{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-433.920","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 433.920","heading":"Duties of purchasers of metal and objects containing metal -- Retention of","body":"records -- Exclusions.\n(1) Every recycler, dealer in junk or metals, dealer in secondhand articles, vendor of\nbottles or rags, collector of or dealer in articles found in ashes, garbage, or other\nrefuse, whether such dealers, collectors, or vendors have established places of\nbusiness or operate a business of an itinerant nature, shall, with regard to any\ncatalytic converter, metal beverage container that is capable of holdi ng more than\ntwo (2) liters of beverage and is marketed as returnable, railroad rails, nonferrous\nmetal or an alloy thereof, or an object containing nonferrous metal or an alloy\nthereof:\n(a) Enter a report into the LeadsOnline database for all metals trans actions within\ntwo (2) days of the transaction and keep a register that contains:\n1. A photocopy of a valid operator's license, personal identification card,\nor other government -issued identification card or document which\ncontains the name, photograph, an d signature of the seller. If the\npurchaser has a copy of the seller's valid photo identification on file, it\nshall not be necessary for the purchaser to make another copy of the\nidentification document for each purchase if the purchaser references the\nnumber on the identification document in the register at the time of each\npurchase;\n2. The home address and telephone number of the seller, if the\nidentification in subparagraph 1. of this paragraph does not contain that\ninformation;\n3. If a motor vehicle is  used to transport the purchased catalytic converter,\nmetal beverage container that is capable of holding more than two (2)\nliters of beverage and is marketed as returnable, railroad rail, nonferrous\nmetal or an alloy thereof, or object containing nonferro us metal or an\nalloy thereof, to the place of purchase, the color, make, model, state, and\nlicense number of the motor vehicle, which shall be provided by the\nseller of the items;\n4. A photograph of a motor vehicle used in subparagraph 3. of this\nparagraph that contains the state and license number of the motor\nvehicle;\n5. The time and date of the transaction;\n6. A description in the usage of the trade of the kind and weight of the\nrailroad rail, nonferrous metal or an alloy thereof, or object containing\nthe nonferrous metal or an alloy thereof purchased;\n7. A photograph of the property described in subparagraph 6. of this\nparagraph;\n8. The amount paid for the material and the unit basis of the purchase, such\nas by ounce or pound, etc.; and\n9. For the purchase of a catalytic converter, a photocopy of:\na. The seller's identification that meets the minimum age requirement\nin paragraph (c) of this subsection;\nb. The receipt for the replacement catalytic converter; and\nc. The title or registration f or the vehicle from which the catalytic\nconverter was removed in the name of the seller;\n(b) Not purchase any metal that has been smelted, burned, or melted unless, in\naddition to the other requirements of this subsection, the seller provides the\nfollowing, and the purchaser maintains a copy thereof:\n1. A signed certificate of ownership stating that he or she is the owner of\nthe metal and is entitled to sell it; or\n2. A signed certificate from the owner of the metal stating that he or she is\nthe owner of th e metal, and that the person selling the metal is\nauthorized to sell the metal on behalf of the owner;\n(c) Not purchase any catalytic converter, metal beverage container that is capable\nof holding more than two (2) liters of beverage and is marketed as ret urnable,\nrailroad rail, nonferrous metal or an alloy thereof, or an object containing\nnonferrous metal or an alloy thereof from a person who:\n1. Is less than eighteen (18) years of age;\n2. Is unable or refuses to provide the identification and information\nrequired in paragraph (a) of this subsection; or\n3. Is attempting to conduct a retail sale outside the hours of 7:00 a.m. to\n7:00 p.m.;\n(d) Retain the information required by this section for a period of two (2) years,\nafter which time, the information may  be retained, destroyed in a manner that\nprotects the identity of the owner of the property and the seller of the\nproperty, or transferred to a law enforcement agency specified in paragraph\n(g) of this subsection;\n(e) If the purchaser ceases business, tran sfer all records and information required\nby this section to a law enforcement agency specified in paragraph (g) of this\nsubsection;\n(f) Permit any peace officer or inspector from the commission to inspect the\nregister, and if the peace officer or commissi on inspector deems it necessary\nto locate specific stolen property, may inspect the catalytic converter, metal\nbeverage and container that is capable of holding more than two (2) liters of\nbeverage is marketed as returnable, railroad rail, nonferrous metal  or an alloy\nthereof, or object containing nonferrous metal or an alloy thereof received\nduring business hours with or without a subpoena;\n(g) Upon written request of the sheriff, the chief of police, or the Kentucky State\nPolice, as appropriate, make a report containing the information required to be\nretained in the register under paragraph (a) of this subsection in person, in\ndigital format, in writing, or by electronic means within twenty -four (24)\nhours of the transaction to:\n1. The sheriff of the count y in which the purchase was made and the\nsheriff of the county in which the business is located; and\n2. When the purchase was made in a city, county, urban -county, charter\ncounty, consolidated local government, or unified local government, to\nthe police de partment of the city, county, urban -county, charter county,\nconsolidated local government, or unified local government in which the\npurchase is made and the police department of the city, county, urban -\ncounty, charter county, consolidated local government,  or unified local\ngovernment in which the business is located, unless there is no police\ndepartment in that jurisdiction;\n(h) Comply with a written request pursuant to paragraph (g) of this subsection\nuntil a written notice to cease sending the reports req uired by paragraph (g) of\nthis subsection is received by the purchaser. A request may relate to:\n1. All records of purchases;\n2. Records of a specific class of metals or items purchased;\n3. Records of purchases during a specific period of time; or\n4. Records of a specific purchase or purchases; and\n(i) Retain the property in its original form or a photograph or digital image of the\nproperty for a period of three (3) business days from the date of purchase\nunless notified by a peace officer having reasonable  cause to believe that the\nproperty may be stolen property, in which case, the property may be seized as\nevidence by the peace officer or, if not seized, shall be retained for an\nadditional thirty (30) days unless earlier notified by a peace officer that t he\nproperty may be sold.\n(2) A sheriff or police department receiving records pursuant to this section shall retain\nthe records for two (2) years, after which time, it may either retain or destroy the\nrecords in a manner that protects the identity of the o wner of the property, the seller\nof the property, and the purchaser of the property.\n(3) Any record required to be made or reported pursuant to this section may be kept\nand reported in hard copy or digital or in electronic format.\n(4) This section shall not apply to the purchase, sale, or transfer of:\n(a) A motor vehicle, aircraft, or other item that is licensed by the state or federal\ngovernment pursuant to a legitimate transfer of title or issuance of a junk title;\n(b) A firearm, part of a firearm, firearm accessory, ammunition, or ammunition\ncomponent;\n(c) A knife, knife parts, accessory or sheath for a knife, or knifemaking products;\n(d) A nonreturnable used beverage container or food container;\n(e) Jewelry, household goods containing metal, garden tools, and similar\nhousehold items, except for a catalyt ic converter or metal beverage container\nthat is capable of holding more than two (2) liters of liquid and which is\nmarketed as returnable, which takes place at a flea market or yard sale;\n(f) A single transaction involving a purchase price of ten dollars ($10) or less, but\nmore than two (2) transactions with the same person involving a purchase\nprice of ten dollars ($10) or less in one (1) seven (7) day period shall be\nreportable transactions;\n(g) Material disposed of as trash or refuse that contains or ma y contain a catalytic\nconverter, metal beverage container that is capable of holding more than two\n(2) liters of beverage and is marketed as returnable, railroad rail, nonferrous\nmetals or an alloy thereof, or an object that contains or may contain a railr oad\nrail or nonferrous metals or an alloy thereof, which is collected by a municipal\nwaste department or by a licensed waste hauler and no payment is made to the\nperson from whom the material is collected by the person or agency collecting\nthe material;\n(h) A catalytic converter, metal beverage container that is capable of holding\nmore than two (2) liters of beverage and marketed as returnable, railroad rail,\nnonferrous metal or alloy thereof, or an object containing railroad rail,\nnonferrous metal, or an a lloy thereof from a person who has maintained a\nrecord pursuant to this section to a person who is to further recycle the metal\nor object containing the metal;\n(i) A catalytic converter, metal beverage container that is capable of holding\nmore than two (2)  liters of beverage and marketed as returnable, railroad rail,\nnonferrous metal or an alloy thereof, or object containing nonferrous metal or\nan alloy thereof under a written contract with an organization, corporation, or\nassociation registered with the Co mmonwealth as a charitable, philanthropic,\nreligious, fraternal, civic, patriotic, social, or school sponsored organization;\n(j) A purchase, pursuant to a written contract, from a manufacturing, industrial or\nother commercial vendor that generates catalyti c converters, metal beverage\ncontainers capable of holding more than two (2) liters of beverage and which\nare marketed as returnable, railroad rail, nonferrous metal or an alloy thereof,\nor object containing nonferrous metal in the ordinary course of business;\n(k) An item purchased by, pawned to, or sold by a pawnbroker licensed pursuant\nto KRS Chapter 226, engaging in the business authorized by that chapter; or\n(l) Any ferrous metal item, except for a catalytic converter, metal beverage\ncontainer that is capable of holding more than two (2) liters of beverage and is\nmarked as returnable, or railroad rails.","path":["KRS Chapter 433"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57057","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:59:48Z","sha256":"d4954976156b3fecbd7c6113b18af79ac4b71c1c2e2296b2121407df24758775","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-433.918","next":"us-ky/krs-433.922"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}