Us Code § 2312 - Transportation of stolen vehicles
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2312 — Transportation of stolen vehicles, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2312. Transportation of stolen vehicles
Whoever transports in interstate or foreign commerce a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, knowing the same to have been stolen, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 806; Pub. L. 102–519, title I, §103, Oct. 25, 1992, 106 Stat. 3385; Pub. L. 109–177, title III, §307(b)(2)(A), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 240.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §408 (Oct. 29, 1919, ch. 89, §§1, 3, 5, 41 Stat. 324, 325; Sept. 24, 1945, ch. 383, §§2, 3, 59 Stat. 536).
The first sentence of said section 408, providing the short title "An Act to punish the transportation of stolen motor vehicles or aircraft in interstate or foreign commerce," and derived from section 1 of said act of October 29, 1919, as amended, was omitted as not appropriate in a revision.
Definitions of "aircraft," "motor vehicle," and "interstate or foreign commerce," which constituted the second sentence of said section 408 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and were derived from section 2 of said act of October 29, 1919, as amended, are incorporated in sections 10 and 2311 of this title.
Provision relating to receiving or selling stolen aircraft or motor vehicles, which was derived from section 4 of the act of October 29, 1919, as amended, is incorporated in section 2313 of this title.
Venue provision, which was derived from section 5 of the act of October 29, 1919, was omitted as unnecessary, being covered by section 3237 of this title.
Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of "principal" in section 2 of this title.
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2006—Pub. L. 109–177 substituted "motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft" for "motor vehicle or aircraft".
1992—Pub. L. 102–519 substituted "fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years" for "fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years".
About This Section
18 U.S.C. § 2312 is part of Title 18 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 18 U.S.C. § 2312. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.