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Illinois Vehicle Transfer After Death

Transfer car title after death in Illinois by checking the title, lien status, certified death certificate, estate authority, and Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield requirements before anyone signs or sells the vehicle.

Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield
https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/vehicles/title-and-registration/home.html
Transfer fee
A Special Corrected Certificate of Title is $15 and covers removing a deceased co-owner from the title or transferring to the surviving spouse when the decedent spouse was the sole owner; other paths (TOD beneficiary claim, small estate affidavit, or probate) pay the standard $165 title fee. Every person-to-person transfer also needs a completed VSD 190 and an RUT-50 tax return
Title fee
$165 certificate of title fee (625 ILCS 5/3-821); $250 for a motor home, mini motor home, or van camper and $30 for an ATV, off-highway motorcycle, or low-speed vehicle. Duplicate or corrected title is $50, and expedited service adds $30
Registration
Transferring license plates to another vehicle is $25, so a combined Title and Transfer transaction is $190. Annual passenger plate renewal is $151 and is separate from title fees
Small estate limit
No dollar cap on the transfer-on-death beneficiary path (Beneficiary Affidavit VSD 773, claimed with VSD 774 under 625 ILCS 5/3-104(a-5)). The Secretary of State small estate affidavit (form RT OPR 31, 755 ILCS 5/25-1) has no waiting period, and for deaths on or after August 15, 2025 registered vehicles do not count toward the $150,000 personal-estate limit; an affidavit used solely for a Secretary of State title transaction transfers the vehicles without regard to the rest of the estate (625 ILCS 5/3-114(b))

How Was the Vehicle Titled?

The transfer process depends on ownership type. Pick your situation below.

Reading a joint title: look at the word between the two owner names. "OR" (or a slash) means either owner can act alone, so the surviving owner can usually transfer the title without probate. "AND" means both owners must act together, so the vehicle usually has to go through probate when one owner dies.
Joint OwnershipProbate may not be needed

Vehicle titled to two people with "or" or "and/or"

Process

Surviving owner can transfer to their name alone with death certificate

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Application for title
  • Your ID
Beneficiary DesignationProbate may not be needed

Vehicle has a TOD (Transfer on Death) beneficiary registered

Process

Beneficiary can claim vehicle with death certificate

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Application for title
  • Beneficiary ID
Small Estate AffidavitProbate may not be needed

Total estate value below state threshold

Process

Heir can use small estate affidavit to claim vehicle

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Small estate affidavit
  • Heir ID
  • Proof of heirship
Sole Ownership (Above Threshold)Probate likely needed

Vehicle titled only to deceased, estate exceeds small estate limit

Process

Executor transfers vehicle using Letters of Administration

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Letters of Administration
  • Executor ID
  • Application for title
See the full step-by-step processThe forms, the order to do them, and what to bring

Read the title before anyone signs

Confirm whether the title is a Illinois title, whether ownership is sole or joint, whether a lien appears, and whether any beneficiary or survivorship language applies.

Gather death and authority records

Get a certified death certificate and decide whether the signer needs letters, a small-estate document, beneficiary paperwork, or another authority path.

Check current DMV instructions

Use Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield instructions for the current title application, transfer fee, registration, insurance, and appointment or mail requirements.

Resolve liens before transfer

Ask the lender or lienholder what payoff, release, refinance, or estate authority it needs before the title office can process the transfer.

Keep registration and insurance active until the transfer is done

Do not cancel coverage or distribute proceeds until title, registration, lien, and estate-authority questions are clear.

Good to knowShort notes that save a second trip to the title office
  • Title facts control the path. A will does not automatically change a Illinois vehicle title. Start with the title record, beneficiary or survivorship language, lien status, and the authority document Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield will accept.
  • Fees and registration can change. Illinois title fees, registration charges, taxes, and appointment options can vary by transaction. Verify current amounts with Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield before preparing checks or mailing forms.
  • Estate authority may still matter. A vehicle can be personal property and still require court, clerk, small-estate, or personal-representative authority when the title is sole-name, disputed, missing, or tied to a lien.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a car title without probate in Illinois?
Sometimes. Whether probate is needed depends on how the vehicle was titled, whether there is a survivorship or beneficiary feature, and whether the estate qualifies for a small-estate transfer method.
What documents do I usually need to transfer a vehicle after death in Illinois?
Common documents include the original title, a certified death certificate, your ID, a title application, and in some cases letters of administration, a small-estate affidavit, or beneficiary paperwork.
What if there is a loan on the vehicle?
A lender still has rights in the vehicle. Before transfer, contact the lender to confirm payoff, refinance, or release requirements so the DMV filing is not rejected. Depending on the estate finances, the options are usually paying off the loan, refinancing it in the new owner name, or returning the vehicle.
Do I need to keep the car insured during the transfer?
Yes. Keep insurance on the vehicle throughout the transfer process. If the policy was in the deceased person name, contact the insurer to add yourself as a driver or move the policy, and do not let coverage lapse before the title and registration are updated.
What if several heirs inherit the car together?
The title agency may require signatures or authority from each person with an interest in the vehicle. Verify exactly whose signatures are required before the office visit. In practice, one heir often keeps the car and buys out the others, or the estate sells it and splits the proceeds.
What if the car is titled in another state, not Illinois?
If the person who died lived elsewhere or the vehicle is registered in another state, that state's motor vehicle agency usually handles the deceased-owner transfer first. Complete the transfer under the title state's rules, then register the vehicle in Illinois if it is staying here.

Not Sure Whether Probate Is Required?

Use the Illinois probate assessment before you submit DMV paperwork if the vehicle was solely owned or the estate looks close to a small-estate threshold.

Take Illinois Assessment

Still weighing whether to keep or sell the car? Read what to do with the car when someone dies for the keep-or-sell decision, or see how to sell the car if you cannot find the title in Illinois.

Official Illinois Sources

Illinois vehicle title and registration - Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Department; Illinois has no DMV agency of that name, and title work is processed at Secretary of State DMV facilities or by mail to Vehicle Services in Springfield. Current DMV source in Settled state data.

Information current as of July 8, 2026

Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Illinois can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

Need Help With the Full Estate?

Vehicle transfers are often just one part of settling an estate. See our related guides.

All Asset TransfersIllinois Probate Guide

More Illinois Resources

Explore the rest of the Illinois probate hub.

Do I need probate?4 pages
Costs and money5 pages
File for probate2 pages
Transfer assets3 pages
Learn and reference5 pages