Selling a dead or junk car in Yorkville

No clock in the private-property rule

The section quoted from Yorkville's code sets no number of days. It does not say how long a car may sit or what notice comes first. State law lets a city like Yorkville adopt an ordinance that makes visible inoperable cars a nuisance. This Yorkville rule treats a car as inoperable once it hasn't been able to run under its own power for seven or more days. A car waiting on normal service or repair doesn't count. Police can remove one seven days after the city's notice. Because the city may set its own procedure, ask Yorkville about any notice you receive rather than counting on a grace period.

On the street: 24 hours

The towing chapter is more specific. Section 6-4-1 treats these cars as abandoned:

• a car on a public way "in such state of disrepair that it is incapable of being driven, has no license plates and appears to have been abandoned"
• a car "unmoved for a period of at least twenty-four (24) hours," with "no license plates or valid registration," that appears abandoned

Under Section 6-4-2, abandoned cars are towed only after notice and a chance for a hearing. Cars that are hazardous or parked unlawfully can go without warning, and the owner gets notice within 24 hours after the tow. Towed cars are held at police-designated lots until claimed or disposed of under state law. If yours is already there, see towed or impounded.

Old parking tickets can bring a boot

Section 1-14-7 reaches a car that has piled up "ten (10) or more" unpaid parking or standing violations. After notice, the owner has 15 days to pay before the car can be booted or towed. If it is not claimed "within thirty (30) days from the date of the notice," it may be sold or otherwise disposed of. Towing and storage fees come on top.

Handing over a Kendall County car

Kendall County doesn't issue Yorkville titles. The Illinois Secretary of State does, by mail through Springfield or at one of its facilities. On the Yorkville certificate, the seller signs the Assignment of Title and dates it. Remove the plates before the buyer leaves, since they belong to you and the buyer cannot use them. Next, the Yorkville seller should quickly tell the Secretary of State about the sale. In Yorkville, this Notice of Sale is filed using the title's stub or form VSD 703. That ends your tie to the Yorkville car, though the buyer isn't the owner until they apply.

If a Yorkville car is headed for the junkyard, Illinois gives the owner 15 days to seek a junking certificate. The owner need not surrender the title when there is no lienholder. A missing title is a separate step: the Illinois owner applies for a duplicate, and a buyer from another state who got the car without one cannot apply for it. See selling with no title.

On emissions, the state rule lists only Oswego township in Kendall County as a testing area. Whether that matters depends on your township.

Towns nearby

Measured in straight lines, Oswego is 4.9 miles away, Montgomery 5.5 and Aurora 10.0: Oswego, Montgomery, Aurora. Statewide rules are on Illinois.

Getting an offer

Selling a Yorkville car? Use the online form or call (877) 421-6008. The truck can reach a farm lot, a long driveway or a subdivision street. If it is parked in a field or behind a barn, tell us how to get to it.