Cash for Junk Cars in Chicago, IL
A junk car in Chicago rarely gets to sit quietly — street parking, winter parking restrictions and the City's abandoned-vehicle rules all put a clock on it. Describe yours once and screened buyers who cover Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will and Kane counties send competing offers. The buyer you choose tows it free and pays you at pickup.
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Junk Car Pickup Around Chicago
Buyers on Reap My Ride cover Chicago and the surrounding Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane counties. If your town isn't listed, enter your ZIP — the form confirms which buyers cover it.
- Chicago
- Maple Park
- Hinsdale
- Arlington Heights
- Elgin
- Burbank
- Schaumburg
- Hoffman Estates
- Evanston
- Melrose Park
- Joliet
- Oak Park
- Lombard
- Darien
- Monee
- Gurnee
Most common locations in Chicago-area quote requests, Jul 2025–Aug 2026.
What Chicago Junk Cars Sold For
- 1996 Honda Civic · Chicago$510
- 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis · Oak Park$500
- 2003 Honda Pilot · Chicago$550
- 2004 Ford F-150 · Cicero$725
- 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer · Chicago$560
- 2006 Nissan Murano · Evanston$560
- 2007 Lexus IS 250 · Chicago$515
- 2009 Chrysler Town & Country · Naperville$550
- 2009 Subaru Forester · Chicago$520
- 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class · Chicago$1,065
- 2012 Cadillac SRX · Oak Park$710
- 2012 Ford E-Series · Chicago$550
- 2013 Buick Verano · Evanston$965
- 2014 BMW 7-Series · Chicago$2,115
- 2014 Chevrolet Malibu · Cicero$975
- 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid · Chicago$1,680
- 2015 Cadillac ATS · Naperville$1,200
- 2016 Ford Escape · Chicago$1,480
- 2017 Ford Escape · Evanston$1,430
- 2018 Nissan Altima · Chicago$1,485
- 2020 Hyundai Tucson · Chicago$4,710
Individual completed sales through Reap My Ride in the Chicago area. Recent sales; dates not recorded.
Chicago's abandoned and hazardous dilapidated vehicle rules
Under Chicago's Municipal Code, a car on a public way counts as abandoned if it's in such disrepair that it can't be driven, or if it hasn't been moved or used for more than seven consecutive days and appears deserted. A car left on the street without state registration or a temporary registration placard for two or more days qualifies too. Anyone can report one by calling 311.
A driveway or yard isn't a safe harbor. A "hazardous dilapidated" vehicle — one with so many essential parts damaged or removed that it can't run under its own power, or so deteriorated that it threatens public health and safety — can't be left in full view of the public, and police or Streets and Sanitation can ticket it and have it towed from public or private property. The fine is $75, and each day counts as a separate offense. Cars kept inside a building, inoperable historic vehicles more than 25 years old and cars at a wrecking or junking business are exempt.
The last registered owner is presumed responsible and owes the City's towing and storage charges, so selling before the car draws a ticket avoids all of it.
Sources: Chicago Municipal Code §9-80-110: abandoned vehicles · Chicago Municipal Code §9-4-010: definitions · Chicago Municipal Code §9-100-020: fines · City of Chicago: abandoned vehicles
If a junk car ends up at a Chicago auto pound
Some priority arterial streets in Chicago ban parking every day from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. between December 1 and April 1, whether or not there's snow — an easy way for a car that's waiting to be sold to get towed. A City tow costs $150, plus $25 a day in storage up to $1,000 (higher for vehicles of 8,000 lbs or more).
The pound holds a car for 21 days after the owner is notified, then it becomes eligible for auction or destruction; you can ask Streets and Sanitation for one 15-day extension. Most unclaimed cars go to a licensed recycler or scrap processor, and surrendering a car to the City doesn't cancel what you owe. To claim one you need proof of ownership — the title, current registration or a bill of sale dated within the last 30 days — and photo ID. If the bill is close to what the car is worth, selling before a tow is almost always cheaper than after.
Sources: City of Chicago: common towing questions · Chicago Department of Finance: relocated and towed vehicles · Chicago Municipal Code §9-92-100: unclaimed vehicles
Selling a junk car in Illinois: the paperwork
Sign the title over
Sign the seller's section of your Illinois title and fill in every field. The title has to be free of liens. Once a licensed recycler or scrap processor has the car and the title, the recycler — not you — applies to the Secretary of State for a junking certificate, and the car can never be retitled.
Remove your plates and stickers
The registration expires when you transfer the car. Take off the plates and stickers and either send them to the Secretary of State or keep them to transfer to another vehicle (transfer fees apply). Registration fees aren't refunded.
Keep a record of the sale
Keep a receipt or bill of sale showing the date, the buyer and the VIN, then cancel your insurance.
No title?
Illinois has no route for a private owner to sell a car to a recycler without a title, whatever the car's age. Apply for a duplicate from the Secretary of State with Form VSD 190 before you sell. The fee is $50.
Sources: 625 ILCS 5/3-501: plates on transfer · 625 ILCS 5/3-117.1: junking certificates · 625 ILCS 5/3-821: duplicate title fee · Illinois Secretary of State
What Is a Junk Car Worth in Chicago?
Recent Chicago-area sales through Reap My Ride ranged from $500 to $4,710, with a median of $725. Where your car lands depends on its weight, whether it runs, and whether the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still on it.
The metal floor follows the national scrap rate — $185 a ton in February 2026. Check yours with the scrap value calculator, or see how junk car prices work.
Selling a Junk Car in Chicago
Call (877) 451-4417Can I sell a junk car in Chicago without a title?
Not legally to a recycler. Illinois has no no-title route for private sellers, no matter how old the car is. Apply for a duplicate with Form VSD 190 ($50) first, then sell. See how to junk a car in Illinois or title replacement costs by state.
My car hasn't moved in a week. Can the City tow it?
On a public way, yes. Chicago treats a car that hasn't moved or been used for more than seven consecutive days and appears deserted as abandoned, and a car with no state registration counts after two days. A hazardous dilapidated vehicle can be ticketed and towed even from private property if it's in public view.
It's already at the auto pound. Should I get it out or sell it?
Compare the bill with what the car is worth. A City tow is $150 plus $25 a day in storage, and the pound can auction or destroy a car 21 days after notice — without cancelling what you owe. Check the metal value with the scrap value calculator before you pay to release it.
What do I do with my Illinois plates?
Take the plates and stickers off before the car leaves. Send them to the Secretary of State, or keep them to transfer to another vehicle. The registration expires when you transfer the car.
How long is an offer good for?
Offers are typically valid for 5 days, so you have time to compare them and get the title in order. Once you accept, you pick the pickup window and the buyer tows for free and pays you at pickup. See how it works.
Sell Your Junk Car in Chicago
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