Title 49 — Transportation

Part C · Chapter 331 — Theft Prevention

§ 33101. Definitions

Statutory text

In this chapter—

“chop shop” means a building, lot, facility, or other structure or premise at which at least one person engages in receiving, concealing, destroying, disassembling, dismantling, reassembling, or storing a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle part that has been unlawfully obtained—

to alter, counterfeit, deface, destroy, disguise, falsify, forge, obliterate, or remove the identity of the vehicle or part, including the vehicle identification number or a derivative of that number; and

to distribute, sell, or dispose of the vehicle or part in interstate or foreign commerce.

“covered major part” means a major part selected under section 33104 of this title for coverage by the vehicle theft prevention standard prescribed under section 33102 or 33103 of this title.

“existing line” means a line introduced into commerce before January 1, 1990.

“first purchaser” means the person making the first purchase other than for resale.

“line” means a name that a manufacturer of motor vehicles applies to a group of motor vehicle models of the same make that have the same body or chassis, or otherwise are similar in construction or design.

“major part” means—

the engine;

the transmission;

each door to the passenger compartment;

the hood;

the grille;

each bumper;

each front fender;

the deck lid, tailgate, or hatchback;

each rear quarter panel;

the trunk floor pan;

the frame or, for a unitized body, the supporting structure serving as the frame; and

any other part of a passenger motor vehicle that the Secretary of Transportation by regulation specifies as comparable in design or function to any of the parts listed in subclauses (A)–(K) of this clause.

“major replacement part” means a major part that is—

an original major part in or on a completed motor vehicle and customized or modified after manufacture of the vehicle but before the time of its delivery to the first purchaser; or

not installed in or on a motor vehicle at the time of its delivery to the first purchaser and the equitable or legal title to the vehicle has not been transferred to a first purchaser.

“model year” has the same meaning given that term in section 32901(a) of this title.

“new line” means a line introduced into commerce after December 31, 1989.

“passenger motor vehicle” includes a multipurpose passenger vehicle or light duty truck when that vehicle or truck is rated at not more than 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

“vehicle theft prevention standard” means a minimum performance standard for identifying major parts of new motor vehicles and major replacement parts by inscribing or affixing numbers or symbols on those parts.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1994
Pub. L. 103–272 § 1(e) · 108 Stat. 745
Enacted · 49 U.S.C. § 33101
Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1076
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1076
Enacted provision · exact public law section
Section 1. subtitles ii, ii, and v-x of title 49, united states code (a) Certain general and permanent laws of the 49 USC prec. 101 note. United States, related to transportation, are revised, codified, and enacted by subsections (c)–(e) of this section without substantive change as subtitles II, III, and V–X of title 49, United States Code, “Transportation”. Those laws may be cited as “49 U.S.C. ________”. (b) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the table of subtitles at the beginning of the title and substituting the following new table of subtitles: “Subtitle “I. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION “II. OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES “III. GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS “IV. INTERSTATE COMMERCE “V. RAIL PROGRAMS “VI. MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS “VII. AVIATION PROGRAMS “VIII. PIPELINES “IX. COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION “X. MISCELLANEOUS (c) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking subtitle II, except that chapter 31 (comprising sections 3101–3104) of subtitle II is redesignated and restated as chapter 315 (comprising sections 31501–31504) of subtitle VI of title 49, as enacted by subsection (e) of this section. (d) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding the following immediately after subtitle I:
1994
Pub. L. 103–429 § 6(44)(B) · 108 Stat. 4377
1. Amended · 49 U.S.C. § 33101(2)
  Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B), as amended by Pub. L. 104–287
2. Inserted · 49 U.S.C. § 33101(2)
  Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B), as inserted “of this title” before period at end
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Par. (2). Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B), as amended by Pub. L. 104–287, inserted “of this title” before period at end.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(B) Add at the end “of this title”.
1994
Pub. L. 103–429 § 6(44)(A) · 108 Stat. 4377
Substituted · 49 U.S.C. § 33101(2)
Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(A), substituted “section 33104” for “sections 33102(c)(1) and 33104”
Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(A), substituted “section 33104” for “sections 33102(c)(1) and 33104”.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(A) Strike “sections 33102(c)(1) and” and substitute “section”.
1996
Pub. L. 104–287 § 6(d)(1)(B) · 110 Stat. 3388
Changed · 49 U.S.C. § 33101
Pub. L. 104–287 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B). See 1994 Amendment note below
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 104–287 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B). See 1994 Amendment note below.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(6) In section 702, strike “the effective date of such Act” and substitute “January 1, 1996”.
Effective date note
Pub. L. 104–287, § 6(d), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3398, provided that the amendment made by section 6(d)(1)(B) is effective Oct. 31, 1994.

5 of 5 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Notes

historicalAndRevision

Historical and Revision Notes
Pub. L. 103–272
RevisedSection	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
33101(1)	15:2021(11).	Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, 86 Stat. 947, § 601(11); added Oct. 25, 1992, Pub. L. 102–519, § 301(b), 106 Stat. 3394.
33101(2)	15:2021(6).	Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, 86 Stat. 947, § 601(2)–(7), (9), (10); added Oct. 25, 1984, Pub. L. 98–547, § 101(a), 98 Stat. 2755, 2756.
33101(3)	15:2021(3).
33101(4)	15:2021(5).
33101(5)	15:2021(2).
33101(6)	15:2021(7).
33101(7)	15:2021(8).	Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, 86 Stat. 947, § 601(1), (8); added Oct. 25, 1984, Pub. L. 98–547, § 101(a), 98 Stat. 2755; restated Oct. 25, 1992, Pub. L. 102–519, § 301(a), (c), 106 Stat. 3393, 3394.
33101(8)	15:2021(9).
33101(9)	15:2021(4).
33101(10)	15:2021(1).
33101(11)	15:2021(10).

In clause (2), the words “section 33102(c)(1)” are substituted for “section 2022(d)(1)(B)” to correct an erroneous cross-reference. Section 302(1) of the Act of October 25, 1992 (Public Law 102–519, 106 Stat. 3394), restated section 602(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (Public Law 92–513, 86 Stat. 947) as section 602(d)(1) without making a corresponding change in the cross-reference restated in this section.

In clause (3), the words “before January 1, 1990” are substituted for “before the beginning of the 2-year period specified in section 2023(a)(1)(A) of this title” for clarity. See the revision notes for section 33104 of the revised title.

In clause (5), the words “of motor vehicles” are added for consistency in this chapter.

Clause (6)(I) is substituted for “rear quarter panels” for clarity and consistency.

In clause (7)(A), the word “completed” is omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement.

In clause (9), the words “after December 31, 1989” are substituted for “on or after the beginning of the 2-year period specified in section 2023(a)(1)(A) of this title” for clarity and consistency.

Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(A)

This corrects a cross-reference in 49:33101(2) by eliminating the reference to 49:33102(c)(1). Section 302(1) of the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–519, 106 Stat. 3394) restated section 602(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (Public Law 92–513, 86 Stat. 947) as section 602(d)(1) without making a change in the cross-reference in section 601(6) to section 602(d)(1)(B).

Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B)

This makes a conforming amendment for consistency with the style of title 49.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1994–1996 · 2 rounds

1996

Pub. L. 104–287 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B). See 1994 Amendment note below.

1994

Par. (2). Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(B), as amended by Pub. L. 104–287, inserted “of this title” before period at end.

Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44)(A), substituted “section 33104” for “sections 33102(c)(1) and 33104”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–287, § 6(d), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3398, provided that the amendment made by section 6(d)(1)(B) is effective Oct. 31, 1994.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–429 effective July 5, 1994, see section 9 of Pub. L. 103–429, set out as a note under section 321 of this title.

Credits

1994–1996 · 3 acts

1994Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1076
1994Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4383
1996Pub. L. 104–287, § 6(d)(1)(B), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3399.

Show as published

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1076; Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(44), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4383; Pub. L. 104–287, § 6(d)(1)(B), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3399.)