Can I sell a junk car in Chicago with only the registration?

Sometimes. Pick that answer on the form, and we'll say on the call whether the card clears the Illinois bar for a scrap sale.

What if I lost the registration card as well?

The Illinois Secretary of State issues a duplicate registration card for $3 through form VSD 190, by mail or at a facility. Or tell us what other papers you have.

What if the registration isn't enough?

If the car is titled in your name, apply for a duplicate title: $50 and about three to four weeks, or faster at some facilities with expedited service for $30 more.

What happens to my plates?

Take them off before the car is towed. If they leave on the car, form VSD 851 lets you ask the Secretary of State to revoke them.

Junking a car when you only have the registration

Only have the registration card? Junk Car Company can still help. Choose "I have registration only" on the form, and on the call we check whether the card is enough for your car under Illinois rules for scrap sales.

Free towing. Payment at the curb in cash or by app transfer. Often a same-day pickup.

Get an offer for your junk car

Can I junk a car with just the registration?

Tell us and we'll check. Choose "I have registration only" on Junk Car Company's form. Whether a registration card is enough is a question for Illinois scrap-sale rules, so we confirm it with you on the call. If it isn't, and the title was in your name, a $50 duplicate is the usual fix.

Why the form asks about registration separately

The title question on our form has a third answer, “I have registration only”, because it’s a common situation. The title went missing years ago, but the registration card has been riding in the glovebox the whole time. Picking that answer tells us before we call what you’re working with, so the call can get straight to whether it’s enough.

Check the card against the car

Pull the card out and look at two lines: the owner’s name and the VIN. The name should be yours. The VIN should match the car, which you can read through the windshield at the base of the driver’s side or on the door-jamb sticker. Mention on the call if the card has expired, too.

We won’t promise that a registration card alone is enough. The state’s rules settle that for scrap sales, and we’d rather tell you straight on the call than find out at the curb.

Lost the card too?

The Illinois Secretary of State’s FAQ lists the fee for a duplicate registration card as $3, requested with the Application for Vehicle Transaction(s), form VSD 190, by mail or at a Secretary of State facility. Or tell us what other papers you have, such as a bill of sale or an insurance card.

When the registration isn’t enough

If the car is titled in your name, the duplicate title is the clean fix. It costs $50, takes about three to four weeks once the Secretary of State receives the application, and some facilities offer expedited service for $30 more. The steps are in our lost title guide. Our main no-title page covers the other papers people bring.

Your plates stay with you

The card and the plates go together, and neither goes with the car. Unscrew the plates before the tow truck arrives. If the car has already left with them on, the Secretary of State’s Vehicle License Plates Revocation Request (VSD 851) lists “Vehicle towed/junked with license plates” as a reason to revoke them. Our guide to license plates after junking walks through the forms, and the Junk Car Company home page has the quote form.

Questions people ask

Can I sell a junk car in Chicago with only the registration?: Sometimes. Pick that answer on the form, and we'll say on the call whether the card clears the Illinois bar for a scrap sale.
What if I lost the registration card as well?: The Illinois Secretary of State issues a duplicate registration card for $3 through form VSD 190, by mail or at a facility. Or tell us what other papers you have.
What if the registration isn't enough?: If the car is titled in your name, apply for a duplicate title: $50 and about three to four weeks, or faster at some facilities with expedited service for $30 more.
What happens to my plates?: Take them off before the car is towed. If they leave on the car, form VSD 851 lets you ask the Secretary of State to revoke them.