State guide
Illinois
Illinois treats abandonment, towing, notice, and disposal under the Illinois Vehicle Code, while title work runs through the Office of the Secretary of State. Illinois’s own FAQ is especially clear for homeowners: if a vehicle was simply left on your property and you do not know the owner, the state says you cannot title it in your name.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- When a vehicle counts as abandoned
- Illinois law says abandonment on a highway is unlawful, and a vehicle or part abandoned on private or public property in view of the general public is unlawful except on property of the vehicle’s owner or bailee.
- Removing one from private property
- Illinois law authorizes law-enforcement removal after 7 days on private property, and separately allows the owner or lessor of private real property, or an authorized person, to have a vehicle left without permission removed by a towing service.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- Illinois’s Secretary of State says a person cannot title in their own name a vehicle simply left on their property by an unknown owner; ownership transfer is handled through the statutory tow-and-sale process using a Certificate of Purchase (VSD 106).
- State agency
- Illinois Office of the Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department
Key facts for Illinois
- Illinois law says a vehicle abandoned on private property may be removed by law enforcement after a waiting period of 7 days or more.
- Illinois law allows immediate removal if the vehicle is a hazardous dilapidated motor vehicle.
- Illinois law says a property owner or authorized person may cause a vehicle left without permission on private property to be removed by a towing service.
- If the owner information is available at the time of tow, Illinois law requires the towing service to send written notice within 2 business days by certified mail.
- Illinois Secretary of State FAQ says you cannot get title in your name when an unknown owner left the vehicle on your property.
- Illinois VSD 106 says ownership transfer after public sale uses a Certificate of Purchase, not an Illinois certificate of title.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in Illinois
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHI311 Cook | Chicago | Not published* | City service portal for reporting issues and checking request status. |
| Division of Property Standards Kane | Aurora | Not published* | Aurora says complaint requests for abandoned cars or cars parked on grass can be filed through Customer Service Division. |
| Inoperable & Abandoned Vehicles Winnebago | Rockford | 815-966-2900 | Rockford says street or alley abandoned vehicles should be reported to the Police Department; private-property inoperable vehicles go to Neighborhood Standards. |
| Springfield Police Department FAQ Sangamon | Springfield | 217-788-8311 | Police FAQ says to call the non-emergency number to report an abandoned or nuisance vehicle. |
| Online Reporting System DuPage | Naperville | Not published* | Naperville’s police online reporting page says the system can be used for nuisance issues, including abandoned vehicles, and the department lists the non-emergency number on related police pages. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If the vehicle is on private property and you do not know the owner, start with local law enforcement or a towing company rather than trying to title it yourself.
- Keep records of the tow date and any owner information given to the towing service; Illinois law ties notice duties to those details.
- If you buy at the public sale, ask for the completed VSD 106 because Illinois says that document supports the post-sale transfer process.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Illinois's population center, for comparison only):
- Constituent Services / Gary 311, Indiana · about 54 miles
- Davenport Public Works - Report an Abandoned or Illegally Parked Vehicle, Iowa · about 120 miles
- City of Milwaukee Parking Service Requests, Wisconsin · about 123 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Illinois page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
- Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.