How Do You Transfer a Car Title in Illinois?

The Illinois rule in one table

What makes Illinois different

The deadline is the first trap. Secondary guides often report 30 days, but 30 days is the separate private-party use-tax window, not the title rule. The title statute, 625 ILCS 5/3-112(b), gives the transferee 20 days from delivery of the car and the assigned title, with a narrow exception in section 3-113. Count from delivery, not from the sale agreement and not from the tax filing.

The second Illinois difference is what the seller must do at delivery. Under section 3-112(a), the seller executes an assignment and warranty of title in the space on the certificate and causes the certificate and assignment to reach the buyer or the Secretary of State. If two names appear on the back of the title, both parties must sign the title and registration applications. Federal and state law also require the signed and printed names of all sellers and buyers, certifying the odometer reading as actual mileage, in excess of the odometer mechanical limitations, or not the actual mileage.

The plates do not go with the car. In Illinois, license plates belong to an owner, not the vehicle, so ownership of the plates cannot be transferred when a car is sold or its title is transferred. Plates can only be transferred to another vehicle the same owner owns. See How to Transfer License Plates in Illinois for the transfer rules.

If a lienholder holds the certificate, section 3-112(c) requires the lienholder, on request and unless the transfer breaches the security agreement, to deliver the certificate to the transferee for delivery to the Secretary of State, or to mail or deliver the certificate, assignment, application, and fee to the Secretary of State on receipt from the transferee.

The process, step by step

1. At delivery, the seller signs over the title. The assignment and warranty go in the space on the certificate, with all sellers and buyers signing and printing their names and certifying the odometer reading.
2. Handle the tax separately. A private-party transfer uses form RUT-50, and a purchase from an out-of-state dealer uses RUT-25. Tax is paid by a separate check or money order payable to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
3. File form VSD 190 within 20 days. File in person at a Secretary of State facility, by mail to the Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department, ERT Section Room 424 (Room 408 for expedited service), 501 South Second Street, Springfield, IL 62756, or through a Secretary of State authorized remittance agent, which charges a handling fee.
4. Pay 165 dollars plus 25 dollars. The combined title and transfer figure is 190 dollars. If you are also registering the vehicle, the combined title and registration figure is 316 dollars.
5. Wait about three to four weeks for the new title. If you bought a new vehicle, the Temporary Registration Permit issued while plates are pending is valid for 90 days.

If the title itself is lost, stolen, or mutilated rather than being transferred, the duplicate route is different: form VSD 190 with a 50 dollar fee, stating the exact vehicle identification number and the last license plate number. Proof of ownership is required.

Transferring is not renewing: if the owner stays the same and only the sticker is expiring, you need the renewal process instead. See How to Renew Vehicle Registration in Illinois. If the name on the title no longer matches your legal name because of a court-ordered change, see How to Change Your Name in Illinois first.

For title transfers in the other seven states, see the Car Title Transfer by State directory.

Source

Deadlines, forms, and fees on this page come from the statute and the Secretary of State: Illinois General Assembly, 625 ILCS 5/3-112, 625 ILCS 5/3-821 fee schedule, and the Illinois Secretary of State vehicle FAQ. The plates rule comes from the Illinois Secretary of State Transferring Plates page, reopened and confirmed 2026-10-29; the 20-day statute text was rechecked the same day. Other facts remain verified 2026-10-25.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your state agency.