Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§30504 Reporting requirements

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VI— - MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - GENERAL › Chapter CHAPTER 305— - NATIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE TITLE INFORMATION SYSTEM › § 30504

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Junk yards, salvage yards, and insurance companies must start sending a monthly list to the system operator at a time the Attorney General sets, which cannot be earlier than three months before the system begins. Junk and salvage yards must report every car they got the previous month and must include the vehicle identification number (VIN), the date they got it, who they got it from, and whether the car was crushed or sold/disposed. Insurance companies must report cars from the current model year or any of the four previous model years that they took possession of and labeled as junk or salvage, including VIN, date obtained, who they got it from, and the owner’s name when they file. The rule does not apply if state law already requires reporting and that data is shared with the system operator, or if there is a verification that the car or its parts are not listed as stolen. The Attorney General must make rules so reporting is as simple and inexpensive as possible.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §30504

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Beginning at a time established by the Attorney General that is not sooner than the 3d month before the establishment or designation of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System under section 30502 of this title, an individual or entity engaged in the business of operating a junk yard or salvage yard shall file a monthly report with the operator of the System. The report shall contain an inventory of all junk automobiles or salvage automobiles obtained by the junk yard or salvage yard during the prior month. The inventory shall contain—
(A)the vehicle identification number of each automobile obtained;
(B)the date on which the automobile was obtained;
(C)the name of the individual or entity from whom the automobile was obtained; and
(D)a statement of whether the automobile was crushed or disposed of for sale or other purposes.
(2)Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply to an individual or entity—
(A)required by State law to report the acquisition of junk automobiles or salvage automobiles to State or local authorities if those authorities make that information available to the operator; or
(B)issued a verification under section 33110 of this title stating that the automobile or parts from the automobile are not reported as stolen.
(b)Beginning at a time established by the Attorney General that is not sooner than the 3d month before the establishment or designation of the System, an individual or entity engaged in business as an insurance carrier shall file a monthly report with the operator. The report may be filed directly or through a designated agent. The report shall contain an inventory of all automobiles of the current model year or any of the 4 prior model years that the carrier, during the prior month, has obtained possession of and has decided are junk automobiles or salvage automobiles. The inventory shall contain—
(1)the vehicle identification number of each automobile obtained;
(2)the date on which the automobile was obtained;
(3)the name of the individual or entity from whom the automobile was obtained; and
(4)the name of the owner of the automobile at the time of the filing of the report.
(c)The Attorney General shall establish by regulation procedures and practices to facilitate reporting in the least burdensome and costly fashion.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 30504(a)15:2044(a).Oct. 25, 1992, Pub. L. 102–519, § 204(a), (b), (d), 106 Stat. 3392, 3393. 30504(b)15:2044(b). 30504(c)15:2044(d). In subsections (a)(1), before clause (A), the words “Beginning at a time established by the Secretary of Transportation that is not sooner than the 3d month before the establishment or designation of” are substituted for “Beginning at a time determined by the Secretary, but no earlier than 3 months prior to the establishment of” for clarity and consistency with the source provisions restated in section 30502 of the revised title. The words “engaged in the business” are substituted for “in the business” for consistency in the revised chapter. The words “junk yard or salvage yard” are substituted for “automobile junk yard or automobile salvage yard” because of the definitions of “junk yard” and “salvage yard” in section 30501 of the revised title. The words “with the operator of the System” are substituted for “with the operator” for clarity. In clauses (A), (C), and (D), the words “each automobile” are substituted for “each vehicle”, and the words “the automobile” are substituted for “the vehicle”, for consistency in the revised title. In subsection (a)(2)(B), the word “automobile” is substituted for “vehicle” for consistency in the revised title. In subsections (b), before clause (1), the words “Beginning at a time established by the Secretary that is not sooner than the 3d month before the establishment or designation of” are substituted for “Beginning at a time determined by the Secretary, but no earlier than 3 months prior to the establishment of” for clarity and consistency with the source provisions restated in section 30502 of the revised title. In clauses (1), (3), and (4), the words “each automobile” are substituted for “each vehicle”, and the words “the automobile” are substituted for “the vehicle”, for consistency in the revised title.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–102 amended directory language of Pub. L. 104–152, § 2(c). See 1996 Amendment note below. 1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–152, § 3(a), substituted “Attorney General” for “Secretary of Transportation”. Pub. L. 104–152, § 2(c), as amended by Pub. L. 105–102, substituted “National Motor Vehicle Title Information System” for “National Automobile Title Information System”. Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 104–152, § 3(a), substituted “Attorney General” for “Secretary”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–102, § 3(b), Nov. 20, 1997, 111 Stat. 2215, provided that the amendment made by section 3(b) is effective July 2, 1996. Amendment by Pub. L. 105–102 effective as if included in the provisions of the Act to which the amendment relates, see section 3(f) of Pub. L. 105–102, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 30504

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73