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How to scrap a car in Chicago

Scrapping a car in Chicago with Smart Scrap Metal Buyers takes one form, one phone call and one pickup. You send the car's details, we call with an offer, we tow it away for free and you're paid at pickup. Here's each step, what to have ready, and what happens to the car afterwards.

The four steps

  1. Find the paperwork

    The title if you have it. No title? Note the papers you do have; Illinois rules settle which count.

  2. Send four details

    Year, make, model and title status, then your name, phone and pickup address.

  3. Set the pickup

    Take the offer on the call and pick a time. Same-day is often possible; towing is free.

  4. Hand over, get paid

    Keys and paperwork go with the car, and you're paid at pickup.

How do you scrap a car in Chicago?

  1. Find the title, or note which papers you have instead (bill of sale, registration, insurance card).
  2. Send the year, make, model and title status through the scrap car offer form.
  3. Take the call, hear the offer and agree a pickup time.
  4. Clear your belongings out of the cabin, trunk and glovebox.
  5. Hand over the keys and paperwork at pickup and get paid.

Step one: the paperwork

The title is the clean route. Title gone missing? We can still help. List the papers you do have, like a bill of sale, the registration or an insurance card; Illinois rules settle which of them count for a scrap sale, and we confirm it with you on the call. Pick the matching answer in the form's title box, because it's part of how we price the car.

Behind the scenes, Illinois tracks every scrapped car. A licensed scrap processor has to record the car's VIN and a proof of ownership (625 ILCS 5/5-401.3), and junked titles go back to the Secretary of State with a Junk Vehicle Notification within 15 days (625 ILCS 5/3-117.2). Illinois applies ID and record rules to loose scrap metal too; we summarise them in our note on scrap metal prices.

Step two: the offer

The form asks for four things about the car because those four set most of the price. After you send it, we call within 15 minutes. That call is where you mention anything the form can't: no catalytic converter, a pulled engine, fire or flood damage. Scrap car prices in Chicago explains what moves the number.

Step three: pickup and free towing

Towing is free, and nothing comes off the offer to pay for it. Same-day pickup is often possible, and one trip can take several vehicles. Repair shops and apartment or HOA lots are fine; just sort out access or the building's OK first. Tell us on the call if the car is behind a gate, in a garage, down an alley or missing wheels, so we can plan the pickup.

Step four: paid at pickup

Payment is made at pickup, as the car is loaded: an app transfer (Zelle, Cash App or similar) or cash. Take your plates and belongings out before the truck arrives, and keep a note of the date and the car's VIN for your own records.

What happens after the tow

The car is drained of fluids, the battery, wheels, tires and catalytic converter come off, and the shell is crushed and shredded so the steel can go back to mills. What happens to junk cars after pickup follows that chain with sources.