The bill of sale and/or title transfer requires notarization to be legally valid in the relevant jurisdiction. Some states mandate notarization for all vehicle sales or for specific transaction types. Tailored for Washington County, Illinois. Fill in details, sign digitally, download a printable PDF in minutes.
Washington County clerk office and recording fees
Bill-of-sale filings and title transfers for a notarized transfer utv sale in Washington County are filed at the Illinois county clerk in Washington County (sometimes called the recorder, tax collector, or treasurer depending on the state). The office accepts the signed bill of sale, the assigned title, and a completed title application. Recording fees vary by document type; expect a base fee plus per-page charges for additional pages.
For office hours, recording fees, and accepted payment methods in Washington County, call the county clerk before visiting or check the Illinois DMV directory at https://www.google.com/search?q=Illinois%20DMV%20title%20transfer.
Filing deadline: Illinois requires title transfer within 20 days of the sale date. Plan the Washington County clerk visit promptly to avoid penalty fees on late filings.
Illinois lien-release procedure for liened utv sales
If the utv carries an active lien, the seller cannot transfer clean title to the buyer until the lien is released. Illinois handles this through a documented sequence that the lienholder, seller, and buyer must complete in order. Skipping a step often means the new title is issued with the lien still noted, blocking resale.
- Lienholder completes VSD 790 (Notice of Lien Release).
- Owner submits VSD 790 with current title to the Secretary of State.
- Pay $15 title fee.
- Receive new title with lien removed.
Form reference: VSD 790 is the Illinois document used to clear a lien on a utv title before a Washington County notarized transfer transfer can be recorded.
UTV recall categories to verify before a Washington County notarized transfer transfer
Open safety recalls follow the vehicle, not the owner — if the utv has an unrepaired recall when the notarized transfer sale closes, the Washington County buyer inherits the obligation to bring it to a dealer for the free fix. The NHTSA recall database flags the following categories most frequently for utv models:
- Steering
- Fuel System
- Fire Hazard
- Suspension
- Seat Belts
On average a utv model has 2.8 recalls — buyers in Washington County should run a NHTSA recall check before signing. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to pull the live status. Document any open recalls in the bill of sale so the buyer cannot later claim the seller concealed a known defect — a clean disclosure protects both parties under Illinois consumer-protection law.
Informational purposes only. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for jurisdiction-specific guidance on vehicle transfers, title requirements, or related legal matters.