South Carolina Catalytic Converter Law

Only a permitted secondary metals recycler may buy a used, detached converter. You need documentation showing where it came from — including the VIN of the car it was removed from and proof the car is yours. Having one without that paperwork can be treated as possessing contraband.

Which law applies

The rules are in S.C. Code § 16-17-680, the state's nonferrous metals law. Act No. 80 of 2021 (House Bill 3991, signed May 18, 2021) added the catalytic converter provisions. The law treats catalytic converters as nonferrous metal, alongside copper wire and pipe, aluminum, lead-acid batteries and similar items.

Who can buy a used, detached converter

It is unlawful for anyone other than a permitted secondary metals recycler to buy or otherwise acquire a used, detached catalytic converter, or any nonferrous part of one. In practice, that means private buyers, online "converter buyers" without a permit, and cash-for-cats operations that aren't permitted recyclers can't legally buy yours.

A converter still attached to a car isn't "detached". Selling the whole vehicle, converter included, is a normal vehicle sale (see SC title requirements).

The paperwork you need

To sell a used, detached converter, the seller must give the recycler documentation showing it was obtained legally. The statute lists:

• the name of the person or company that removed the converter;
• the name of the person the work was done for;
• the make and model of the vehicle it came off;
• that vehicle's VIN;
• the converter's part number or other identifying number;
• the certificate of title or registration showing the seller's ownership interest in that vehicle.

For an individual, this generally means the converter came off your own registered vehicle when it was replaced, and you can prove it with the repair paperwork and your title or registration. Keep the shop invoice when a converter is replaced.

No paperwork = presumed contraband

The law says a person in possession of a used, detached catalytic converter without identifying documentation is presumed to be in possession of contraband, subject to forfeiture. Don't buy, trade for or hold onto a loose converter you can't document.

What the recycler has to do

• Keep a record of the documentation for each converter it buys.
• Note any obvious markings on the converter, such as paint, labels or engravings (the marks owners and police use to trace stolen converters).
• Follow the general nonferrous-metal rules in § 16-17-680, including ID and recordkeeping for every purchase and limits on cash payments (the statute restricts recyclers to one cash transaction per seller per day for copper and catalytic converters).

The nonferrous metals permit

Separately, § 16-17-680 requires a permit to transport and sell nonferrous metals for many sellers. It's issued by the county sheriff's office and is valid for 24 months. Some sellers are exempt (for example, certain licensed businesses selling in the ordinary course of business). If you sell scrap metal regularly, ask your sheriff's office whether you need one.

Penalties

Under Act 80, violating the catalytic converter provisions carries, on a first offense, a fine at the court's discretion or up to three years in prison. A second or later offense is a felony punishable by a fine at the court's discretion or up to five years.

Selling a converter the right way

1. Gather the removal paperwork (shop invoice) and your title or registration for the vehicle.
2. Photograph the converter and any part number stamped on it.
3. Sell only to a permitted secondary metals recycler, and expect to show ID.
4. If you're selling the whole car, leave the converter on — it's part of the vehicle's value.

Converter value depends on the model: each one holds different amounts of platinum, palladium and rhodium. See today's catalytic converter prices, or look up a converter by serial number.

This is a plain-English summary for general information, not legal advice. Laws change; read the current text of S.C. Code § 16-17-680 or ask an attorney or your county sheriff's office about your situation. Last reviewed September 26, 2026.

Call before you bring one in and we'll tell you what paperwork to have ready.