Buying a Car In Illinois From Out Of State
Buying a car in Illinois from out of state can be complicated, but the process for registering an out-of-state vehicle is fairly straightforward.
Written by R.E. Fulton
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
If you bought a vehicle from a car dealer or private party out of state and want to register it in Illinois, you must pay Illinois car sales tax and submit the original title for transfer to the Illinois Secretary of State.
Buying a car is complicated enough to begin with—but if you buy a car from a different state than the one where you live, you’re opening up a whole new can of paperwork worms.
Luckily, trusted
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is here to help you navigate the process of buying a car in Illinois from out of state. Whether you’re trying to transfer a title to Illinois or looking to purchase an Illinois vehicle as a resident of a different state, we’ve got you covered—and we’ll show you how to save on Illinois car insurance costs
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How to buy a car out of state as an Illinois resident
So you live in Illinois, but you just bought your car in another state. How do you register the vehicle, where do you pay taxes, and what’s the correct procedure for transferring the certificate of title to Illinois?
This is a fairly common dilemma, particularly for residents of multi-state metropolitan areas like Chicago or St. Louis. If you’ve just purchased a new vehicle in Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, or another state, you can still register it in Illinois—but you’ll have to pay Illinois sales tax and submit a number of forms to the Secretary of State. It’s a fairly straightforward process, but it can’t be completed electronically.
The first form you’ll need is the Application for Vehicle Transaction(s), or VSD 190. Illinois’s
Electronic Registration and Title (ERT)
system is designed to help you fill out and print a VSD 190, but you’ll need to submit it to the Secretary of State within seven days, either in person at a local office or through the mail. Be sure to have your vehicle identification number (VIN), driver’s license, and other key vehicle and personal information ready when you fill out the form. Along with the completed form, you should include:
- Car title (hard copy only)
- Completed bill of sale signed by all owners as proof of purchase price
- Proof of Illinois residency
- Check or money order for $155 title transfer fee
- Check or money order for $151 registration fee
If you’re mailing your application, send it to:
Secretary of State
Vehicle Services Department
ERT Section, Rm. 424 (Rm. 629 for expedited titles)
501 S. Second St.
Springfield, IL. 62756
The second major form you’ll need to bring to the SOS is called
Form RUT-25
, or a Vehicle Use Tax Transaction Return. This tax form helps you calculate and pay the local sales tax due to the Illinois Secretary of State for your new car. Remember—when you buy a car out of state, you pay sales taxes to the state where you live, not the state where you made the purchase. If you’re leasing a car from out of state, you’ll fill out
Form RUT-25-LSE
, and if you bought your car from a private party, you’ll need Form RUT-50
. You can find copies of these tax forms at your local Secretary of State office
, and you should be able to fill out and submit them along with your VSD 190 form. Once all of your documents are in, you’ll be issued an Illinois title and a set of Illinois license plates.
How to buy a car in Illinois if you live out of state
What if you’re buying a car in Illinois, but don’t live there? The process is much the same, but it varies based on where you plan to register the vehicle. In most cases, though, you’ll need to:
- Obtain a valid bill of sale for the vehicle purchase (some states will require a notary stamp on the bill of sale)
- Bring the bill of sale to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) along with photo ID, proof of insurance, proof of residency, odometer disclosure, and any other documents required
- Complete your vehicle registration in your state of residency
You may need to pay local sales tax, or the difference between the sales tax in Illinois and the state where you plan to register the car.
What if I don’t have a physical title?
Illinois requires a paper copy of your out-of-state car’s certificate of title before you can register the vehicle. In some other states, an electronic title is the default—so if you purchase a car in one of those states and want to register it in Illinois, you’ll need to request a physical copy of the original title from the DMV!
This process gets more complicated if you’re financing the vehicle, as the title request will need to go through your lender as the lienholder. This can be a bit of a hassle, but you may be able to get a temporary registration and car insurance that allows you to drive the car home while the paperwork is being processed.
MORE:Title transfer in Illinois
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Tips for buying a vehicle out of state
Buying a car from a different state can be a smart move if it allows you to purchase a vehicle that isn’t available elsewhere, or if you’re able to take advantage of lower sales prices in another location. But the process comes with some complications, so keep these tips in mind:
- Never skip the vehicle history report. This is especially important if you’re buying a used car from a private owner.CARFAXand other services provide vehicle history reports that will alert you to any accidents or other issues in the car’s history.
- Schedule your vehicle inspection at home. The car you buy needs to meet the inspection requirements of the state you’ll live, drive, and register the vehicle in—not the state where you bought it. You can brush up on Illinois’s car inspection requirements here.
- Don’t forget an emissions test. For some Illinois residents,emissions testingis a part of the process of buying a car!
- Research your home state’s vehicle sales tax laws. When you buy a car out of state, you pay taxes based on your home state, not the state of purchase.
- Buy car insurance before you leave the dealership. If you plan to drive the car back to your home state, don’t set out without insurance! Even if your other paperwork is still in flux, you’ll need to carry insurance that meetsIllinois state minimum requirements.
How to save on car insurance in Illinois
Buying car insurance is an essential part of the vehicle buying process no matter where you live—but if you’re juggling all the paperwork involved in an out-of-state vehicle purchase, you might not have time to shop around for the best rate. Luckily, car insurance premiums are basically the same from company to company—right?
Wrong—in fact, comparing rates from multiple insurance companies can help you save hundreds of dollars on car insurance. And with
Jerry
, you have time to do just that, since Jerry can compare real-time quotes from over 55 top-rated providers in just 45 seconds. As a licensed insurance broker, Jerry won’t just show you generic estimates or false quotes—instead, you’ll get real, personalized price estimates from actual companies. Ready to see how it works? Download the Jerry app today and see how much you could save.
“Buying my first car was stressful since I’m 19 and it was from out-of-state. But getting car insurance wasn’t, thanks toJerry! The process was simple, easy, and quick! Thank you guys!” —Carl I.
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