What paperwork do I need to sell a junk car to a yard in Illinois?

Proof of ownership, usually the title, and two forms of ID, one of them a driver's license or state ID. Illinois scrap processors may not acquire a vehicle without documentary proof of ownership.

Do junkyards in Illinois need a license?

Yes. Automotive parts recyclers and scrap processors need a license from the Secretary of State, and anyone acquiring five or more vehicles a year to scrap them must be license-holding as a parts recycler.

Does it matter whether I junk the car or scrap it?

For most sellers it doesn't matter which word you use. What matters is who gives you a fair number, who handles the tow, and if you're paid before the car leaves.

Junkyard vs junk car buyer

Is a junkyard the same as a scrap yard?

Not quite. A junkyard, which Illinois law calls an automotive parts recycler, buys vehicles mainly to sell their parts, while a scrap yard processes metal. A junk car buyer such as Cash For Junk Cars Westside Chicago LLC comes to the car on the West Side, tows it free and pays at pickup.

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

Rusted, wrecked cars stacked several high in an outdoor yard.

Search “junkyard near me” and you’ll get a mix of parts yards, scrap metal processors, pick-your-part lots and buyers who come to you. They overlap, but they aren’t the same business, and the difference matters when your car doesn’t run.

What Illinois law calls them

The Illinois Vehicle Code uses its own terms:

Automotive parts recycler: “a person who is in the business of acquiring previously owned vehicles and vehicle parts for the primary purpose of disposing of parts of vehicles,” per 625 ILCS 5/1-105.3. This is what most people mean by a junkyard.
Scrap processor: the business that turns vehicles into metal. Under § 5-401.3, a scrap processor may not sell a vehicle or essential part as such, except engines, transmissions and powertrains, unless it holds another license.
Repairer: a business that returns a vehicle to operating condition, under § 1-171.3.

Both recyclers and scrap processors need a Secretary of State license under § 5-301, and nobody may acquire five or more used vehicles a year for scrap without one. Crushing or dismantling with machinery is allowed only at the license-holding location.

Be aware that Chicago’s municipal code uses “junk vehicle” for something else entirely: a truck used to haul junk, under MCC 9-4-010.

How the options compare for a seller

	Parts junkyard	Scrap yard	Junk car buyer who picks up
Who moves the car	You drive or tow it in	You drive or tow it in	The buyer tows it, free with us
Main interest	Usable parts	Metal by weight	The whole car, as is
Works for non-running cars	Only if you can get it there	Only if you can get it there	Yes
Paperwork	Title or other proof of ownership, ID	Title or other proof, two IDs	Title or other proof, ID
When you’re paid	At the yard	At the scale	At pickup

The yard route can make sense if the car still drives safely and legally and you live close by. For a dead car on a West Side street, the tow alone can cost more than the difference. Remember that in Illinois a salvage or junk vehicle may not be driven on public roads at all.

Paperwork is the same either way

Illinois sets the same baseline for any license-holding buyer:

Proof of ownership. Scrap processors “shall not acquire a vehicle, junk vehicle or vehicle cowl” without a title, salvage certificate, junking certificate, junking manifest, certificate of purchase or similar proof, under § 5-401.3.
Identity. A scrap processor buying from someone without a license must verify identity from at least two sources, one a driver’s license or state ID, and record it on the weight ticket.
VIN check. Recyclers must inspect the public VIN before taking a used vehicle and can’t acquire one with a tampered VIN, under § 5-401.2.
Records. Licensees keep records of each vehicle, including the seller’s name and address and the price, for three years.

A buyer who doesn’t ask for any of this isn’t doing you a favor. It means there’s no record that you sold the car, which you want if tickets or tow bills show up later.

Which one fits

The car runs and is legal to drive, and you’re near a yard: a yard may work. Call first; not every yard buys every car.
It doesn’t run, has no plates, or is a salvage vehicle: use a buyer who picks up.
You want to sell parts yourself first: read parts or scrap before you start pulling things.

Whichever you choose, read why junk car offers change so you know which price changes are fair. For a car that’s basically metal now, see scrap cars.

Questions people ask

What paperwork do I need to sell a junk car to a yard in Illinois?: Proof of ownership, usually the title, and two forms of ID, one of them a driver's license or state ID. Illinois scrap processors may not acquire a vehicle without documentary proof of ownership.
Do junkyards in Illinois need a license?: Yes. Automotive parts recyclers and scrap processors need a license from the Secretary of State, and anyone acquiring five or more vehicles a year to scrap them must be license-holding as a parts recycler.
Does it matter whether I junk the car or scrap it?: For most sellers it doesn't matter which word you use. What matters is who gives you a fair number, who handles the tow, and if you're paid before the car leaves.