What To Do With Your Old Illinois License Plates

There are a few ways to get rid of your old license plate in the state of Illinois. You can return them, recycle them, or get creative with them! Here are just a few options that every Illinois driver can use.

1.) You can return Your Plates to The Illinois DMV

In the state of Illinois you do not need to surrender your license plates. You do not need to return your license plates. In other states you might be fined for not surrendering your plates.

1. Make your Illinois plates unusable by bending them, removing and destroying the stickers, and/or recycling them.
2. Return them in person to your local IL DMV office. There will be bins for recycling your license plates outside every DMV office.

2.) Try selling your plates online

• Illinois plates can be worth something, especially if they are collector's editions.
• Make sure you remove and destroy your registration stickers before you sell your old Illinois license plates.
• Visiting craigslist, eBay, or Facebook are just a few places you can sell your plates online. There's always someone looking for plates for an creative project.
• If you'd like an in person transaction, try a consignment shop to have them sell it for you.

3.) dispose of your plates at a recycling center

• Recycle your old plates at these Illinois recycling centers:
  • Cozzi Recycling
  • Marcells Paper & Metal
  • C & Y Global Inc.
• Make sure you chop up your license plates and remove any tags or screws. Most metal recycling centers will accept aluminum license plates.
• See here how you can recycle other car parts.

4.) Try making something creative

• When cutting up your license plate, watch out for sharp edges!
• Create something new by upcycling your old Illinois license plates.
• Pinterest has some great ideas like sculptures, birdhouses, and even journals are just a few things you can make with old license plates.

Donate Your Old Car In Illinois

Donate your old car in Illinois to Wheels For Wishes, benefiting Make-A-Wish kids from Chicago to Joliet to Aurora and more.

1. Go to our online car donation form or give us a call at 1-855-278-9474 to start your car donation.
2. Within 24 hours of the next business day, we'll give you a call to set up your free towing.
3. Wait for your tax deductible receipt in the mail.

Helping Make-A-Wish children is as easy as the click of a button!

If you have a Illinois title problem we can help almost anyone get a new title.

Choose A Different State

Here's how you can get rid of license plates in a different state:

Alabama : Alaska : Arizona : Arkansas : California : Colorado : Connecticut : Delaware : District of Columbia : Florida : Georgia : Hawaii : Idaho : Illinois : Indiana : Iowa : Kansas : Kentucky : Louisiana : Maine : Maryland : Massachusetts : Michigan : Minnesota : Mississippi : Missouri : Montana : Nebraska : Nevada : New Hampshire : New Jersey : New Mexico : New York : North Carolina : North Dakota : Ohio : Oklahoma : Oregon : Pennsylvania : Rhode Island : South Carolina : South Dakota : Tennessee : Texas : Utah : Vermont : Virginia : Washington : West Virginia : Wisconsin : Wyoming : Washington D.C.