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catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state

derived_fields listlengths 1 1	id stringclasses 7 values	marking_or_recordkeeping stringclasses 4 values	penalty stringclasses 5 values	regulatory_citation stringclasses 7 values	sale_restriction stringclasses 7 values	source stringclasses 7 values	source_quote stringclasses 7 values	state stringclasses 7 values	url stringclasses 7 values	verified_fields listlengths 2 6	seller_documentation_required stringclasses 3 values	holding_period stringclasses 1 value
[ "state" ]	arizona	A used detached catalytic converter purchased as a vehicle repair part shall be marked with the date the catalytic converter was removed from the vehicle and the vehicle identification number of the vehicle from which it was removed, or an alternative number under a numbering system that can be immediately linked to th...	A violation of this section is a class 1 misdemeanor, except that a violation of subsection A of this section involving the unlawful possession of ten or more used detached catalytic converters is a class 6 felony.	13-3728	Unlawful for any person to purchase, solicit, advertise, possess or sell a used detached catalytic converter or any nonferrous parts of a catalytic converter, except by an automotive recycler licensed pursuant to title 28, chapter 10 in its ordinary course of business, in a transaction with an industrial account or ano...	https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03728.htm	13-3728. Unlawful purchase, solicitation, advertisement, possession or sale of used detached catalytic converter; classification; definition A. It is unlawful for a person to purchase, solicit, advertise, possess or sell a used detached catalytic converter or any nonferrous parts of a catalytic converter. B. Subsection...	Arizona	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/arizona/	[ "marking_or_recordkeeping", "penalty", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction" ]	null	null
[ "state" ]	california	null	A violation of this section is punishable as an infraction by a fine, as follows: for a first offense, by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000); for a second offense, by a fine of two thousand dollars ($2,000); for a third or subsequent offense, by a fine of four thousand dollars ($4,000)	10852.5	No person shall purchase a used catalytic converter, including for the purpose of dismantling, recycling, or smelting, except from an automobile dismantler licensed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11500) of Division 5, a core recycler as defined in Section 21610 of the Business and Professions Code that ...	https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=10852.5.	(a) No person shall purchase a used catalytic converter, including for the purpose of dismantling, recycling, or smelting, except from any of the following: (1) An automobile dismantler licensed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11500) of Division 5. (2) A core recycler, as defined in Section 21610 of the ...	California	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/california/	[ "penalty", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction", "seller_documentation_required" ]	An individual possessing documentation that they are the lawful owner of the used catalytic converter, including, but not limited to, a certificate of title or registration that identifies the individual as the legal or registered owner of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was detached, and that includes a...	null
[ "state" ]	georgia	The secondary metals recycler must scan or photocopy the seller's license or business license, or hold it on file; a registered secondary metals recycler must provide the required information concerning the purchase transaction to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation pursuant to Code Section 10-1-359.5	null	10-1-351	A secondary metals recycler may purchase a catalytic converter only if it is attached to a vehicle, or is purchased from a licensed used motor vehicle dealer or used motor vehicle parts dealer, a new motor vehicle dealer, a motor vehicle repairer, a manufacturer or distributor of catalytic converters, a seller holding ...	https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-10-commerce-and-trade/ga-code-sect-10-1-351/	(c) No secondary metals recycler shall purchase a catalytic converter unless such catalytic converter is: (1) Attached to a vehicle; or (2) Purchased from: (A) A used motor vehicle dealer or used motor vehicle parts dealer licensed pursuant to Chapter 47 of Title 43 or by another state that provides a copy of such vali...	Georgia	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/georgia/	[ "marking_or_recordkeeping", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction", "seller_documentation_required" ]	A dealer, repairer, manufacturer or distributor must provide a copy of its valid license or business license at the time of the purchase transaction, which is scanned or photocopied by the secondary metals recycler; any other seller must provide verifiable documentation, such as a receipt or work order, indicating that...	null
[ "state" ]	louisiana	null	null	37:1895	It is unlawful for any person not licensed as a dealer by the commission pursuant to this Chapter to possess, obtain, or otherwise acquire, transport, or sell more than the used or detached catalytic converters from one vehicle owned by the person or any nonferrous part of a catalytic converter without providing all of...	https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1297004	A. Except as otherwise provided for in this Section, it is unlawful for any person not licensed as a dealer by the commission pursuant to this Chapter to possess, obtain, or otherwise acquire, transport, or sell more than the used or detached catalytic converters from one vehicle owned by the person or any nonferrous p...	Louisiana	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/louisiana/	[ "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction" ]	null	null
[ "state" ]	minnesota	The converter must be marked with the date the converter was removed from the vehicle and the identification number of the vehicle from which the converter was removed, or an alternative number under a numbering system that can be immediately linked to the vehicle identification number by law enforcement; the scrap met...	Misdemeanor if the person possesses, purchases, or acquires one catalytic converter; gross misdemeanor for two; felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than $10,000 for at least three but not more than ten; felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten years or a f...	325E.21	It is unlawful for a person who is not a registered scrap metal dealer to purchase or acquire a used catalytic converter that is not EPA certified for reuse as a replacement part except when the catalytic converter is attached to a motor vehicle; a used catalytic converter that is EPA certified for reuse as a replaceme...	https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325E.21	Subd. 6. Criminal penalty. (a) A person who intentionally violates a provision of this section, except for subdivision 11, 12, or 13, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) A person who violates subdivision 11, 12, or 13 is guilty of a: (1) misdemeanor, if the person possesses, purchases, or acquires one catalytic converter; ...	Minnesota	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/minnesota/	[ "holding_period", "marking_or_recordkeeping", "penalty", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction", "seller_documentation_required" ]	The seller must provide a copy of the vehicle's title or registration in order to demonstrate the seller's ownership interest in the property; a bona fide business engaged in vehicle dismantling, vehicle demolishing, scrap metal recycling, or automotive repair services may instead provide an itemized list of each detac...	A scrap metal dealer is prohibited from processing, selling, or removing a catalytic converter from the dealer's premises for at least seven days after the catalytic converter purchase or acquisition by the scrap metal dealer.
[ "state" ]	virginia	null	Class 6 felony	18.2-146.1	Any person who sells, offers for sale, or purchases a detached catalytic converter commits a felony except when the sale, offer for sale, or purchase is made to or by a scrap metal purchaser that has adhered to the compliance provisions of subdivisions B 1 or 2 of Code section 59.1-136.3; the sale, offer for sale, or p...	https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter5/section18.2-146.1/	Any person who sells, offers for sale, or purchases a catalytic converter from a motor vehicle exhaust system that has been detached from a motor vehicle, except when such sale, offer for sale, or purchase is made to or by a scrap metal purchaser that has adhered to the compliance provisions of subdivisions B 1 or 2 of...	Virginia	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/virginia/	[ "penalty", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction" ]	null	null
[ "state" ]	washington	Any person who removes a catalytic converter from a vehicle for a purpose other than maintenance, repair, or demolition, or who knowingly possesses an unmarked detached catalytic converter, must permanently mark the detached catalytic converter with the last eight digits of the originating vehicle's vehicle identificat...	Gross misdemeanor for a person who is not a licensed scrap processor or vehicle wrecker to knowingly possess, sell, or offer for sale six or fewer detached catalytic converters that do not comply with the marking requirements; class C felony for seven or more. Intentionally removing, altering or obliterating the last e...	9A.82.180	It is a gross misdemeanor for any person who is not a scrap processor licensed under chapter 46.79 RCW or vehicle wrecker licensed under chapter 46.80 RCW to knowingly possess, sell, or offer for sale six or fewer detached catalytic converters that do not comply with the marking requirements under subsection (1) of thi...	https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.82.180	Catalytic converters — Marking requirements — Defense. (1) Any person who removes a catalytic converter from a vehicle for a purpose other than maintenance, repair, or demolition, or who knowingly possesses an unmarked detached catalytic converter, must permanently mark the detached catalytic converter with the last ei...	Washington	https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/washington/	[ "marking_or_recordkeeping", "penalty", "regulatory_citation", "sale_restriction" ]	null	null

Catalytic converter sale and possession laws by US state — who can legally buy a used converter, and what a seller must prove

Canonical, always-current version: https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/ Machine-readable: https://referencesource.org/catalytic-converter-theft-laws-by-state/data.json — this mirror is a point-in-time copy.

Last verified: 2026-08-19
Stale after: 2027-08-19 (past this date, prefer the canonical copy — it re-verifies on a cadence this snapshot does not)
Records: 7

State-by-state comparison of the laws passed 2021-2024 restricting who may buy, sell, or possess a detached catalytic converter, in response to a national wave of theft. Each record is one state with: whether the sale of a detached converter to anyone other than a licensed/registered recycler or core buyer is restricted or banned outright; what documentation a seller must produce (proof of ownership, vehicle title/VIN match, driver's license); whether the converter or vehicle VIN must be etched/marked or a photo/record kept by the buyer; any mandatory holding period before a purchased converter can be resold or scrapped; and the criminal penalty tier (often graduated by quantity possessed). Answers 'can I legally sell a catalytic converter I removed myself', 'what do I need to bring to sell a converter as scrap', and 'is possessing multiple detached converters a felony in my state'. This is a genuinely different regulatory design per state, not just different penalty numbers on the same form: Arizona bans sale to anyone but a licensed recycler with narrow exceptions; Georgia requires a registered recycler plus ownership documentation; Minnesota adds a mandatory marking/registration regime, a 7-day holding period, and quantity-tiered felony thresholds; Virginia makes unauthorized sale a felony unless sold to a compliant purchaser; California lists six categories of lawful seller and lets a private owner sell their own converter on a title or registration whose VIN matches the marking; Washington requires the last eight VIN digits to be stamped on the converter within 24 hours of removal and splits the penalty at seven converters; Louisiana lets an unlicensed person deal only in the converters from one vehicle they own.

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