with the expectation of SM continuum production of $ZZ^{(∗)}$ pairs. Upper limits at 95% CL on the cross-section × branching ratio for a SM Higgs boson with SM like decays exclude cross-sections from about once to twice the expected SM cross-section for masses in the range of $150 < m_{\text{H}}< 420$ GeV/c².