Selling a dead or junk car in Woodstock

Ten days outside

The code calls the car part of "said personalty." That term covers automobiles, trucks, trailers, motorcycles and "any part or parts thereof," along with tires, furniture and other junk. The trigger is broad. Anything "abandoned, discarded, unused, stripped, junked, wrecked, dismantled, scrapped, salvaged, not in running condition" qualifies once it has been out in the open for ten days.

After that, the owners must abate the nuisance "by the prompt removal of said personalty." Each day it stays is "a separate offense" for each of them. The only defense written into the section is land "lawfully zoned" as an "auto wrecking yard." A garage or other shelter keeps a car out of the rule, because it applies only to unenclosed storage.

When another person's car has been left on your land, see car abandoned on your property. If a notice has already arrived, notice to remove a car explains the next steps.

Impounded cars

Section 1.7L.16 lets the city add an administrative fee of up to $500 on top of towing and storage. The car stays put until every bit is paid, unless the hearing officer reverses the impoundment. A car left at the lot "thirty five (35) days after the administrative officer issues a written decision" is deemed abandoned and handled under state law. For a car more than 7 years old, that law has the agency hold it at least 10 days while it tries to reach the owner, then lets it authorize disposal as junk or salvage.

The title and the plates

McHenry County doesn't issue Woodstock titles; the Illinois Secretary of State does. Woodstock owners can drop the application at a Secretary of State facility, or they can post it to Springfield. To sell, the Assignment of Title gets your signature and the date. No notary is involved. The plates are yours, so pull them before the car leaves. Right after a Woodstock sale, mail the Secretary of State the Notice of Sale stub or a VSD 703. That releases you from responsibility for the car. List the sale price and date on any Woodstock bill of sale.

A car going straight to scrap has its own paperwork. Illinois law says a junking manifest lets licensed junk vehicles move to a scrap processor before the junking certificate arrives, and only a licensed scrap processor can take a manifest.

McHenry County is in the state's emissions-testing area. A car that fails can qualify for a repair waiver once it has had at least $1,176 in emissions-related repairs. If the title is already branded, see nonrepairable or junk title.

Nearby towns

In straight lines, Crystal Lake is 7.4 miles from Woodstock, McHenry 7.6 and Huntley 10.3: Crystal Lake, McHenry, Huntley. For the state as a whole, see Illinois.

Getting an offer

For a Woodstock car offer, ring (877) 421-6008 or send the short form. If someone else in your Woodstock household owns the car, mention it. Pickup works at a house in town, a farm lane or a side yard.