What changed in July 2026
Bartlett amended its inoperable-vehicle rules this summer. Under the amendment passed July 7, 2026, a vehicle is inoperable if, for 7 days or more, it can’t move under its own power because something is removed, altered or damaged, or if it simply lacks valid plates or registration. That second part can catch a car that still starts fine but was never renewed.
On private property in public view, an inoperable vehicle is a public nuisance. The village notifies the vehicle’s owner and the landowner, who then have 7 days to remove it. If it’s still there, a citation follows, and after a liability finding the village can tow it 7 days later.
Five hours on the street
The street is even less forgiving. An inoperative vehicle can’t stay on a Bartlett street or right-of-way for more than 5 consecutive hours. Between 2 and 6 a.m., parking is limited to 30 minutes without permission, although breakdowns reported to police are an exception, and a 2-inch snowfall clears the streets of parked cars for 12 hours. A dead car belongs on the driveway or in the garage.
Bartlett is mostly owner-occupied houses: close to 9 in 10 homes are owned, and about 71% are detached, per recent Census estimates. If you’re still weighing a repair, our guide to the options for a car that won’t run lays out the choices.
Booking and paperwork
Send over the year, make, model and condition. We quote it, and if you accept, the truck is free and payment happens at pickup. If your title has gone missing, we’ll ask what’s left in the file, such as an old registration, an insurance card or the purchase paperwork. Illinois decides what those papers are good for in a scrap sale, and we’ll give you that answer up front.
Bartlett homes use two ZIP codes: 60103, the village’s own, and 60133, which it shares with Hanover Park. Either is fine; just give us the full street address.
Around Bartlett
Route 59 and Lake Street (US-20) meet at an interchange in Bartlett, with the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir just south of it. We also cover Streamwood to the northeast and Hanover Park to the east, plus everything on our town list.
Selling a car in Bartlett: common questions
My car runs but the plates expired. Is that an inoperable vehicle in Bartlett?
Under the July 2026 amendment, yes. Bartlett's definition now includes a vehicle with no valid, or with expired, suspended or revoked, plates or registration. On private property in public view, that can draw a 7-day notice. If you won't renew it, we'll buy it.
My car broke down on a Bartlett street. How long can it stay there?
Five consecutive hours at most for an inoperative vehicle on a street or right-of-way. Report the breakdown to police, push it onto a driveway if you can, and call us. We can often come the same day, at no towing cost to you.
Do I need to deal with the Bartlett vehicle sticker after selling?
Bartlett's code still requires resident owners to pay an annual village vehicle license by June 30. If you're selling the car before then, ask the village whether you need a sticker for it at all; once we tow it, it's no longer your vehicle.