Are Chicago city stickers transferable?

Only to another vehicle you own. The City Clerk transfers a sticker from a car you no longer own to your new car (a different VIN) for a minimum $20 fee. Stickers are not transferable between people or companies.

Can I get a refund on my city sticker if I junk my car?

Probably not. The City Clerk's FAQ says refunds are only for duplicate purchases or a sticker issued with invalid information.

Do I need a Chicago city sticker if I live in the suburbs?

No. The sticker is for Chicago residents using a vehicle in the city. Suburbs such as Oak Park, Cicero and Berwyn have their own vehicle licenses with their own rules.

Should I scrape the sticker off before the car is towed?

Keep it, or at least what's left of it. The Clerk asks for your old sticker, in any condition, when you transfer it to a new car.

Your Chicago city sticker after selling a car

What happens to my Chicago city sticker when I sell or junk my car?

When you sell or junk a car in Chicago, the city sticker stays yours, not the buyer's. You can transfer it to your next vehicle through the Office of the City Clerk for a minimum $20 fee, but not to another person, and refunds are rare. Cash For Junk Cars Westside Chicago LLC buys the car either way.

By Cash For Junk Cars Westside Chicago LLC. Last updated October 21, 2026.

Junking a car in Chicago leaves two loose ends: the license plates and the city sticker. The plates are simple (take them off). The sticker trips people up, because it isn’t tied to the car the way most people think.

Who needs a Chicago city sticker

“All Chicago residents using his or her vehicle in the City must have a Chicago City Vehicle Sticker, regardless of where the vehicle is registered,” according to the Office of the City Clerk. No sticker can mean a minimum $200 ticket, and tickets can be issued daily. A newly bought car has 30 days to get one.

That rule is about the resident, not the car. Which is why the sticker doesn’t go with the car when you sell it.

What happens to the sticker when the car is gone

From the City Clerk’s sticker FAQ:

It stays with you. “City Stickers are NOT transferable between individuals or companies.” A buyer driving with the previous owner’s sticker can be fined.
You can move it to your next car. When you give up ownership of one vehicle and get another with a different VIN, the Clerk can transfer the sticker. Dealers, the Department of Finance and third-party sellers don’t do transfers.
Bring the old sticker. The Clerk asks for “your old City Sticker, regardless of its conditions,” your registration ID card and proof of the new car’s purchase date, such as a bill of sale.
There’s a fee. A minimum of $20 when the license type doesn’t change. If the old sticker expires in less than two months, renewal fees are due at the transfer.
Refunds are narrow. Only for duplicate purchases, or when the Clerk finds a sticker was issued with invalid information.

So for a junk car, the practical options are to transfer the sticker to the car you’re replacing it with, or to let it lapse with the old car.

A simple checklist on pickup day

Peel or cut out the sticker if you plan to transfer it. Torn is fine; the Clerk takes it in any condition.
Take off your license plates. They belong to you, not the buyer.
Keep the bill of sale or receipt from the junk sale with the date on it.
Find your registration card for the transfer.
Cancel the insurance once the car is no longer yours.

Residential parking zones and the sticker

If you live in a permit-parking zone, your zone permit is printed on the City Sticker and “expires at the same time as the City Vehicle Sticker on which it was printed,” per the Clerk’s residential zone FAQ. Adding a zone costs $35 a year, prorated. If you transfer your sticker to a new car, ask about the zone at the same time.

Expired sticker on a junk car

A car with an expired sticker can still be sold. What the lapse does is make the car a ticket target while it sits on the street, alongside the city’s other rules for cars that don’t move. A late sticker carries a $60 late fee after the 30-day grace period, and tickets can start on day 16. If a stack of unpaid tickets has led to a boot, read selling a booted car in Chicago before anything else.

If the car belonged to someone who has died, the sticker is the smallest part of it. Start with selling a deceased relative’s car in Illinois. For the pickup itself, see free junk car removal.

Questions people ask

Are Chicago city stickers transferable?: Only to another vehicle you own. The City Clerk transfers a sticker from a car you no longer own to your new car (a different VIN) for a minimum $20 fee. Stickers are not transferable between people or companies.
Can I get a refund on my city sticker if I junk my car?: Probably not. The City Clerk's FAQ says refunds are only for duplicate purchases or a sticker issued with invalid information.
Do I need a Chicago city sticker if I live in the suburbs?: No. The sticker is for Chicago residents using a vehicle in the city. Suburbs such as Oak Park, Cicero and Berwyn have their own vehicle licenses with their own rules.
Should I scrape the sticker off before the car is towed?: Keep it, or at least what's left of it. The Clerk asks for your old sticker, in any condition, when you transfer it to a new car.