{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-66-424","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-424","heading":"Prohibited activities and transactions.","body":"(a)\tA secondary metals recycler shall not do any of the following:\n(1)\tOperate any business that cashes checks at a fixed site at which the secondary metals recycler purchases regulated metals property.\n(2)\tPurchase nonferrous metals for the purpose of recycling the nonferrous metals, unless the nonferrous metals purchaser possesses a valid permit.\n(3)\tPurchase any central air conditioner evaporator coils or condensers, except that a secondary metals recycler may purchase these items from a company, contractor, or individual that is in the business of installing, replacing, maintaining, or removing these items.\n(3a)\tPurchase any catalytic converters that are not attached to a vehicle, except that a secondary metals recycler may purchase these items from a person listed in G.S. 14-164.1.\n(4)\tPurchase any regulated metals property that the secondary metals recycler knows or reasonably should know to be stolen.\n(b)\tIt shall be unlawful to transport or possess on highways of this State an amount of copper weighing in the aggregate more than 25 pounds, unless at least one of the following is true:\n(1)\tThe vehicle is used in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of transporting nonferrous metals. This term includes vehicles used by gas, electric, communications, water, plumbing, electrical, and climate conditioning service providers, and their employees, agents, and contractors, in the course of providing these services.\n(2)\tThe person transporting or possessing the copper possesses, and presents when requested, a valid bill of sale for the copper.\n(3)\tA law enforcement officer determines that the copper is not stolen and is in the rightful possession of the person.\n(c)\tA secondary metals recycler shall not purchase any of the following:\n(1)\tAny regulated metal marked with the initials or other identification of a telephone, cable, electric, water, or other public utility, or any brewer.\n(2)\tAny utility access cover.\n(3)\tAny street light pole or fixture.\n(4)\tAny road or bridge guard rail.\n(5)\tAny highway or street sign.\n(6)\tAny water meter cover.\n(7)\tAny metal beer keg, including any made of stainless steel that is clearly marked as being the property of the beer manufacturer.\n(8)\tAny traffic directional or control sign.\n(9)\tAny traffic light signal.\n(10)\tAny regulated metal marked with the name of a government entity.\n(11)\tAny spikes, plates, or other railroad track components or signs, and any property owned by a railroad and marked and otherwise identified as such.\n(12)\tAny historical marker or any grave marker or burial vase.\n(d)\tIt shall be unlawful for any person that is not a secondary metals recycler to purchase a used catalytic converter not attached to a vehicle.\n(e)\tThe provisions of this section do not apply to a used and detached catalytic converter that has been tested, certified, and labeled, or otherwise approved for reuse, and being bought or sold for purposes of reuse, in accordance with the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq.) and regulations under the Clean Air Act, as they may, from time to time, be amended. (2012-46, s. 28; 2021-154, s. 4; 2022-68, s. 1(c).)","path":["Chapter 66. Commerce and Business.","Article 45. Pawnbrokers, Metal Dealers, and Scrap Dealers.","Part 3. Regulation of Sales and Purchases of Metals."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_66/GS_66-424.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T18:07:52Z","sha256":"c232e42d25eb1698f72da1e74a4d4150caee680bc783d9e50aec61e158c638d4","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-66-423","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-66-425"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}