Can someone else release the car for you?

Can someone else release my junk car for me?

Often, yes, for the handover itself. The person named on the title still has to sign it and show a matching photo ID, so if the owner can’t be at the curb, say so when you book and arrange the signing first. Check with the Illinois Secretary of State before anyone signs on the owner’s behalf.

That covers the rule. What follows is how it plays out in real households. For the rest of the day, see how the pickup day runs.

Who has to be there, and why

Two jobs happen at the curb, and they don’t have to be done by the same person.

Handing over the car means being there when the truck arrives, showing the driver the car, and giving them the keys. Anyone you trust can do that: a partner, a grown kid, a neighbor, the building’s owner.

Signing the title transfers ownership, and that has to be the person named on the title, with an ID that matches. The driver will want to see both. It’s the same check described in what the driver needs to see.

So the question isn’t “can someone else do this?” It’s “how does the owner sign if they aren’t there?”

Situations that come up

The owner works during the day. The simplest answer is to book the pickup for when they’re home. If same-day matters more, tell us on the call and we’ll work out with you how and when the owner signs.

The car is in one person’s name and someone else drives it. Common in shared households. The driver of the car can hand it over. The name on the title signs.

Two names on the title. Whether both need to sign depends on how the names are written. Have the title in front of you when we call.

The car is at a relative’s house or a repair shop. The person there can let the driver in and hand over the keys. The owner still signs. Give us the car’s location, not the owner’s address.

The owner has passed away or the title is in someone else’s name entirely. That’s an ownership question, not a “who’s home” question, and it needs its own paperwork. Tell us the situation on the call before you book anything.

Signing on someone’s behalf

A power of attorney or other authorization to sign for someone is a legal matter, and the rules come from the State of Illinois, not from us. Before anyone signs a title for another person, check with the Illinois Secretary of State. Then tell us on the call what you have, so the driver knows what to expect.

How to set it up

1. Send the form with the car’s details and the pickup location.
2. On the call, tell us who owns the car, who’ll be at the curb, and when the owner can sign.
3. Decide who receives the payment. How you get paid covers what to settle.
4. Give the person at the curb the keys and tell them where the car is.

Ready to plan it? Start from same-day cash for junk cars in Chicago.