Three kinds of paper, three different situations
Most junk cars come with an ordinary Illinois title. A few don’t, and the three we hear about most around Riverdale are:
| Paper | What it means | Can it be sold for junk? |
|---|---|---|
| Title from another state | The car was titled by Indiana or elsewhere | Often, yes; Illinois accepts a “similarly acceptable out-of-state document of ownership” in junk sales |
| Salvage certificate | The car was declared a total loss or damaged past the legal limit | Yes, a salvage certificate is one of the ownership documents a scrap buyer can take |
| Rebuilt title | A salvage car that was repaired and passed inspection | Yes, it’s a title like any other for a junk sale |
The rules behind that table come from the Illinois Vehicle Code: the junking and salvage section (625 ILCS 5/3-117.1), the junk vehicle notice section (3-117.2) and the scrap processor records section (5-401.3).
A title from another state: check the address on it
Riverdale is a short drive from the Indiana line, so this comes up. Someone buys a car in Indiana, or moves here with a car still titled where they used to live.
Here is the part people miss. Under 625 ILCS 5/3-101, a title issued by another state that shows an Illinois address for the owner has to be converted to an Illinois title before the owner can transfer the vehicle. So:
- Another state’s title, with a non-Illinois address: tell us the state and we’ll look at it on the call.
- Another state’s title, with your Illinois address: it may need converting first. Ask the Secretary of State’s office about it before pickup day so the sale isn’t held up.
If that title has gone missing entirely, the duplicate comes from the state that issued it, not from Illinois.
Salvage certificates: what they mean for a junk sale
Illinois issues a salvage certificate in several situations. The common ones:
- An insurance company paid a total loss claim. The insurer is then treated as the owner, and the certificate is issued in the insurer’s name. The exception: by agreement, the registered owner can keep a vehicle that’s 9 model years old or older, or one with only hail damage that doesn’t affect safety. Our guide on what to do when insurance totals your car goes through that choice.
- Flood damage over half the car’s value. The certificate carries the word “flood”.
- Repossessed or fleet vehicles damaged past half their value.
A salvage certificate in your name is a valid document for a junk sale. A salvage or junk car can’t legally be driven on Illinois roads, so it has to be towed; ours is free.
Rebuilt titles
A rebuilt title belongs to a car that went through salvage, was repaired and passed a state inspection. For a junk sale it works like a normal title: you sign it over at the truck. The “rebuilt” history doesn’t stop us buying it.
Local notes
Paperwork questions take time, and village clocks keep running while you sort them. Calumet Park mails a 7-day notice before it tows an inoperable car, and in South Holland an inoperable car can’t be kept on any property, even your own. If a notice is already on the windshield, call us first and settle the title question on the same call.
Next step
On the form, answer “Yes” to the title question if you hold a title or salvage certificate from any state, and we’ll ask which one when we call. Or ring us and read out the state and the name on the title. We’ll say plainly whether it works before anyone drives out.