Do I have to retitle the car in Illinois before I junk it?

Not as a general rule for a junk sale. You sell on the title you hold, signed the way the issuing state asks. Tell us which state issued it and we confirm before booking a pickup.

My out-of-state title is lost. Can Illinois give me a copy?

No. Only the state that issued a title can issue a duplicate of it. Apply to that state's motor vehicle office, then call us once you have it.

The other state branded the title salvage or junk. Will you still buy it?

Yes, we buy branded cars. A salvage brand means it was a total loss; a junk brand means it can't be titled again. Illinois law treats a vehicle branded junk by another state as a junk vehicle.

What do I do with the other state's license plates?

Take them off before the car leaves. What happens next is up to the state that issued them, so check its rules on returning or canceling plates.

Selling a junk car with an out-of-state title in Illinois

Can you junk a car in Illinois with a title from another state?

Usually, yes. A title from another state is still proof of ownership, and Illinois rules for license-holding recyclers expect paperwork from other states. Cash For Junk Cars Westside Chicago LLC buys junk cars titled elsewhere across the West Side; you sign the title the way the issuing state requires, and we check it on the call.

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

Chicago is full of cars that came from somewhere else. Someone moves from Indiana or Wisconsin for a job, a student drives in from three states away, a relative leaves a car registered back home. The car dies here, and the title in the drawer was issued by another state.

That’s common, and in most cases it doesn’t block a junk sale.

A title is a title

When a license-holding recycler buys a vehicle, Illinois law asks it to hold proof of ownership, and the list in 625 ILCS 5/5-401.2(f) includes a certificate of title, salvage or junking certificates, a uniform invoice and an out-of-state bill of sale, among other papers. Paperwork from other states is expected, not unusual.

What you sign is the title you have. Each state lays out its own assignment section, so follow the form:

Every owner named on the front signs as a seller. If two names are joined by “and,” both usually sign.
Fill in the odometer section if the title has one.
Leave the buyer section for pickup day, and don’t sign it over to anyone in advance. In Illinois, holding a title without a complete assignment is itself an offense under 625 ILCS 5/4-104, so the buyer’s name goes on at the sale, not before.

Tell us the state on the call. We look at how that state’s title is signed over and confirm before a truck is booked.

The situations we see most

Situation	What to do first
You moved to Illinois and never retitled the car	Sell on the out-of-state title in your name. Have your ID ready.
The out-of-state title is lost	Ask the issuing state for a duplicate. Illinois can’t issue one for another state’s title.
A lender in another state still holds the title	Pay off the loan and get the release. The steps are in selling with a lien.
The car belonged to a relative who died	The estate rules follow where the owner lived; see selling a deceased relative’s car.
The title is branded salvage or junk by another state	We still buy it. See the section on branded titles below.
The car has papers from outside the United States	Call first. That’s a different question, and we’d rather check than guess.

If the out-of-state title is lost

Only the state that issued a title can replace it. Illinois can issue duplicates of Illinois titles, but not of a Wisconsin or Indiana one. Go to the issuing state’s motor vehicle agency (most take duplicate applications by mail or online) and ask what they need from an owner who now lives in Illinois.

If that’s not practical, tell us what papers you do have. Our page on selling a car without a title explains why Illinois law makes us ask and what we check.

Salvage, rebuilt and junk brands from other states

States brand titles differently, but the meaning travels:

Salvage means an insurer or owner declared the vehicle a total loss. In Illinois, a salvage vehicle may not be driven on the roads, under 625 ILCS 5/3-117.1. That’s usually why it needs a tow.
Rebuilt means it was salvage and then passed the issuing state’s process to go back on the road.
Junk (some states say “non-repairable”) means it’s for parts or scrap only. Illinois defines a junk vehicle to include one “branded junk by another state,” per 625 ILCS 5/1-134.1.

We buy all three. For how the Illinois versions of these papers compare, read junking certificates and salvage titles in Illinois.

Plates from another state

The plates are yours, not the car’s. Take them off before the car leaves. Whether you mail them back, turn them in or simply cancel the registration is up to the state that issued them, so check its rules once the sale is done.

Before you call

Have the title in front of you, note which state issued it, and check whether a lienholder is printed on it. Then send the form on this page or call (872) 356-9799. Tell us the state first; it shapes the rest of the call.

Questions people ask

Do I have to retitle the car in Illinois before I junk it?: Not as a general rule for a junk sale. You sell on the title you hold, signed the way the issuing state asks. Tell us which state issued it and we confirm before booking a pickup.
My out-of-state title is lost. Can Illinois give me a copy?: No. Only the state that issued a title can issue a duplicate of it. Apply to that state's motor vehicle office, then call us once you have it.
The other state branded the title salvage or junk. Will you still buy it?: Yes, we buy branded cars. A salvage brand means it was a total loss; a junk brand means it can't be titled again. Illinois law treats a vehicle branded junk by another state as a junk vehicle.
What do I do with the other state's license plates?: Take them off before the car leaves. What happens next is up to the state that issued them, so check its rules on returning or canceling plates.