Catalytic converter sale and possession laws by US state — who can legally buy a used converter, and what a seller must prove
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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The data
| State | Who may buy a detached converter | Marking or buyer recordkeeping requirement | Criminal penalty | Statutory citation | Documentation a seller must provide | Mandatory holding period before resale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 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 another scrap metal dealer, after release is authorized by a peace officer, or by a commercial motor vehicle parts or repair business in its ordinary course of business | 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 the vehicle identification number by law enforcement; a person that purchases a used detached catalytic converter shall electronically submit to the department of public safety a record of each transaction | 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 | ||
| California | 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 maintains a fixed place of business, a motor vehicle manufacturer, dealer, or lessor-retailer licensed pursuant to Division 5, an automotive repair dealer licensed pursuant to Chapter 20.3 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, any other licensed business that may reasonably generate, possess, or sell used catalytic converters, or an individual possessing documentation that they are the lawful owner of the used catalytic converter | 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 | 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 vehicle identification number that matches the vehicle identification number permanently marked on the catalytic converter | ||
| Georgia | 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 replacement documentation and proof of vehicle ownership, or a registered secondary metals recycler; and it is unlawful for any person to purchase a used, detached catalytic converter unless that person is a registered secondary metals recycler | 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 | 10-1-351 | 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 the catalytic converter is the result of a replacement performed by a used motor vehicle dealer, new motor vehicle dealer, or motor vehicle repairer, noting the make, model, and year of the vehicle, together with a copy of a certificate of title or registration showing ownership of or interest in that vehicle | ||
| Louisiana | 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 the following documentation to law enforcement upon request | 37:1895 | ||||
| Minnesota | 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 replacement part may be sold to a person or business for reuse as a replacement part for a motor vehicle when the marking requirements are met | 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 metal dealer must record that information, make it available upon request to law enforcement, and, effective beginning August 1, 2024, enter the information into an electronic database available to a law enforcement agency as approved by the commissioner of public safety | 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 fine of not more than $20,000 for more than ten but not more than 70; and felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $100,000 for more than 70 | 325E.21 | 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 detached catalytic converter being sold that includes the donor vehicle identification number or a unique alternative number, and the date of the removal of each catalytic converter | 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. |
| Virginia | 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 purchase of a new catalytic converter that has never been installed on a motor vehicle is not prohibited | Class 6 felony | 18.2-146.1 | |||
| Washington | 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 this section, and a class C felony to possess, sell, or offer for sale seven or more. It is an affirmative defense that the possessor removed the detached catalytic converter with the permission of the registered owner of the vehicle or vehicles | 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 identification number such that at least a portion of the marking is visible from any side. The marking must be completed in a reasonable time after removal, but no later than 24 hours after removal, and before off-site transport of the detached catalytic converter | 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 eight digits of the originating vehicle identification number is a gross misdemeanor, and a class C felony on a previous conviction. Detached catalytic converters that are not marked as required by this section are subject to immediate seizure and forfeiture by law enforcement | 9A.82.180 |
Where this came from
Every record above links the page it was taken from and quotes the sentence that states it. These are the 7 sources this dataset was assembled from.
- azleg.govhttps://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03728.htm
- leginfo.legislature.ca.govhttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=10852.5.
- codes.findlaw.comhttps://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-10-commerce-and-trade/ga-code-sect-10-1-351/
- legis.la.govhttps://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1297004
- revisor.mn.govhttps://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325E.21
- law.lis.virginia.govhttps://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter5/section18.2-146.1/
- app.leg.wa.govhttps://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.82.180
Machine-readable
- data.jsonThe whole dataset — every record with its source URL and source quote.
- Open Knowledge Format bundleOne JSON object per line — every record's frontmatter and quoted span exactly as it is held here, in one fetch.
- How this is made and checkedWhat "verified against source" does and does not mean.