How to fill out the Form VSD 190 in Illinois
A field-by-field walkthrough of the Illinois Form VSD 190 (Application for Vehicle Transaction(s)) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of July 2026.
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Filling out the IL Form VSD 190 after a sale:
- What it is
- Illinois' application for title and registration transactions
- Who completes it
- The dealer prepares it; the buyer (owner) signs
- Where to file it
- IL Secretary of State — by mail, at an SOS facility, or electronically via ERT (within 20 days of sale)
- Processing time
- ERT processes at the point of sale; paper titles typically take several weeks
- Cost
- $165 title fee + $151 standard passenger registration; sales tax filed separately on Form ST-556
This guide is informational and does not replace the official Illinois instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with Illinois Secretary of State (Vehicle Services) before you file.
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What the Form VSD 190 is and why it matters
Form VSD 190 is how a vehicle gets titled and registered in Illinois. On a dealer sale, the dealer prepares it for the buyer along with the properly assigned title, and the whole package — application, title, fees — has to reach the Secretary of State within 20 days of the sale.
Illinois splits the transaction between two agencies, and that split is where new dealers get burned: the VSD 190 and title fees go to the Secretary of State, while the sales tax goes to the Department of Revenue on Form ST-556 (also due within 20 days). Most higher-volume dealers skip the paper entirely and file through an ERT provider, but the fields are the same either way. This guide walks every section a dealer fills.
VSD 190 is the Illinois Secretary of State's application for title and registration work — title only, title with plate transfer, title with new plates, corrected titles, and duplicates all run through it. On a dealer sale it travels with the assigned title and the ST-556 Sales Tax Transaction Return, which goes to the Illinois Department of Revenue, not the SOS. Dealers on Electronic Registration and Title (ERT) submit the same data electronically instead of on paper.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the Form VSD 190. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the Illinois Secretary of State (Vehicle Services) bounces a title application back.
- The properly assigned Illinois title (or out-of-state title / MCO) — Assigned to the buyer with the odometer disclosure completed.
- Form ST-556 Sales Tax Transaction Return — The dealer's sales tax return, filed with the Illinois Department of Revenue within 20 days of the sale. The tax is based on the selling price less trade-in credit, at the rate for the buyer's address.
- Buyer's Illinois driver license or ID — Name and address must match what goes on the application.
- Existing plate number, if the buyer is transferring plates — Plate transfers are cheaper than new plates — ask before you file.
- Lienholder name and address, if financed — So the lien is recorded on the new Illinois title.
- Payment for title and registration fees — $165 title, $151 standard passenger plates (or the transfer fee if plates move over).
Form VSD 190, section by section
Type of transaction checkboxes (top of form)
Tells the SOS exactly what you're applying for — title only, title and transfer of plates, title and new plates, corrected title, duplicate title, and so on. On a standard retail sale, it's title with new plates or title with a plate transfer. Checking the wrong box (or none) is the most common reason a paper VSD 190 comes back.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Transaction type (title / title & plates / title & transfer) | You (dealer) |
Plate number being transferred (if applicable) From the buyer's current vehicle. | Buyer |
Owner information
The buyer — the new owner. Enter the legal name, Illinois address, and driver license number exactly as they appear on the buyer's license. Joint owners choose "and" (both must sign to sell later) or "or" (either can sign).
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner's full legal name From the buyer's license — match it exactly. | You (dealer) |
Illinois address Also drives the tax rate on the ST-556. | You (dealer) |
Driver license / FEIN number | Buyer |
Co-owner and 'and/or' designation (if any) | You (dealer) |
Vehicle description
Identifies the vehicle. The VIN on the VSD 190 must match the assigned title and the vehicle's VIN plate — the SOS rejects on a one-character mismatch.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
VIN Must match the title and the VIN plate. | You (dealer) |
Year, make, model, body type | You (dealer) |
Odometer reading Must match the disclosure on the assigned title. | You (dealer) |
Lienholder information
Cash deal? Leave it blank. Financed? Record the lender's name and address so the lien is printed on the new Illinois title and the title mails to the lender.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Lienholder name Blank for a cash sale. | You (dealer) |
Lienholder address | You (dealer) |
Date of lien Usually the sale date. | You (dealer) |
Tax — Form ST-556 (separate form, same deadline)
The VSD 190 itself doesn't compute the sales tax — Illinois dealers report and pay it on Form ST-556 to the Department of Revenue within 20 days of the delivery date. The tax base is the selling price minus the full trade-in allowance (Illinois removed its trade-in credit cap in 2022), at the combined rate for the buyer's address. Most dealers file the ST-556 electronically through MyTax Illinois or their ERT provider.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Selling price On the ST-556 — match the buyer's order. | You (dealer) |
Trade-in allowance Full credit against the taxable amount. | You (dealer) |
Tax rate and tax due Combined state + local rate for the buyer's address. | You (dealer) |
IL Sales tax & title fee calculator
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IL vehicle tax is 6.25% state plus the local rate for the buyer's address — enter it (combined rates vary widely). Full trade-in credit (the old $10,000 cap was repealed in 2022). Sales tax is filed separately on Form ST-556. A plate transfer costs less than $151 new plates. Confirm with the IL Secretary of State / Dept. of Revenue.
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Signatures and dealer information
The owner (and co-owner) signs the application. The dealer's information ties the application to the sale and the ST-556.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner signature and date | Buyer |
Co-owner signature (if any) | Buyer |
Dealer name and dealer license number | You (dealer) |
The Form VSD 190 is one car's paperwork. A 20-second read on your lot, and the tax-and-fee math for the whole deal — built for dealers, no signup. Free calculators dealers actually use — no signup, no email.
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Common Form VSD 190 mistakes that cause rejections
Two clocks run from the sale: the title/registration application to the Secretary of State and the ST-556 tax return to the Department of Revenue are each due within 20 days. Late ST-556 filings accrue penalty and interest on the tax. Build the filing into your delivery checklist, or let your ERT provider file same-day.
Title and registration fees go to the Secretary of State with the VSD 190. The sales tax goes to the Department of Revenue with the ST-556. Stapling a tax check to the SOS package doesn't pay the tax.
The checkboxes at the top drive how the SOS processes the application. Title-with-plate-transfer marked as title-only (or nothing marked at all) bounces the paperwork. Check exactly one transaction type that matches the deal.
Illinois vehicle sales tax is the combined rate for the buyer's address. A Chicago buyer at a suburban store doesn't pay the suburban rate. Look the rate up by the buyer's address before you write the deal.
Illinois gives full trade-in credit against the taxable price (the old $10,000 cap was repealed effective 2022). Taxing the full selling price overcharges the buyer.
Common questions
What is Form VSD 190 used for?+
VSD 190 is the Illinois Secretary of State's Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) — the form for titling a vehicle, registering it, transferring plates, and correcting or duplicating a title. On a dealer sale it's the application that gets the buyer their new Illinois title and plates.
How much is the Illinois title fee?+
$165 for a standard vehicle title. Standard passenger plates are $151 on top of that (a plate transfer from the buyer's previous vehicle is cheaper). Sales tax is separate, reported on Form ST-556.
What is Form ST-556 and when is it due?+
ST-556 is the Sales Tax Transaction Return an Illinois dealer files with the Department of Revenue for each vehicle sold — due within 20 days of the delivery date, along with the tax payment. Most dealers file it electronically through MyTax Illinois or an ERT provider.
Can the VSD 190 be filed electronically?+
Yes. Illinois' Electronic Registration and Title (ERT) program lets dealers process title and registration at the point of sale through an approved provider — same data, no paper mailing, and the buyer leaves with the transaction done. Paper filing by mail or at an SOS facility remains available.
Does a trade-in reduce Illinois sales tax?+
Yes — the full trade-in allowance is credited against the selling price before tax. Illinois briefly capped the credit at $10,000 starting in 2020, but the cap was repealed effective January 1, 2022, so the full allowance counts again.
Who signs the VSD 190 — the dealer or the buyer?+
The buyer (and any co-owner) signs as the applicant/owner. The dealer prepares the form, supplies the dealer name and license number, and handles the filing — on paper or through ERT.
Is there software that fills out the Form VSD 190 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO turns the deal you already entered into a print-ready Illinois Form VSD 190 worksheet — the VIN-decoded vehicle, buyer, co-buyer, lienholder, and sale price laid out and ready to copy onto the form or key into the state's system. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide, odometer disclosure) and any other state's title forms.
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