IL

Illinois · Pull from yard

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Illinois Catalytic Converter Purchase Rules

Who you can buy from, what you must record, hold periods, and the penalty if you get it wrong when pull from yard catalytic converters in Illinois. Sourced from the ReMA / ISRI State Metals Theft Law Database.

Illinois · Bottom line

TIE TO VIN

Sourced fromReMA / ISRI State Metals Theft Law Database·Verified

Illinois · At a glance

Not a walk-in purchase — you own the source vehicle, so pulling your own converter is not a prohibited transaction. Onward sale of the detached cat is still regulated: under 815 ILCS 325/4.1(a)(4) a detached converter may only be sold if YOU (the seller) are licensed as an automotive parts recycler or scrap processor (4.1(b) is blank — there is no written-documentation-of-ownership alternative), and under 815 ILCS 325/4.4 it may only be bought by a licensed recyclable metal dealer at a fixed business address with full Section 3 records (no cash $100+). Section 3 separately requires you to keep the source-vehicle VIN, the certificate of title or uniform invoice, and converter markings as part of the transaction record.

Counter checklist

  1. Recordkeeping

    Log source-vehicle VIN + title number at removal

    Record the source vehicle's VIN, year, make, and model when the converter is removed, and retain a copy of the certificate of title or uniform invoice showing your ownership of the source vehicle. 815 ILCS 325/3 requires the VIN of the vehicle the converter was removed from and the ownership document to be part of the transaction record.

    Statute

    815 ILCS 325/3

  2. Recordkeeping

    Photograph cat against source vehicle at removal

    Photograph or video the converter at removal alongside the source vehicle (VIN visible where possible) and note any numbers, bar codes, stickers, or other unique markings on the converter. This mirrors the photographic / unique-marking recordkeeping the Act applies to converter transactions.

    Statute

    815 ILCS 325/3

  3. Recordkeeping

    Onward sale: licensed buyer + ownership docs

    When you sell the detached converter onward, 815 ILCS 325/4.1(a)(4) restricts the sale unless you (the seller) are licensed as an automotive parts recycler or scrap processor — 4.1(b) is blank, so there is no written-documentation-of-ownership alternative under Section 4.1. Separately, 815 ILCS 325/4.4 requires the buyer to be a licensed recyclable metal dealer, the sale to occur at the dealer's fixed business address, and Section 3 records to be kept. Do not accept cash of $100 or more per converter (815 ILCS 325/4.4(b)).

    Statute

    815 ILCS 325/4.1; 815 ILCS 325/4.4

Statute citations

  • 815 ILCS 325/1 to 815 ILCS 325/9 (Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law); recordkeeping at 815 ILCS 325/3; detached-converter restrictions at 815 ILCS 325/4.1 and 815 ILCS 325/4.4
  • 815 ILCS 325/4.1(a)(4) (a detached converter may be sold only if the seller is licensed as an automotive parts recycler or scrap processor; 4.1(b) is blank); 815 ILCS 325/4.4 (buyer must be a licensed recyclable metal dealer; fixed business address; Section 3 records; no cash $100+); 815 ILCS 325/8 (penalty)
  • 815 ILCS 325/3 (recordkeeping — including, for a catalytic converter transaction, the VIN of the vehicle the converter was removed from, converter markings, and a copy of the certificate of title or uniform invoice showing the seller's ownership in the vehicle); 49 U.S.C. § 30502 (NMVTIS) for source-vehicle reporting

Source detail

Compliance data sourced from the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA / ISRI) State Metals Theft Law Database →

Last verified . ReMA updates the database periodically — confirm against current statute before relying on this in compliance decisions.

Common questions

Can you pull from yard in Illinois?
Yes — Illinois permits this if you follow the state's recordkeeping, payment, and hold requirements. Not a walk-in purchase — you own the source vehicle, so pulling your own converter is not a prohibited transaction. Onward sale of the detached cat is still regulated: under 815 ILCS 325/4.1(a)(4) a detached converter may only be sold if YOU (the seller) are licensed as an automotive parts recycler or scrap processor (4.1(b) is blank — there is no written-documentation-of-ownership alternative), and under 815 ILCS 325/4.4 it may only be bought by a licensed recyclable metal dealer at a fixed business address with full Section 3 records (no cash $100+). Section 3 separately requires you to keep the source-vehicle VIN, the certificate of title or uniform invoice, and converter markings as part of the transaction record. (Quick reference, not legal advice — verify against current statute and your state recycler association before relying on this.)
What's the penalty for buying a catalytic converter illegally in Illinois?
Failure to maintain the required records, or selling a detached converter into a transaction that violates 815 ILCS 325/4.1 or 815 ILCS 325/4.4, is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense (815 ILCS 325/8). Metal obtained not in accordance with the Act is subject to immediate forfeiture. (Quick reference, not legal advice — verify against current statute and your state recycler association before relying on this.)
What records do you need to buy a catalytic converter in Illinois?
Required at the counter: Log source-vehicle VIN + title number at removal; Photograph cat against source vehicle at removal; Onward sale: licensed buyer + ownership docs. (Quick reference, not legal advice — verify against current statute and your state recycler association before relying on this.)