Rust is written into the village code
Most suburbs define a junk car by whether it runs. Palos Park also looks at its condition. Under its code, a car missing current registration counts as inoperative or junk, and so does one that’s severely rusted, wrecked or dismantled. That’s an unusually direct nod to what decades of road salt do to a car; our guide on road salt and rust damage explains how to tell whether yours is past saving.
The code then splits junk vehicles into two groups. A “Restorable” one can stay on a residential lot, but only inside a legal garage. A “Wreck,” meaning one the police chief judges not worth restoring, can’t be in a residential area at all.
Abandoned cars are handled separately: the label fits an undrivable wreck, or any car left sitting for seven days that looks deserted, and the police chief may order it removed from private property after seven days.
A spread-out village
With fewer than 5,000 people across 6.57 square miles, Palos Park’s homes are spread out, and about 70% of them are detached houses. The car might be anywhere on the property: the driveway, a side yard, a detached garage. Tell us where it sits and whether the drive is gravel, narrow or steep. The tow costs nothing either way.
Night and snow rules
From 2 to 5 a.m., no car may stay on a street longer than 30 minutes. A snowfall of 2 inches or more clears the streets of parked cars for eight hours, and longer if removal isn’t finished. Several roads, including 86th Avenue, 123rd Street, Wolf Road and US Route 45, have their own parking sections, and the police can post “Parking by Permit Only” areas with Council approval.
Papers and payment
The village repealed its vehicle licensing chapter in April 2025, though the junk-vehicle section still mentions a village license. For the sale itself, your state paperwork is what counts. Find the title if you can; if not, read us the papers you do have and we’ll say on the phone how Illinois rules treat them. Payment happens at pickup.
Close by, we also serve Palos Heights, Orland Park and Palos Hills. See our full list of locations for more.
Selling a car in Palos Park: common questions
Does rust alone make my car a junk vehicle in Palos Park?
It can. § 676.09 includes severely rusted vehicles in its definition of an inoperative or junk vehicle, alongside wrecked or dismantled ones and cars without current registration. A restorable one may stay on a residential lot, but only inside a legal garage.
Who decides whether my car is a 'Wreck' in Palos Park?
The police chief. A 'Wreck' is a junk vehicle that isn't economical to restore, and the code doesn't allow wrecks in residential areas, garage or not. If yours might fall into that category, selling it before anyone rules on it keeps things simple.