The Illinois motor vehicle power of attorney (Form RT-5) allows a vehicle owner to designate an agent to manage vehicle-related matters such as title and registration with the Illinois Secretary of State. Certain steps must be followed during its execution to ensure the filled POA template is legally binding and recognized by state authorities.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
Build Your Document
Answer a few simple questions to make your document in minutes
Save and Print
Save progress and finish on any device, download and print anytime
Sign and Use
Your valid, lawyer-approved document is ready
The principal is the vehicle owner. The agent, also called the attorney-in-fact, is the person the owner picks to handle vehicle paperwork. Gather the details below before you start, and the document takes about 10 minutes to fill out. Keep your vehicle title and IDs nearby so you can copy names and numbers exactly.
Before signing the document, the principal (vehicle owner) must complete all required fields on Form RT-5. These fields include:
Each section must be completed fully to avoid processing delays or legal issues. The principal can revoke the Illinois power of attorney at any time. This revocation must be documented in writing and filed with the same offices where the original Form RT-5 was submitted. Informing the agent in writing about this change is also recommended to prevent any future misunderstandings.
The Illinois Compiled Statutes provide guidelines on how an agent can handle the principal’s tangible personal assets under a power of attorney. This includes buying, selling, maintaining, and managing personal property like vehicles, furniture, and other physical items (755 ILCS 45/3-4(d)). The statute ensures that an agent acts within their given authority and in the principal’s best interests.
The agent, or attorney-in-fact, handles your vehicle paperwork, so pick someone you trust. Think about who is easy to reach, who knows your vehicle, and who will follow your wishes. Talk to the person first so they know what the role involves.
Give whoever helps you fill in the document the attorney-in-fact’s full name and address. Tell your attorney-in-fact where you keep the vehicle title and the signed copy of the document. Need an attorney-in-fact for another task? FormsPal also has an Illinois limited power of attorney form.
Owners usually reach for this document when they cannot visit an office themselves. Having a trusted person on record can save several trips and a lot of waiting. Here are common situations where it comes up:
In every case, talk through the plan with your attorney-in-fact first. Agree on which vehicle is involved, which office they will visit, and what papers they should bring along. A 15-minute conversation up front avoids confusion later.
The table below shows the document at a glance. It lists the state’s name for the document and a link to the Illinois Secretary of State vehicle services page. It also gives the average time to fill it out and the number of fillable fields.
| Document Name | Illinois Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney Form |
| State Form Name | Form RT-5 |
| Relevant Link | Illinois Secretary of State – Vehicle Services |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 14 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
Illinois Form RT-5 grants authority to an agent (attorney-in-fact) to sign documents and handle transactions related to vehicle title, registration, or transfer of interest on behalf of the principal (vehicle owner). Here’s how to complete this form step by step:
Enter the Vehicle Owner’s Details
Write the vehicle owner’s full legal name and complete address in the spaces at the top. Check that the address matches the owner’s official documents.
Appoint Your Attorney-in-Fact
In the next section, provide the full legal name and address of the person you appoint as your attorney-in-fact. This individual will have the authority to act on your behalf regarding your vehicle.
Describe the Vehicle
Fill in the vehicle details: make, model year, model, body type, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Accurate and complete information in this section is essential for properly identifying and handling vehicle-related tasks. Copy the VIN straight from the vehicle title.
Additional Vehicle Transaction Details
If applicable, fill in the purchaser’s name, address, and the date of sale. This information is necessary if the power of attorney is used specifically for transferring the vehicle to a new owner.
Sign and Date the Form
The principal must sign the form in the presence of a notary public. Ensure that the date of signing is entered correctly, as this marks the commencement of the power granted to the attorney-in-fact. For the FormsPal template you create with Create My Document, Illinois law requires at least one witness to sign as a witness to your signature, and the document must show that you acknowledged your signature before a notary public.[1] The notary cannot also sign as the witness.[1]
Submission
Once completed and notarized, submit the form to the appropriate office as the Illinois Secretary of State specified. Make a copy of the notarized document for your records before you submit it.
Vehicle paperwork uses a few words that are easy to mix up. This short list explains them in plain language, so each field makes sense before you fill it in.
You can build the document without printing a blank page first. Select Create My Document on this page, then answer a few simple questions about the owner, the attorney-in-fact, and the vehicle. Your answers fill in the document for you, and it is ready in about 10 minutes. You can save your progress, finish on any device, then download and print it.
A few simple habits make the job quicker to finish and the result easier to read later. Use these tips while you work through the steps above, and check everything once more before you sign.
A misread VIN, a misspelled name, or a missing date are easy slips to make. Read each field slowly before you print and sign.
It is Form RT-5, the document a vehicle owner uses to name an agent for vehicle matters such as title and registration with the Illinois Secretary of State. The agent is also called the attorney-in-fact.
On this form the vehicle owner is called the principal. The agent is the person the owner picks to act for them on vehicle paperwork. Write both full names exactly as they appear on their IDs.
Have these details ready before you start:
The details table above lists about 10 minutes. There are 14 fillable fields, so it goes faster when you have the vehicle title and IDs on hand.
Yes. Select Create My Document on this page and answer a few simple questions. You can save your progress, finish on any device, then download and print the document.
A bill of sale is a separate document that records the sale of the vehicle. If you are selling, you can fill out an Illinois car bill of sale online.
Make a copy of the signed and notarized document for your records. Then follow step 6 above to submit it.
Start a fresh document online and enter the details again. A new copy takes about 10 minutes, and the final version stays clean and easy to read.
Store it with your other vehicle papers, such as the title. Tell your attorney-in-fact where it is, and keep a copy somewhere safe too.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
