18 USC § 2321 - Trafficking in certain motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s2321"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 2321 - Trafficking in certain motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "2321"
section_name: "Trafficking in certain motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts"
chapter_number: 113
chapter_name: "STOLEN PROPERTY"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 98–547, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 25, 1984, 98 Stat. 2770, § 2320; renumbered § 2321, Pub. L. 99–646, § 42(a), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3601; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)"
---


# § 2321. Trafficking in certain motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts

**(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.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 98–547, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 25, 1984, 98 Stat. 2770, § 2320; renumbered § 2321, Pub. L. 99–646, § 42(a), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3601; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a).  substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $20,000”.