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18 U.S.C. § 512 — Forfeiture of certain motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** If an identification number for a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part is removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered, such vehicle or part shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture to the United States unless—
(1) in the case of a motor vehicle part, such part is attached to a motor vehicle and the owner of such motor vehicle does not know that the identification number has been removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered;
(2) such motor vehicle or part has a replacement identification number that—
(A) is authorized by the Secretary of Transportation under chapter 301 of title 49; or
(B) conforms to applicable State law;
(3) such removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration is caused by collision or fire or is carried out as described in [section 511(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section511/b&num=0&edition=prelim); or
(4) such motor vehicle or part is in the possession or control of a motor vehicle scrap processor who does not know that such identification number was removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered in any manner other than by collision or fire or as described in [section 511(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section511/b&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(b)** All provisions of law relating to—
(1) the seizure and condemnation of vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage for violation of customs laws, and procedures for summary and judicial forfeiture applicable to such violations;
(2) the disposition of such vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage or the proceeds from such disposition;
(3) the remission or mitigation of such forfeiture; and
(4) the compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers wi
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-18/section-512-forfeiture-of-certain-motor-vehicles-and-motor-vehicle-parts--ae07ef16b2.md
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Source location: Title 18, Chapter 25, § 512; chapter-025-counterfeiting-and-forgery.md
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**(a)** If an identification number for a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part is removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered, such vehicle or part shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture to the United States unless—
(1) in the case of a motor vehicle part, such part is attached to a motor vehicle and the owner of such motor vehicle does not know that the identification number has been removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered;
(2) such motor vehicle or part has a replacement identification number that—
(A) is authorized by the Secretary of Transportation under chapter 301 of title 49; or
(B) conforms to applicable State law;
(3) such removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration is caused by collision or fire or is carried out as described in [section 511(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section511/b&num=0&edition=prelim); or
(4) such motor vehicle or part is in the possession or control of a motor vehicle scrap processor who does not know that such identification number was removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered in any manner other than by collision or fire or as described in [section 511(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section511/b&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(b)** All provisions of law relating to—
(1) the seizure and condemnation of vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage for violation of customs laws, and procedures for summary and judicial forfeiture applicable to such violations;
(2) the disposition of such vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage or the proceeds from such disposition;
(3) the remission or mitigation of such forfeiture; and
(4) the compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers with respect to such forfeiture;
shall apply to seizures and forfeitures under this section, to the extent that such provisions are not inconsistent with this section. The duties of the collector of customs or any other person with respect to seizure and forfeiture under such provisions shall be performed under this section by such persons as may be designated by the Attorney General.
**(c)** As used in this section, the terms “identification number”, “motor vehicle”, and “motor vehicle scrap processor” have the meanings given those terms in [section 511 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section511&num=0&edition=prelim).
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** A person who—
(1) knowingly removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters an identification number for a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part; or
(2) with intent to further the theft of a motor vehicle, knowingly removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters a decal or device affixed to a motor vehicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act,
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
**(b)**
(1) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration by a person specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection (unless such person knows that the vehicle or part involved is stolen).
(2) The persons referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection are—
(A) a motor vehicle scrap processor or a motor vehicle demolisher who complies with applicable State law with respect to such vehicle or part;
(B) a person who repairs such vehicle or part, if the removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration is reasonably necessary for the repair;
(C) a person who restores or replaces an identification number for such vehicle or part in accordance with applicable State law; and
(D) a person who removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters a decal or device affixed to a motor vehicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act, if that person is the owner of the motor vehicle, or is authorized to remove, obliterate, tamper with or alter the decal or device by—
(i) the owner or his authorized agent;
(ii) applicable State or local law; or
(iii) regulations promulgated by the Attorney General to implement the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act.
**(c)** As used in this section, the term—
(1) “identification number” means a number or symbol that is inscribed or af
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 134
TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
[§ 511A
Vehicle Theft Prevention Act, if that person is
the owner of the motor vehicle, or is author-
ized to remove, obliterate, tamper with or
alter the decal or device by—
(i) the owner or his authorized agent;
(ii) applicable State or local law; or
(iii) regulations promulgated by the Attor-
ney General to implement the Motor Vehicle
Theft Prevention Act.
(c) As used in this section, the term—
(1) ‘‘identification number’’ means a number
or symbol that is inscribed or affixed for pur-
poses of identification under chapter 301 and
part C of subtitle VI of title 49;
(2) ‘‘motor vehicle’’ has the meaning given
that term in section 32101 of title 49;
(3) ‘‘motor vehicle demolisher’’ means a per-
son, including any motor vehicle dismantler
or motor vehicle recycler, who is engaged in
the business of reducing motor vehicles or
motor vehicle parts to metallic scrap that is
unsuitable for use as either a motor vehicle or
a motor vehicle part;
(4) ‘‘motor vehicle scrap processor’’ means a
person—
(A) who is engaged in the business of pur-
chasing motor vehicles or motor vehicle
parts for reduction to metallic scrap for re-
cycling;
(B) who, from a fixed location, uses ma-
chinery to process metallic scrap into pre-
pared grades; and
(C) whose principal product is metallic
scrap for recycling;
but such term does not include any activity of
any such person relating to the recycling of a
motor vehicle or a motor vehicle part as a
used motor vehicle or a used motor vehicle
part.
(d) For purposes of subsection (a) of this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘tampers with’’ includes covering
a program decal or device affixed to a motor ve-
hicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Theft Pre-
vention Act for the purpose of obstr
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