Illinois title and seller paperworkSelling an RV in Illinois: Titles and Required Paperwork
Illinois has specific ownership-transfer requirements that sellers should understand before completing a sale.
The Illinois Secretary of State generally requires titles and registration for recreational vehicles driven or towed on public roads, including motorhomes, travel trailers, and fifth wheels.
Certain other camper configurations, such as slide-in campers mounted on another vehicle, are classified differently.
The following information concerns ordinary titled RVs. Special ownership situations, liens, out-of-state titles, and other exceptions may require additional steps.
Check the Title Before Agreeing to Sell
Locate the certificate of title and compare its details with the RV.
Check the vehicle identification number (VIN), ownership names, and any recorded lienholder.
If several people are listed as owners, determine whose signatures are required. Do not assume one person can sign for every titled owner.
Under the Illinois Secretary of State's title guidance, a seller normally transfers ownership by completing the assignment section on the certificate of title.
If the title is missing, incorrectly assigned, or still held by a lender, address that issue before expecting an ordinary title transfer to be completed.
Complete the Title Assignment
The title assignment identifies the seller, purchaser, and vehicle being transferred.
Complete the applicable fields accurately, including required signatures, the date of transfer, and odometer information when disclosure is legally required.
Do not leave important assignment fields blank for an unknown purchaser to complete later.
A separate bill of sale may help document the agreed price, transaction date, vehicle identification, and parties involved. Keep a copy with your records.
However, a bill of sale does not replace the required title assignment for an ordinarily titled Illinois RV.
Submit Illinois Form VSD 703
Illinois has a separate seller-reporting procedure.
When you sell, transfer, or release your interest in a vehicle titled or registered in Illinois, the Secretary of State instructs you to complete and mail Form VSD 703, Seller's Report of Sale, immediately.
The report identifies the vehicle, seller, buyer, and transaction date. It helps document the release of your interest in the vehicle.
This is not the document that transfers ownership. The certificate of title must still be properly assigned.
You can review and obtain the official Illinois Seller's Report of Sale, Form VSD 703.
Keep a copy of the completed report and your other transaction records.
Remove or Reassign Your Illinois License Plates
When an owner transfers a registered vehicle, Illinois law generally ends that vehicle's existing registration.
Under Illinois Vehicle Code Section 3-501, the seller must remove the registration plates and stickers, if any, and return them to the Secretary of State or arrange an authorized reassignment to another eligible vehicle.
Illinois license plates belong to the owner rather than automatically transferring to the purchaser.
Do not leave your plates on a sold RV under the assumption that the next owner can continue using them.
See the Illinois Secretary of State's guidance on selling a vehicle for instructions about removing plates and documenting a sale.
Understand Motorhome and Trailer Odometer Rules
Odometer disclosure requirements are not identical for motorhomes and trailers.
Illinois Vehicle Code Section 3-112.1 generally requires applicable odometer information when transferring a covered motor vehicle, but the law establishes exemptions.
Those exemptions include:
- Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 16,000 pounds.
- Vehicles that are not self-propelled, including travel trailers and fifth wheels.
- Model-year 2010 and older vehicles under the rule applicable before January 1, 2031.
Other statutory exceptions may apply.
A travel trailer or fifth wheel is not subject to motor-vehicle odometer disclosure merely because it requires a title.
For a motorhome, the requirement depends on its specific characteristics and applicable exemptions. If its GVWR or title requirements are uncertain, confirm them with the Secretary of State.
Even when a mileage disclosure exemption applies, accurate mileage information remains useful when evaluating a motorhome.
Selling an RV With an Outstanding Loan
If you still have a loan on your RV, find out whether the lender has a lien recorded against the title.
Contact the lender to confirm the outstanding balance and the process for satisfying the lien and releasing the title.
Do not assume that receiving an offer for the RV automatically resolves the loan.
Illinois also operates an Electronic Lien and Title program. Under that system, a qualifying lender may hold the title electronically until the lien is satisfied. The lender then submits the release information needed for the state to issue a paper title.
See the Illinois Electronic Lien and Title Program.
Tell EasyRVBuyer about any outstanding loan when discussing your RV.
Any proposed lender-payment arrangement, lien release, and ownership transfer must be clarified before completing a transaction.
What if Your Illinois RV Title Is Missing?
A lost or damaged title should be addressed before assuming the RV can be transferred normally.
Illinois provides a duplicate-title procedure for original titles that are lost, stolen, or mutilated.
The application uses Form VSD 190 and requires the applicable information, documents, and fee.
The Secretary of State does not issue a duplicate title within 15 days after an original title was issued or within 30 days after a previous duplicate was issued.
Recorded liens and certain out-of-state ownership situations can also affect the process.
For example, an out-of-state buyer who purchases an Illinois vehicle without receiving the title generally cannot simply apply for an Illinois duplicate title in place of the Illinois owner.
Review the Illinois Secretary of State's duplicate-title instructions before proceeding.
Joint Ownership, Inherited RVs, and Out-of-State Titles
Not every RV sale involves a single owner with a standard Illinois title.
An inherited RV may require estate documentation or another authorized ownership-transfer procedure. A jointly titled RV may require additional signatures.
If your ownership documents come from another state, check the requirements that apply to that title.
Illinois Vehicle Code Section 3-111.1 also establishes a specific restriction on using an out-of-state certificate of title that shows an Illinois address for the owner. Such a title generally must be converted to an Illinois title before ownership can be transferred, subject to the statute's exceptions for certain insurance-company and lienholder transactions.
Do not assume every unusual ownership problem can be resolved by signing an ordinary bill of sale.
For guidance, start with the Illinois Secretary of State's title and registration information.
Motorhome and Trailer Tax Treatment Can Differ
Illinois has different tax provisions for certain private-party vehicle transactions.
According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, qualifying trailer purchases from individuals or other non-retailer private parties are exempt from the state's private-party vehicle use tax and do not require the corresponding tax form when applying for title.
Motorized vehicles can be subject to different buyer-side requirements, including Form RUT-50 where applicable.
These are rules concerning qualifying transactions and purchasers. They do not establish a blanket exemption for every RV sale or describe EasyRVBuyer's individual purchase terms.
See the Illinois Department of Revenue's vehicle tax guidance if tax documentation is relevant to your transaction.
This is general ownership and documentation information, not individualized legal or tax advice. Verify instructions for your specific title, lien and transaction with the appropriate Illinois agency.