U.S. Code » Title 18 » Part PART I— CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 25— COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY

18 U.S.C. § 511

Altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers

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(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 affixed for purposes 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 person, 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 purchasing motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts for reduction to metallic scrap for recycling;(B) who, from a fixed location, uses machinery to process metallic scrap into prepared 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 section, the term “tampers with” includes covering a program decal or device affixed to a motor vehicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act for the purpose of obstructing its visibility.(Added Pub. L. 98–547, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 25, 1984, 98 Stat. 2768; amended Pub. L. 103–272, § 5(e)(3), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1373; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXII, § 220003(a)–(c), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2076, 2077; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 604(b)(8), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)Editorial NotesReferences in Text

The Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2), (b)(2)(D), and (d), is title XXII of Pub. L. 103–322, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2074, which enacted section 511A of this title and section 12611 of Title 34, Crime Control and Law Enforcement, amended this section, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 10101 of Title 34. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1994 Act note set out under section 10101 of Title 34 and Tables.

Codification

Another section 511 was renumbered section 513 of this title.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b)(2)(D). Pub. L. 104–294 realigned margins.

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322, § 220003(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “Whoever knowingly removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters an identification number for a motor vehicle, or motor vehicle part, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

Subsec. (b)(2)(D). Pub. L. 103–322, § 220003(b), added subpar. (D).

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 103–272, § 5(e)(3)(A), substituted “chapter 301 and part C of subtitle VI of title 49” for “the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, or the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act”.

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 103–272, § 5(e)(3)(B), substituted “section 32101 of title 49” for “section 2 of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–322, § 220003(c), added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section 604(d) of Pub. L. 104–294, set out as a note under section 13 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 79 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1946–2024 · leading case: United States v. Edward Avery Herndon, 982 F.2d 1411 (10th Cir. 1992).
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United States v. Edward Avery Herndon, 982 F.2d 1411 (10th Cir. 1992). · cites it 7× “Both counts one and two alleged violations of 18 U.S.C. § 511 . 1 Count three sought criminal forfeiture under 18 U.”
United States v. Jack Leroy Petty, 132 F.3d 373 (7th Cir. 1997). · cites it 7× “a vehicle identification number (“VIN”) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 (a). Petty pled guilty to two additional counts of dealing in stolen property in violation of 18 U.”
Kowalczyk v. United States, 936 F. Supp. 1127 (E.D.N.Y 1996). · cites it 13× “On January 22, 1990, the petitioner, who was tried under an eight count indictment, was convicted by a jury of six counts of altering vehicle identification numbers (“VINs”) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 , one count of tax evasion in violation of 26 U.”
Small v. United States, 544 U.S. 385 (2005). · cites it 2× “Meanwhile, a person convicted domestically of tampering with a vehicle identification number, 18 U.S.C. § 511 (a)(1), is barred from possessing firearms.”
United States v. Jose Fuentes, 107 F.3d 1515 (11th Cir. 1997). · cites it 3× “§ 371 , to alter VINs in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 (a) and to possess with intent to dispose of motor vehicles and parts with altered VINs in violation of 18 U.”
United States v. Cisneros, 328 F.3d 610 (10th Cir. 2003). “§ 1962 (d), and a Stolen Vehicle Conspiracy (count fifteen), 18 U.S.C. §§ 511 , 2312, 2313, 2321. Among the specific predicate acts of racketeering activity underlying the RICO conspiracy charge was an alleged conspiracy to murder a potential witnesses against the Cisneros…”
United States v. Dennis M. Podell, 869 F.2d 328 (7th Cir. 1989). · cites it 4× “§ 1014 ), six counts of removing and tampering with a vehicle identification number ( 18 U.S.C. § 511 ) and three counts of altering a vehicle identification number ( 18 U.”
United States v. Leon Burke, 345 F.3d 416 (6th Cir. 2003). “Federal authorities then indicted Leon for being a felon in possession of a weapon, and both Leon and Billy for conspiring to tamper with VIN numbers and steal cars, and for actually tampering with VINs on several occasions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 (a). After the federal…”
United States v. William Aramony, United States of Am. v. Stephen J. Paulachak, United States of Am. v. Thomas J. Merlo, 88 F.3d 1369 (4th Cir. 1996). “And, even though we noted that the cocon-spirator’s obliteration of the salvage VINs on the stolen vehicles may not have been anticipated by the defendants, we affirmed their convictions for violating 18 U.S.C. § 511 (a) under Pinkerton because the coconspirator’s tampering with…”
Chester Kowalczyk v. Dep't of Just., 73 F.3d 386 (D.C. Cir. 1996). “Background Chester Kowalczyk was convicted in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York of tampering with motor vehicle identification numbers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 , and attempting to *388 evade federal income tax, in violation of 26 U.”
People v. DePalma, 627 N.E.2d 1236 (Ill. App. Ct. 1994). · cites it 2× “(625 ILCS 574-103(a)(2) (West 1992)); 18 U.S.C.A. § 511 (a) (West Supp.1993). It is illegal to buy, receive, possess, sell or dispose of any vehicle with knowledge of a VIN deficiency (625 ILCS 5/4-103(a)(4) (West 1992)), and the law explicitly provides a procedure for affixing…”
United States v. Scotty Joe Uder, 98 F.3d 1039 (8th Cir. 1996). · cites it 2× “§ 2322 (a)(1), 2 *1041 (b) 3 and the other alleging that he and four of his eo-defendants knowingly tampered with and altered the vehicle identification number on a stolen car, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 511 . By the time of trial on July 19, 1995, all of Uder’s co-defendants…”
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