Title 49 › SUBTITLE VI — MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › PART C — INFORMATION, STANDARDS, AND REQUIREMENTS › CHAPTER 331 — THEFT PREVENTION › § 33101
Defines key words used in the chapter about stopping vehicle theft. Chop shop means a place where stolen cars or parts are altered to hide their identity (for example changing or removing the vehicle identification number) and then sold or moved across state lines or to other countries. Covered major part means a major part chosen to be covered by the theft-prevention marking rules. Existing line means a vehicle line introduced into commerce before January 1, 1990. New line means a line introduced 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 that share a body, chassis, or similar design. Major part means one of 11 big parts (engine, transmission, each passenger door, hood, grille, each bumper, each front fender, deck lid/tailgate/hatchback, each rear quarter panel, trunk floor pan, frame or unitized-body support) or any other part the Secretary of Transportation says is comparable. Major replacement part means a major part that was either an original part changed before the first delivery to the buyer, or a major part not installed at delivery when the vehicle’s legal title has not passed to the first buyer. Model year has the same meaning given elsewhere in the law. 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 a minimum rule that requires marking major parts of new vehicles and major replacement parts with numbers or symbols so they can be identified.
Full Legal Text
Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 33101
Title 49, Transportation
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102