Most scrap sales start with a plain title in the seller’s name. A fair number don’t. The car was totaled once and rebuilt, or it came from another state with the owner, or an insurer branded it years ago. Here’s what each of those means when the car is heading for scrap rather than back onto the road.
What the title brands mean
A title brand is a permanent note on a vehicle’s title that records something about its past, most often that an insurer wrote it off. The labels and the rules behind them vary from state to state, but the common ones look like this:
| Brand | What it usually means | For a scrap sale |
|---|---|---|
| None (clean) | No recorded write-off in that state | The standard case |
| Salvage | Written off as a total loss; can be repaired but not driven until inspected | A salvage certificate is on Illinois’s list of accepted proofs |
| Rebuilt | Was salvage, then repaired and inspected | It’s a certificate of title like any other |
| Junk, or parts only | Meant for parts or scrap, never for the road | Tell us exactly what it says |
The table draws on the general description of title branding in North America. The exact criteria for each brand are set by the state that issued the title.
Why a salvage brand doesn’t block a scrap sale
Illinois puts the ownership check on the scrap buyer. Under 625 ILCS 5/5-401.3 a scrap processor buying from a private seller must record two forms of ID, one of them a driver’s license or state ID card, and collect documentary proof of ownership. The statute names the documents: a certificate of title, a salvage certificate, a junking certificate, a Secretary of State junking manifest, a certificate of purchase, or other similar proof. A salvage certificate is right there on the list.
A rebuilt title is simpler still. It’s a certificate of title with a brand on it, and the brand describes the car’s history, not who owns it.
Out-of-state titles
People move to the southwest suburbs from Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and farther away, and the car often keeps its old title for years. A title issued by another state still shows who owns the car. For a scrap sale, three things matter:
- The name on the title matches your ID. If you’ve changed your name since, bring something that links the two.
- You sign it the way that state’s form asks. Assignment sections differ between states. Read the back of your title and sign at the pickup, not before.
- Any lien shown is released. A lender listed on the face of the title needs to be cleared, wherever the title came from.
Tell us the issuing state on the call. We confirm before booking rather than finding a problem at the curb.
When the out-of-state title is lost
This is the tricky one. A duplicate normally has to come from the state that issued the title, not from Illinois. If that state’s office can send one, that’s usually the cleanest route. If not, see what else you have, and read our page on scrapping a car without a title before you call.
Brands and the scrap offer
A brand doesn’t change the scrap value; the car’s condition does. A rebuilt car that’s complete is priced like any complete car of its weight. A salvage car missing its front end is priced on what’s left. Our guide to Illinois scrap paperwork covers the documents in general, and totaled car in Illinois covers how a car ends up branded in the first place.
We see branded titles often from sellers in Chicago Ridge, Hickory Hills and the rest of our area. Choose the matching title option when you request your scrap offer, or call (773) 394-1071 with the title in front of you.