Selling or junking a car in Illinois, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Illinois Secretary of State (Vehicle Services) using Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190).
- Pay off any loan. If a lender is listed on the title, it must release the lien before the car can change hands. See our guide to junking a car with a lien.
- Sign the title over at pickup. You need your title to sell a car in Illinois. The seller signs the Assignment of Title section over to the buyer, with the printed and signed names of every seller and buyer and an odometer certification. The buyer then applies for a new title in their own name.
- Deal with your plates. Illinois plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle, so they can't go to the buyer. You can only transfer them to another vehicle you own.
- File the Seller's Report of Sale. Mail form VSD 703 to the Secretary of State as soon as you sell or transfer a car, to protect yourself from future responsibility for it. It doesn't transfer ownership; you still sign the title over to the buyer.
How to sign over a title in Illinois
You need your title to sell a car in Illinois. The seller signs the Assignment of Title section over to the buyer, with the printed and signed names of every seller and buyer and an odometer certification. The buyer then applies for a new title in their own name.
Official page: ilsos.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Illinois
If your title is lost, stolen or damaged, file form VSD 190 with the Duplicate Title box checked, by mail to Springfield or in person at a Secretary of State facility. Duplicates aren't issued within 15 days of an original title or 30 days of a previous duplicate. If a lien was paid off, include the lien release so the new title is issued without it.
- Form: Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190) — download
- Available online: no
- Official page: ilsos.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Seller's Report of Sale
Mail form VSD 703 to the Secretary of State as soon as you sell or transfer a car, to protect yourself from future responsibility for it. It doesn't transfer ownership; you still sign the title over to the buyer.
- Form: VSD 703
- Can be filed online: no
- Official page: ilsos.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
Plates stay with you, the seller, not the car. Illinois plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle, so they can't go to the buyer. You can only transfer them to another vehicle you own.
Source: ilsos.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Illinois
Licensed scrap processors file a Junk Vehicle Notification (VSD 325) for each vehicle they take in, and it must come with a properly assigned title, salvage certificate or similar ownership document. In practice, that means you'll usually need your title to scrap a car in Illinois.
Official page: ilsos.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Illinois
We didn't find an official Illinois page describing a no-title option, so the safest route is to request a duplicate first. Our guide to junking a car without a title covers the general options buyers may accept.
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Illinois title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Illinois?
If your title is lost, stolen or damaged, file form VSD 190 with the Duplicate Title box checked, by mail to Springfield or in person at a Secretary of State facility. Duplicates aren't issued within 15 days of an original title or 30 days of a previous duplicate. If a lien was paid off, include the lien release so the new title is issued without it. The form is Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190).
Do I need to notify Illinois when I sell or junk my car?
Illinois uses the Seller's Report of Sale. Mail form VSD 703 to the Secretary of State as soon as you sell or transfer a car, to protect yourself from future responsibility for it. It doesn't transfer ownership; you still sign the title over to the buyer.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Illinois?
Illinois plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle, so they can't go to the buyer. You can only transfer them to another vehicle you own.
Can I junk a car without a title in Illinois?
It depends on the car and the buyer. The simplest route is usually to request a duplicate title first. Our guide to junking a car without a title explains the general options.
Official sources
- Illinois Secretary of State (Vehicle Services) — homeilsos.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titleilsos.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190))ilsos.gov
- Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190) formilsos.gov
- Seller's Report of Saleilsos.gov
- License plates after a saleilsos.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesilsos.gov
Summarized from official Illinois government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Illinois Secretary of State (Vehicle Services) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.