Flooded, worn out or just dead: what we pick up in Elmhurst
Elmhurst’s own history explains part of this page. The city has tended to flood after large rainfalls, and a former limestone quarry west of downtown now takes in Salt Creek floodwater through a tunnel. A car that sat in standing water can be declared a total loss by the insurer even when it looks fine from outside.
We buy those cars along with the more ordinary cases: high-mileage commuters, cars with failed transmissions, and ones that sat too long and won’t start. If your car was flooded and an insurer was involved, our guide to what to do with a totaled car in Illinois explains the steps and who owns the car after the claim.
Street rules that catch a non-running car
Elmhurst’s overnight ban starts at 3:00 a.m., later than many towns around it, and runs to 6:00 a.m. every night. Snow adds a separate rule: once 2 inches are on the ground, every street is closed to parking until 8 hours after it stops and the plows are done.
Private property has limits too. The city’s nuisance list reaches junk cars, and cars nobody is actively using, when they sit where the public can see them, and it bars dismantling or repairing a car outside a structure that shields the work from view. A dead car on the driveway, half taken apart for parts, fits both descriptions.
The city sticker and pickup day
Elmhurst requires a city vehicle sticker. The license year ends April 30, and a newly acquired vehicle needs its license soon after you get it. When you sell a car for scrap, take any personal items, garage remote and toll transponder out of it, and keep a record of the sale date for your files.
Most Elmhurst homes are single-family houses, so the car usually leaves straight from a driveway or garage. For the Cook County side of town near the Proviso line, the process is the same.
Nearby towns
Elmhurst borders Villa Park to the west and Oak Brook to the south, and east of town we cover Berkeley. See every town we serve on our service area page.
Selling a car in Elmhurst: common questions
Do I need to renew my Elmhurst vehicle sticker for a car I'm junking?
The city license covers vehicles used on Elmhurst streets and runs from May 1 to April 30. If the car will be sold before the May 1 due date, ask the City Clerk's office whether a renewal is still required. A car that leaves town is no longer one you drive on city streets.
What time does Elmhurst's overnight street parking ban start?
At 3:00 a.m., an hour later than many DuPage towns, and it runs until 6:00 a.m. every night. A car that can't start shouldn't stay at the curb overnight; push it onto the driveway and schedule pickup from there.
Will you buy a car that sat in floodwater?
Yes. Water damage doesn't stop a scrap sale. What we can offer depends on the car's weight, which parts survived and whether it is complete, not on whether it runs. If an insurer already settled the claim, tell us who holds the title now.