MN

Minnesota · Pull from yard

Verified

Minnesota 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 Minnesota. Sourced from the ReMA / ISRI State Metals Theft Law Database.

Minnesota · Bottom line

MARK + LOG

Sourced fromReMA / ISRI State Metals Theft Law Database·Verified

Minnesota · At a glance

Not a purchase — but Minnesota still requires the cat be MARKED with the removal date + source VIN before it leaves a vehicle, and onward sale to a scrap dealer triggers the full § 325E.21 cat rules

Counter checklist

  1. Recordkeeping

    Mark cat with removal date + source VIN at removal

    When you detach a converter from a vehicle you own, permanently mark it with the date it was removed and the source vehicle's VIN (or a unique alternative number, bar code, sticker, or marking readily linkable to the VIN by law enforcement). Minnesota's marking rule applies to anyone possessing a detached converter, not just buyers.

    Statute

    Minn. Stat. § 325E.21, subd. 11

  2. Recordkeeping

    Log source-vehicle VIN, make/model, removal date

    Record the source vehicle's VIN, year, make, model, and the removal date in your dismantling log so the converter's marking traces back to a vehicle you lawfully held. Retain records for three years.

    Statute

    Minn. Stat. § 325E.21, subd. 2

  3. Reporting

    Onward sale: provide business ID, signed VIN list, dates

    When you sell the converter onward to a registered scrap metal dealer, that sale is its own § 325E.21 transaction. As a bona fide dismantler/recycler/repair business you may sell without per-vehicle title/registration by providing your business identity and a written or electronic signature, an itemized list of each converter with its donor VIN (or unique alternative number), and the removal date. The buying dealer then applies the 7-day hold, 5-day payment delay, and LeadsOnline upload.

    Statute

    Minn. Stat. § 325E.21, subd. 13(a), (c)-(d), (f)-(g)

Statute citations

  • Minn. Stat. § 325E.21, subd. 11 (marking on removal), subd. 13 (onward sale to scrap metal dealer)
  • Minn. Stat. § 325E.21, subd. 6 (graduated penalties); Minn. Stat. § 609.5316 (forfeiture)
  • 49 U.S.C. § 30502 (NMVTIS) for source-vehicle reporting; Minn. Stat. § 299C.25

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 Minnesota?
Yes — Minnesota permits this if you follow the state's recordkeeping, payment, and hold requirements. Not a purchase — but Minnesota still requires the cat be MARKED with the removal date + source VIN before it leaves a vehicle, and onward sale to a scrap dealer triggers the full § 325E.21 cat rules (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 Minnesota?
Possessing or transferring a detached converter that is not marked with the removal date and source VIN (subd. 11) is a crime under the subd. 6 graduated scale (misdemeanor for one converter up to a 20-year/$100,000 felony for more than 70). Records linking the converter to the source vehicle protect against forfeiture under § 609.5316. (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 Minnesota?
Required at the counter: Mark cat with removal date + source VIN at removal; Log source-vehicle VIN, make/model, removal date; Onward sale: provide business ID, signed VIN list, dates. (Quick reference, not legal advice — verify against current statute and your state recycler association before relying on this.)