Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§2321 Trafficking in Certain Motor Vehicles or Motor Vehicle Parts
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 113 — STOLEN PROPERTY › § 2321
Summary
Illegal to possess a vehicle or part to sell or dispose of when you know its ID number was removed or altered. Penalty: fine and/or prison not more than ten years. Exceptions: collision or fire, or if section 511 doesn’t apply.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §2321
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Whoever buys, receives, possesses, or obtains control of, with intent to sell or otherwise dispose of, a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, knowing that an identification number for such motor vehicle or part has been removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(b)Subsection (a) does not apply if the removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration—
(1)is caused by collision or fire; or
(2)is not a violation of section 511 of this title.
(c)As used in this section, the terms “identification number” and “motor vehicle” have the meaning given those terms in section 511 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $20,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 2321
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102