Illinois People - Registration Help

So I haven’t registered/titled a car in a really long time, especially one I got for free AND from out of state. So what do I need to know? 

I usually do it by mail. Fill out the form online, print it out, mail it in. In a week or so, you get a plate back.

It's not any cheaper, and you still have to put the signed title from the seller (illinois or other state) into the mail, but it is way less hassle and waiting at a dmv.

If you need it now, like, now now, you can do it at the payday check cashing places. But they charge like an extra $40 or so. They never have lines and can give you a plate on the spot.

Be aware that in person, you pay for plates, title, registration with cash or check. Taxes on the purchase are paid with check or money order. I've gone there with a wad of cash and not been able to finish because the IRS not taking cash. The desk jockey looked at me like I was a math problem when I asked them why they couldn't see the issue with this. I've never waited more that 10 minute in person to get everything finalized, but I imagine it is location specific. I use the Norther Illinois location in Woodstock.

Appleseed said:

Be aware that in person, you pay for plates, title, registration with cash or check. Taxes on the purchase are paid with check or money order. I've gone there with a wad of cash and not been able to finish because the IRS not taking cash. The desk jockey looked at me like I was a math problem when I asked them why they couldn't see the issue with this. I've never waited more that 10 minute in person to get everything finalized, but I imagine it is location specific. I use the Norther Illinois location in Woodstock.

Yeah, and certain dmvs are different. The express location in the loop is more lenient than the rest, but I generally go with a checkbook, visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and more cash than I could possibly need with at least 20 singles—because one time, in... Libertyville? Champaign? Maybe Bloomington, I can’t remember, but they didn’t have change. 

Ive basically always just gone in with the signed title and my drivers license. Usually in and out in about 10 minutes. 

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

If you find yourself anywhere near Hoopeston, they’re actually pretty friendly, and “busy” means a 20-minute wait. 

As far as any other details, having a bill of sale would be nice, but probably not necessary. Though if you could “find” one showing a ~$300 sale price then at least you’d have documentation. If the title is signed by the last owner(s) listed, that should be the only thing that matters. Oh, there is a fee if you use a debit/credit card though. 

So I guess my question at this point is, do I have to pay taxes on a Free car? Is it better to say I paid some monetary value for the car? I can pull a bill of sale out of my ass if I need too. 

I need to get this done before July 1st because all the registration rates go up from the budget bill passed a few days ago. 

The price doesn't matter for vehicle taxes in Illinois, unless it was given to you by a family member.

You need a title.  Taxes are a sliding scale based on year and if a family gave you a car there is a form and you only pay $25.  

I’ve never needed a bill of sale in Illinois.  A signed title is all I have ever presented.  

Yeah, you'll have to pay taxes. $25 like Datsunguy said. 

Our registration/taxes are really not all that unreasonable here. Depending on the free car, you may want to register it as an antique vehicle. Two different types of plates for that, look them up. 

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

There was a growing issue in IL ~20 years ago where hotrodders would pick up an old car for ~$500 or whatever, and pay the similarly low taxes, but in reality they’d bought a fully-built pro-street car. The state caught onto this, and for a while anyway would send out a follow-up tax bill for what they believed the vehicle was worth - without actually seeing it. Providing a bill of sale at registration largely prevented this, from what I’d been informed. 

Over the last ~10 years I lived there registering random oddball cheap crap, the Hoopeston DMV told me multiple times I really didn’t need to worry about it. However, I figured an extra piece of documentation is way better than an unexpected tax bill that I’d need to contest. 

Did a little reasearch and it definitely goes by vehicle age, since the car I have is over 9 years old, I’ll have to pay $90 in taxes on it. 

Its ridiculous that I have to pay almost $300 to register this car. 

Welcome to Illinois.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid said:

Did a little reasearch and it definitely goes by vehicle age, since the car I have is over 9 years old, I’ll have to pay $90 in taxes on it. 

Its ridiculous that I have to pay almost $300 to register this car. 

Ohhhhh. You're in Crook County. Oof. Sorry about that. However, this is sort of correct. That is accurate for Cook County. For the state, it depends on age and value. You should have to pay the following: 

$90...............Crook County Tax (1 time)

$25...............Illinois Tax (1 time; assumes car is less than $15k in FMV, and over 11 years old)

$95...............Title fee (1 time)

Total 1 time fees: $210

$101.............Plates (annual)

OR 

$51 - Expanded use Antique Vehicle (must be over 25 years old, cannot drive it from November through March except to auto shows or exhibitions, service stations, or demonstrations)

OR

$59 - Antique Vehicle 5 year registration (must be over 25 years old, can only be driven to/from antique auto show or exhibition, service station, or demonstration)

In reply to Appleseed :

Oh you haven’t heard me begin to bitch about my $560 yearly truck registration and I just found out its going up $100 for next year. 

I’m very aware of the ridiculousness of Illinois, but it still doesn’t fail to amaze me.  

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

Hey, we’ve put more governors into prison than any other state. We’re the leader on something.  

Datsun310Guy said:

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

Hey, we’ve put more governors into prison than any other state. We’re the leader on something.  

Also the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through legislation. 

mtn said:

Datsun310Guy said:

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

Hey, we’ve put more governors into prison than any other state. We’re the leader on something.  

Also the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through legislation. 

And maybe if the governors had done it sooner, they wouldn't be in prison?

Robbie said:

mtn said:

Datsun310Guy said:

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

Hey, we’ve put more governors into prison than any other state. We’re the leader on something.  

Also the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through legislation. 

And maybe if the governors had done it sooner, they wouldn't be in prison?

Nah, they'd all be in prison still

Well now I’m kind of in a conundrum. The car needs some work to make it safe to drive, so I can’t drive it immediately. 

So, do I pay $370 for The Expanded Antique plates and registration now, then the $230 for a Uhaul tow dolly? That comes out to $600

OR

Do I drop $460 for a Uhaul car trailer rental now, wait a couple months then drop $370 for the EA Registration? That comes out to $830 total. 

OR

Do I take a weekend, borrow a car trailer and spend $400 in fuel? Then pay the $370 in registration fees. That comes out to $770. 

I mean clearly the first one is cheaper now that I typed that out. But I’m just annoyed that my free, running, driving car is costing me more money than I feel like spending to get the damn thing 1000 miles that I normally drive. I don’t want to do a fly and drive either, just because I’m not comfortable driving it that distance with it’s issues and I don’t really have a place to work on it there. 

God I berkeleying hate Uhaul and their monopoly on trailer rentals. 

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid :

Have you priced having it shipped? It may be cheaper than your fuel costs to go retrieve it.