Yes. If you sell, trade in, or donate a vehicle in Illinois, you need to return your license plates in Illinois by either surrendering them to the Secretary of State or transferring them to another vehicle you own. The plates are registered to you, not the car, and leaving them on a vehicle you no longer own is how sellers end up with toll bills, camera tickets, and suspended plates or licenses tied to someone else’s driving.
Take the Plates Off Before the Buyer Drives Away
In Illinois, license plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. You are responsible for removing them before the new owner takes possession, whether you’re selling privately, trading in at a dealership, or donating to charity.1Illinois Secretary of State. Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Illinois Once they’re off, you have two paths: put them on another car you own, or turn them in.
Transferring Plates to Another Vehicle
If you’re replacing the car you sold, you can move your existing plates onto the new one instead of buying a fresh set. Fill out an Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (form VSD 190), available at any Secretary of State facility or through the Electronic Registration and Title system online, and make sure the plate number you want transferred is written in.2Illinois Secretary of State. Transferring Plates
The fee for a transfer alone is $25.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5 – Section 3-821(a)
Surrendering Plates You No Longer Need
If the plates aren’t going on another vehicle, turn them in to the Secretary of State. There’s no fee. Two ways to do it:1Illinois Secretary of State. Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Illinois
- By mail to the Vehicle Services Department, 501 S. Second St., Rm. 011, Springfield, IL 62756. Include a short note with the reason, such as “Vehicle Sold” or “Moved from Illinois.” Certified mail with a return receipt gives you dated proof the office received them.
- In person at any Secretary of State facility.4Illinois Secretary of State. Secretary of State Facility Locations
Getting a Refund on Unused Registration
Turning plates in before your registration expires may entitle you to a refund for the unused portion. To request one, send both the plates and the registration sticker to the Secretary of State along with a Sworn Statement listing the last date you operated the vehicle.5Illinois Secretary of State. How Do I? Not every fee type is eligible for a prorated refund, so the amount depends on the specifics of your registration. If you have significant time left, it’s worth calling the office before assuming there’s nothing to recover.
File a Notice of Sale
Pulling the plates off is only half the job. You also have to file a Notice of Sale so the state knows you’re no longer the owner.6Illinois Secretary of State. Notice of Sale (VSD 703) This is the single most important step for cutting your liability after a sale.
The Notice of Sale is usually attached to the bottom of the vehicle title. Fill it out and mail it in. If your title doesn’t include one, use the standalone VSD 703 form from any Secretary of State facility.1Illinois Secretary of State. Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Illinois File it as soon as the sale closes. Until you do, the state still treats you as the registered owner.
What Happens If You Leave the Plates On
Skipping these steps snowballs. Because Illinois ties the plate to your name, any parking ticket, red-light camera violation, or unpaid toll the new driver picks up comes to you. You can contest those charges, but it means chasing down each issuing agency individually to dispute them.
Insurance Verification Suspensions
Illinois cross-checks registered vehicles against active liability insurance through the Illinois Insurance Verification System.7Illinois Department of Insurance. Illinois Secretary of State – IL Insurance Verification System (ILIVS) If you cancel your insurance after selling but never file the Notice of Sale, the system sees an active registration in your name with no coverage. That triggers a suspension of your plates. For repeat offenders, it’s a four-month suspension plus a $100 reinstatement fee paid through ILIVS.8Illinois Secretary of State. Mandatory Insurance
Driver’s License Suspension
A mandatory insurance conviction can also suspend your driver’s license, with a separate $100 reinstatement fee for each suspension.9Illinois Secretary of State. Driver’s License Reinstatement Fees You could end up paying to reinstate both your plates and your license over a car you don’t even own. Removing the plates, then either transferring or surrendering them and filing the Notice of Sale, keeps the whole chain from starting.