Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VI— - MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › Part PART C— - INFORMATION, STANDARDS, AND REQUIREMENTS › Chapter CHAPTER 331— - THEFT PREVENTION › § 33101
Gives plain meanings for words used in this chapter about vehicle theft and parts marking. "Chop shop" means a place where people take stolen cars or parts to hide, break apart, change, or reassemble them to remove or fake their identity and then sell or ship them across state lines or to other countries. "Covered major part" means a major part chosen under section 33104 for the theft-prevention rule under sections 33102 or 33103. "Existing line" means a product line put on the market before January 1, 1990. "New line" means a product line put on the market after December 31, 1989. "First purchaser" means the first buyer who is not buying to resell. "Line" means the name a maker gives to a group of models of the same make with similar body or chassis. "Major part" means important vehicle components like the engine, transmission, doors, hood, grille, bumpers, fenders, trunk or tailgate parts, frame, and other similar parts the Secretary may add. "Major replacement part" means a major part that was changed or customized before the first sale, or a part not installed at delivery when title hasn’t passed. "Model year" has the same meaning given in section 32901(a). "Passenger motor vehicle" includes multipurpose passenger vehicles or light-duty trucks rated at not more than 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. "Vehicle theft prevention standard" means the minimum rule for marking major parts with numbers or symbols so they can be identified.
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Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 33101
Title 49 — Transportation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73