WA

Washington · Pull from yard

Verified

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

Washington · Bottom line

MARK VIN

Sourced fromReMA / ISRI State Metals Theft Law Database·Verified

Washington · At a glance

Not a purchase (you own the source vehicle): the 3-day mailed-check and 30-day disassembly hold do NOT apply because you are the registered owner. You still must mark each cat with the last 8 digits of the source VIN and keep the dismantling record.

Counter checklist

  1. Recordkeeping

    Mark cat with last 8 digits of source VIN within 24 hrs

    Any person who removes a catalytic converter from a vehicle (other than for maintenance/repair/demolition) must permanently mark it with the last eight digits of the originating vehicle's VIN, visible from at least one side, within 24 hours of removal and before transporting it off-site. As registered owner you have the affirmative defense, but marking is the practical compliance step before any onward sale.

    Statute

    RCW 9A.82.180(1)

  2. Recordkeeping

    Log source VIN, year, make, model in dismantling record

    Record the source vehicle's VIN, year, make, model, and date of removal in your dismantling/inventory record so each converter traces to a vehicle you own. Keep records for inspection by commissioned law enforcement during business hours.

    Statute

    RCW 46.79.150(3)

  3. Hold· optional

    30-day disassembly hold waived for owner-source cats

    The 30-day waiting period between purchase and disassembly/de-canning does NOT apply when the scrap processor is also the registered owner of the originating vehicle — so cats you pull from your own titled inventory may be processed without that hold. Keep proof of ownership in the record.

    Statute

    RCW 46.79.140(3)

  4. Reporting

    Sell onward only to a licensed processor/wrecker

    When you sell the converter onward, the buyer must hold a scrap processor (Ch. 46.79) or vehicle wrecker (Ch. 46.80) license — purchasing a removed cat without one is class C felony trafficking. Treat the onward sale as its own recorded transaction.

    Statute

    RCW 9A.82.190

Statute citations

  • Wash. Rev. Code Ch. 46.79 § 46.79.140 (scrap processor disassembly/de-canning; registered-owner carve-out) + § 46.79.150 (recordkeeping); Ch. 46.80 (vehicle wreckers); Ch. 19.290 (metal property)
  • Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.82.180 (VIN marking — registered-owner-permission affirmative defense)
  • Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.56.410 ($1,000-per-converter fine for transaction/marking violations); 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 Washington?
Yes — Washington permits this if you follow the state's recordkeeping, payment, and hold requirements. Not a purchase (you own the source vehicle): the 3-day mailed-check and 30-day disassembly hold do NOT apply because you are the registered owner. You still must mark each cat with the last 8 digits of the source VIN and keep the dismantling 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 Washington?
Because you are the registered owner of the source vehicle, the marking statute's affirmative defense applies (RCW 9A.82.180) and the 30-day disassembly hold is waived (RCW 46.79.140(3)). Selling or transferring an unmarked detached cat onward, or failing to keep records, still exposes you to the gross-misdemeanor and $1,000-per-converter penalties under RCW 9A.56.410 / 9A.82.180, and trafficking liability (RCW 9A.82.190) attaches to any buyer who is not a licensed scrap processor or vehicle wrecker. (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 Washington?
Required at the counter: Mark cat with last 8 digits of source VIN within 24 hrs; Log source VIN, year, make, model in dismantling record; Sell onward only to a licensed processor/wrecker. (Quick reference, not legal advice — verify against current statute and your state recycler association before relying on this.)