Selling a junk or parked-too-long car in Oak Forest

Two ways a car becomes a junk vehicle

Section 132.11 gives two tests. The first Oak Forest rule covers "any vehicle which is without a current valid license, and/or is in a wrecked, dismantled, partly dismantled, inoperative, or junked condition." The second covers a car left unmoved for seven days or more, or one damaged or missing its engine, wheels or other parts that long.

The city declares all such vehicles a nuisance. Ignoring a notice to dispose of one brings the fines in Section 10.99 of the code. The rule does not apply to:

• any vehicle "kept within a building"
• properly licensed, operable historic vehicles over 25 years old
• cars on the lot of a business that wrecks or stores them

When the plow comes through

Section 73.08 is the street rule to know in a snowy month. Parking on a public street is banned "within 12 hours after a snowfall of two inches or more," except where the snow is already cleared. Posted snow routes are plowed first, but the code says "all city streets are equally subject to this section." The Chief of Police can have any car that blocks the plows removed. A car that will not start cannot move out of the way, so it should not be on the street when snow is coming.

If it has been towed

To get a car out of the pound, Section 132.11 has you "furnish evidence of ownership or right to possession" and pay the towing and storage costs. Under Section 70.41, when a penalty, towing and storage charges in the city's seizure process go unpaid for 80 days, the car can be deemed abandoned and disposed of. See towed or impounded for what to do next.

What Illinois asks of the seller

Illinois titles are issued by the Secretary of State, not by Cook County. In Oak Forest, owners visit a Secretary of State facility or request one from Springfield by mail. Before you sign, check the state's FAQ: the seller must have the title and sign it in the Assignment of Title area. Every seller and buyer has to sign and print a name, and the odometer certification gets filled in. Both federal and state law say so. The state's seller steps add no notary.

Next, take off the plates. Oak Forest plates remain yours, and a buyer can't drive on them. After an Oak Forest sale, mail VSD 703 to the Secretary of State soon. The title's Notice of Sale stub works too. An Oak Forest seller should keep a bill of sale that shows the sale date and price.

A car parked for years often has a lapsed registration. State law charges a single $20 delinquent renewal fee, and only when the renewal arrives more than a month late. Lost the title while the car sat? No duplicate is issued inside 15 days of an original, or inside 30 days of an earlier duplicate. Car sitting for years covers the rest.

Close to Oak Forest

In straight lines, Tinley Park is 3.7 miles away, Blue Island 5.1 and Orland Park 5.5: Tinley Park, Blue Island, Orland Park. The full state rules are on Illinois.

Getting an offer

For an Oak Forest car, call (877) 421-6008 or start the form. Say how long it has sat. Pickup works from a driveway, a garage or a lot along Cicero Avenue.