§512 Forfeiture of certain motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts

Summary

Cars or car parts with their ID number removed, changed, or tampered with can be seized and forfeited to the United States. They are NOT forfeited if the part is attached to a car and the owner did not know the ID was altered; or if the vehicle or part has a replacement ID number that is authorized by the Secretary of Transportation under chapter 301 of title 49 or meets state law; or if the change was caused by a collision or fire or done as described in section 511(b); or if a motor vehicle scrap processor has it and did not know the ID had been altered except by collision, fire, or as in section 511(b). The usual federal rules for seizure, sale or disposal, reducing or cancelling forfeiture, settling claims, and paying rewards to informers apply. The words “identification number,” “motor vehicle,” and “motor vehicle scrap processor” are defined in section 511.