No hiding a dead car in Berkeley
Berkeley (locals say “BURK-lee”) is one of the smallest villages we serve: about 1.4 square miles and 5,338 people at the 2020 Census, boxed in by I-290 and I-294 on the west and the Proviso rail yard on the north. And it’s overwhelmingly single-family. Around 82% of homes are detached houses, and roughly the same share are owner-occupied.
That makes the village’s vehicle rule easy to run into. Berkeley’s code-enforcement guidance says a vehicle that’s inoperable, or that lacks a valid unexpired license plate, can’t sit out in the open, whether on a street or on private land. Parking on the grass isn’t allowed either. A car you meant to fix “someday” belongs in the garage or out of town.
What the tow costs, and what it doesn’t
If the village has to tow a car, the bill gets steep: Berkeley’s 2025 fee schedule adds an administrative tow fee on top of the towing company’s charges. Selling to us costs you nothing for the tow. We quote the car, haul it free, and pay you at pickup, often on the same day you call.
Offers depend on things like the car’s weight, its usable parts and whether it’s complete, so tell us honestly what’s missing or broken. Our guide on how junk car offers are worked out explains why two similar cars can get different quotes.
Paperwork and the vehicle tax
The title is the best document to have. If it’s gone, the utility bill that carries the vehicle tax won’t help, but a registration card or insurance card might. Which papers Illinois accepts for a scrap sale is the first thing we check on the call.
Berkeley doesn’t sell vehicle stickers. It collects a motor vehicle tax through the utility bill instead, and households with no vehicle are exempt. If this was your only car, ask Village Hall about the exemption after the sale.
Neighbors on every side
Just east of Berkeley we cover Bellwood, and west across the tollway in DuPage County we cover Elmhurst. The Berkeley Metra stop on Park Avenue is a good landmark for directions. For other towns, see our Chicago-area locations.
Selling a car in Berkeley: common questions
If I junk my only car, does Berkeley's vehicle tax stop?
Berkeley bills its motor vehicle tax on the utility bill instead of selling stickers, and households with no vehicle are on the village's exemption list. After the sale, contact Village Hall to ask how to claim it. Keep the paperwork from the sale handy.
Can I park my broken car on the grass behind the house?
No. Berkeley requires off-street parking on a paved surface, and its code-enforcement page says an inoperable or unplated vehicle may not be kept in the open on private property either. A garage is the only legal storage; otherwise, a free junk-car tow solves it.