How to get a vehicle dealer license

A permanent physical barrier that separates it from any other businesses or residences. A filing cabinet. Heat and electric lighting. Displays the business hours. Has a sign that shows the business name in letters at least 6 inches tall. New Car Dealerships Your new car dealership must be an established place of business that: Is used exclusively for dealing with motor vehicles.

Proof you have or have applied for a hazardous waste generator number , if your dealership has a repair shop. The receipt from your criminal background check. Contact the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification at for a list of approved live-scan fingerprint vendors. The applicable dealer licensing fee s. An investigator will inspect your location to make sure it meets these requirements. Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Automotive Repair plus minus Dealers who will be providing automobile servicing and repair are required to file an application with their local Bureau of Automotive Repair office.

Persons who sell or distribute vehicles of a type subject to registration for a manufacturer to vehicle dealers under this code, or who are employed by manufacturers or distributors to promote the sale of vehicles dealt in by those manufacturers or distributors. However, any of those persons who also sell vehicles at retail are vehicle dealers and subject to this code. Persons regularly employed as salespersons by vehicle dealers licensed under this code while acting in the scope of that employment.

Persons engaged exclusively in the bona fide business of exporting vehicles or of soliciting orders for the sale and delivery of vehicles outside the territorial limits of the United States, if no federal excise tax is legally payable or refundable on any of the transactions. Persons not engaged exclusively in the bona fide business of exporting vehicles, but who are engaged in the business of soliciting orders for the sale and delivery of vehicles, outside the territorial limits of the United States are exempt from licensure as dealers only if their sales of vehicles produce less than 10 percent of their total gross revenue from all business transacted.

Persons not engaged in the purchase or sale of vehicles as a business, who dispose of any vehicle acquired and used in good faith, for their own personal use, or for use in their business, and not for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of this code. Persons who are engaged in the purchase, sale or exchange of vehicles, other than motorcycles subject to identification under this code, which are not intended for use on the highways.

Persons who are engaged exclusively in the business of purchasing, selling, servicing, or exchange racing vehicles, parts for racing vehicles and trailers designed and intended by the manufacturer to be used exclusively for carrying racing vehicles.

Any person who is a lessor. Any person who is a renter. However, these practices can be legally dubious, and you're better off avoiding them. The bottom line is this: If you want to be an auto dealer, you need an auto dealer's license. Dealing cars without a license is illegal, and if you get caught, it can make it harder to get a license in the future. Ultimately, the good news is that you don't have to have any kind of lot space to get a dealer's license.

You can go through a process that's fairly similar to the licensing process for a dealer with a lot. The auto dealer license application process can be fairly long and involved, but with the right know-how, thousands do it every year. The steps you'll need to follow will include:. There are a few special considerations to know for dealerships without lots.

If you're planning on displaying vehicles for sale at your home, check local laws first. There may be a limit on how or where you can display them.

You'll also still need to list a place of business on your paperwork.