State laws
Scrap copper selling laws by state
Most states we checked make you show a government photo ID to sell scrap copper, and many hold back payment for a few days or pay only by check. Of the 44 states where we confirmed the copper payment rule in the statute, 12 do not allow cash for copper, 16 cap it or attach conditions, and 16 set no payment rule.
Last checked October 26, 2026
Short answer
Bring a driver's license or state photo ID, expect the yard to note your plate number, and in many states expect a check in the mail instead of cash. The states that bar a cash payout for copper in our table are Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee. Prices still come from the yard, so check current scrap prices before you load the truck.
ID, cash and hold rules in all 50 states
Click State, Status or Cash for copper to sort. Confirmed means we read the section that sets the state's copper payment rule. Partly confirmed means we read the ID or record-keeping section but not a payment rule for copper, and the blank cells say so. Not confirmed means we could not read the statute text yet, so we left the row blank instead of guessing. "Not in the section we checked" means the statute we cite does not cover that column, and another section might. Download the whole table as a free CSV file.
| ID requirement | Hold or payment delay | Payment rule | Dealer record-keeping | Statute | As of | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | No cash over $50 for copper. Checks go only to the seller on record. No purchases from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. or from anyone under 18 | Not in the section we checked | Ala. Code 13A-8-31.1 | 2026-10-26 |
| Alaska | Confirmed | Driver's license or government photo ID number, or a copy, for purchases of $100 or more | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | No payment rule in the scrap metal records law | Record of each in-person purchase of $100 or more, with vehicle plate and a signed statement that the metal is not stolen. Kept 5 years | Alaska Stat. 08.60.200-.250 | 2026-10-26 |
| Arizona | Confirmed | Copy of a driver license, state ID, tribal or military photo ID, plus a photo of the seller and a right index fingerprint | Copper is held 7 days after the dealer files its report with the state | No cash | No payment on site. A check or money order is mailed to the address on the seller's ID | Photo and description of the metal, seller details and vehicle plate. Kept 2 years. Reported to the state within 24 hours | Ariz. Rev. Stat. 44-1642, 44-1644 | 2026-10-26 |
| Arkansas | Partly confirmed | Driver's license, military ID, passport or other government photo ID, photocopied, plus digital thumbprints, a time-stamped photo of the seller and written proof of ownership | Not in the section we checked | Not confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Photo of the metal as purchased, weight and amount paid. Filed electronically each day and kept 1 year | Ark. Code 17-44-102 | 2026-10-26 |
| California | Confirmed | Copy of a driver's license or government photo ID with an address, a photo or video of the seller, and a thumbprint | Cash or check can be collected on or after the third business day after the sale | Capped or conditional | Cash, check or prepaid card, paid no earlier than the third business day. Regular sellers (5+ sales a month) and businesses on file are exempt | Photo of the metal, seller ID and thumbprint kept 2 years | Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code 21608.5 | 2026-10-26 |
| Colorado | Confirmed | Colorado driver's license or ID, another state's photo license, military ID, U.S. passport or alien registration card, plus a signed ownership affidavit | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | Cash allowed up to $300. Above that, a check, unless the dealer photographs the seller at payout | Register with vehicle plate kept 3 years. Photo or video of seller and metal kept 180 days | Colo. Rev. Stat. 18-13-111 | 2026-10-26 |
| Connecticut | Confirmed | Identification of the person who delivered the metal, plus a photo of the delivering vehicle and its plate | 5-day segregation and hold for telecom and electric utility wire or cable only | No rule found | Check only for catalytic converters (mailed, or held for pickup on or after the third business day). We found no cash rule for copper in this section | Description, weight, price and seller ID for every load. Kept at least 2 years | Conn. Gen. Stat. 21-11a | 2026-10-26 |
| Delaware | Confirmed | Date of birth and driver's license, or details from a state photo ID, plus a photo of the seller for every sale | 72 hours for copper and brass after the electronic report (weekends and holidays not counted) | No rule found | No cash rule for copper in subchapter I. Catalytic converters must be paid by check | Electronic record with date and time, metal type and grade, weight, amount paid, plate and signatures of both sides | Del. Code tit. 24, 2302, 2304, 2307 | 2026-10-26 |
| Florida | Confirmed | Number from the seller's personal ID card, a right thumbprint, a photo or video of the seller's face, and the vehicle tag | Checks for restricted items (utility wire, AC coils, burned wire, catalytic converters) are mailed within 3 days | Capped or conditional | Cash up to $1,000 for regulated metals such as copper. No cash for restricted items, which are paid by mailed check or electronic payment | Paper and electronic record of each purchase, sent to police by 10 a.m. the next business day, with a photo of the metal and a signed ownership statement | Fla. Stat. 538.19, 538.235 | 2026-10-26 |
| Georgia | Confirmed | Unexpired driver's license or state ID, military ID, or federal work authorization showing name, address and photo | A voucher can be redeemed for cash only after a 3-day wait | No cash | No cash. Check or electronic transfer payable to the seller, or a voucher | ID, vehicle tag number and photos of the metal for each purchase | O.C.G.A. 10-1-350 to 10-1-359.5 (payment: 10-1-355) | 2026-10-26 |
| Hawaii | Confirmed | Valid government photo ID | Not in the section we checked | No cash | Check payable to the seller, mailed to the address on the ID or picked up at the yard | Not in the section we checked | Haw. Rev. Stat. 445-233.5 | 2026-10-26 |
| Idaho | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | No payment rule for sales by the general public. Commercial accounts can be paid by cash, card, electronic transfer or a check to the business | Records kept 5 years | Idaho Code 54-2704 | 2026-10-26 |
| Illinois | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | No cash for copper worth $100 or more. Check or money order payable to the seller, or to the company if the seller is a business | Not in the section we checked | 815 ILCS 325/4.3 | 2026-10-26 |
| Indiana | Partly confirmed | Government photo ID verified and copied, plus a photo of the seller and the vehicle plate | Not in the section we checked | Not confirmed | Not in the section we checked | State police form with seller details, price, description, weight and source, signed by the seller. Kept 2 years | Ind. Code 25-37.5-1-2 | 2026-10-26 |
| Iowa | Confirmed | Valid driver's license, nonoperator ID, military ID, passport or other government photo ID, plus name, address and place of business | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | Sales over $50 are paid by check or electronic funds transfer. Cash up to $50 | Kept at least 2 years | Iowa Code 714.27 | 2026-10-26 |
| Kansas | Confirmed | Driver's license, military ID, passport or state ID, with its number recorded and a copy kept | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | No payment method rule in this section | Dealer's register with seller details, a signed statement and a photo of the metal, entered into the state (KBI) database | Kan. Stat. 50-6,110 | 2026-10-26 |
| Kentucky | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Checks for restricted metals are mailed no sooner than 1 day after the sale | Capped or conditional | No cash for restricted metals, which include copper and aluminum AC coils and tubing and catalytic converters. Those are paid by check mailed to the seller's street address. Other copper is not restricted in this section | Daily report of restricted metal purchases to the sheriff and city police. Proof of ownership required for restricted metals | Ky. Rev. Stat. 433.900, 433.904 | 2026-10-26 |
| Louisiana | Confirmed | Photo ID (the check is mailed to the address on it) | Check mailed no earlier than 5 business days after the sale | No cash | No cash for copper or copper-aluminum AC coils. Check mailed to the seller. The yard cannot cash it | Check payments listed in the dealer's daily reports | La. R.S. 37:1864.3 | 2026-10-26 |
| Maine | Confirmed | Driver's license, military ID, passport or other government photo ID, photocopied with its number recorded. The yard photographs the seller if the ID photo is unclear | Not in the section we checked | No cash | No cash. Payment only by credit card, debit card or check, with the check number and bank recorded | ID records kept in a secure, nonpublic place | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 30-A, 3772 | 2026-10-26 |
| Maryland | Confirmed | Name, address, date of birth and driver's license number, or details from a valid state photo ID, plus a scan or photocopy of the ID | Police hold notices only | No rule found | No payment method rule in the junk dealer and scrap metal processor subtitle (sections 17-1001 to 17-1010) | Electronic record of each purchase, sent to the local police by the end of the next business day | Md. Code, Bus. Reg. 17-1009 | 2026-10-26 |
| Massachusetts | Partly confirmed | Seller's name and address recorded for copper wire purchases. The state law does not name an ID document. Cities and towns license dealers and can add rules | Not in the section we checked | Not confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Book with description, quantity, price and seller name and address for copper line or scrap copper wire, open to police | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, 142; ch. 140, 54 | 2026-10-26 |
| Michigan | Confirmed | Driver's license, state ID, military ID, passport or other government photo ID, copied by the dealer, plus a thumbprint and a signed statement. Seller must be 16 or older | Not in the section we checked | No cash | No cash. Check or money order (the handoff is photographed) or a payment card cashed only at an ATM on site | ID copy and thumbprint for each purchase | Mich. Comp. Laws 445.425 | 2026-10-26 |
| Minnesota | Confirmed | Copy of a government photo ID. Since January 1, 2025, copper sellers also need a state license to sell scrap copper (purchases up to $25 are allowed without one) | Police investigative holds only | No cash | Check or electronic transfer only, for all scrap metal | Kept 3 years | Minn. Stat. 325E.21 | 2026-10-26 |
| Mississippi | Confirmed | Copy of a government photo ID, plus a photo of the seller | No payment until 3 days after the purchase | No cash | No cash. Check mailed to the seller's recorded address, or electronic funds transfer | Name, address, age, description and weight of the metal, signed ownership statement and ID copy | Miss. Code 97-17-71 | 2026-10-26 |
| Missouri | Confirmed | Copy of the seller's driver's license or nondriver's license when copper is paid for in cash | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | Payments of $500 or more by prenumbered check payable to the seller, or by an automated payment system that photographs the payee. Cash below $500 | Not in the section we checked | Mo. Rev. Stat. 407.303 | 2026-10-26 |
| Montana | Confirmed | Copy of a current driver's license, passport or state ID card, not needed when the yard pays by check | No hold for copper in Part 1. Catalytic converters: 72 hours before payment | No rule found | No payment method rule for copper in Part 1 (30-22-101 to 30-22-104). Catalytic converters: no more than $30 in cash, the rest by check | Record for every nonferrous purchase over $50, with description, amount paid, seller signature and vehicle plate. Kept 2 years | Mont. Code 30-22-102, 30-22-104 | 2026-10-26 |
| Nebraska | Confirmed | ID presented under section 69-402; payment is made only to the person named on it | Not in the section we checked | No cash | Copper is paid by check only, made out to the person on the ID. Copper checks over $100 go by U.S. mail. Other regulated metals: cash up to $25 | Not in the section we checked | Neb. Rev. Stat. 69-404 | 2026-10-26 |
| Nevada | Confirmed | Personal ID copied onto the seller's receipt, along with the plate of the delivering vehicle | Police written holds only | Capped or conditional | Purchases worth $150 or more by check or electronic transfer only. No more than one cash sale under $150 per seller per day | On-site receipt with date, description, weight, price, ID copy and vehicle plate | Nev. Rev. Stat. 647.094, 647.098 | 2026-10-26 |
| New Hampshire | Confirmed | Name and address verified by government photo ID | No hold for copper in chapter 322. Catalytic converters: 10 days | No rule found | No payment method rule for copper in chapter 322. Catalytic converters must be paid by company check | Description, date and time, and seller name and address. Converter records kept 2 years | N.H. Rev. Stat. 322:6-a, 322:16 | 2026-10-26 |
| New Jersey | Partly confirmed | Valid photo driver's license or other government photo ID, copied and recorded before the purchase | Not in the section we checked | Not confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Record of every purchase over 100 pounds or $50 (whichever is less), with ID copy, description and seller signature. Kept 5 years | N.J. Stat. 45:28-2 | 2026-10-26 |
| New Mexico | Partly confirmed | Seller shows a personal ID document, which the dealer checks by eye and records by number. The seller signs an ownership statement and must allow a photo | Not in the section we checked | Not confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Written record of every copper or brass purchase, with name, address, ID number, vehicle and description. Kept 1 year | N.M. Stat. 57-30-4, 57-30-5, 57-30-6 | 2026-10-26 |
| New York | Confirmed | Driver's license number or details from a government photo ID, and a copy of the ID kept 2 years | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | No payment method rule in the scrap processor article (General Business Law 69-e to 69-h) | Record of utility wire purchases and any nonferrous scrap bought for $50 or more, signed by the seller. Kept 3 years | N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 69-g | 2026-10-26 |
| North Carolina | Confirmed | Copy of an unexpired driver's license or state or federal photo ID. No ID, no sale | Not in the section we checked | No cash | No cash for copper. Payments over $100 by check, money order or cash card system | Electronic record with vehicle plate, signed statement of the right to sell, and a receipt | N.C. Gen. Stat. 66-421, 66-425 | 2026-10-26 |
| North Dakota | Confirmed | Photocopy of a valid government ID or driver's license showing full name, photo, date of birth and signature | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | No cash over $1,000 for scrap metal (over $100 for a detached catalytic converter). Above that, check or electronic transfer | Business records, including the amount and method of payment, kept 7 years | N.D. Cent. Code 51-35-02 | 2026-10-26 |
| Ohio | Confirmed | Copy of the seller's personal ID card and a photo of the seller | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | No cash for special purchase articles (utility wire and cable, burnt wire) or catalytic converters. Those are paid by check or another traceable method. No cash rule found for other copper | Numbered record book or electronic file with copper sorted by grade (No. 1, No. 2, sheet copper). Kept 1 year, or 60 days once the state registry runs | Ohio Rev. Code 4737.04, 4737.041 | 2026-10-26 |
| Oklahoma | Confirmed | Legible photocopy of a driver license or government photo ID with name and date of birth (address added if the ID has none) | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | No cash over $1,000 for listed items, which include copper wire 4 gauge or larger, burned wire and AC coils. Above that, a check payable to the seller on the ID | Kept at least 2 years | Okla. Stat. tit. 59, 11-92, 11-93 | 2026-10-26 |
| Oregon | Confirmed | Copy of a valid driver license or government photo ID, plus a signed declaration | Payment no earlier than 3 business days after the sale | No cash | No cash. Electronic transfer, stored value card, or a nontransferable check mailed to the seller | Kept 1 year (video 30 days) | Or. Rev. Stat. 165.117 | 2026-10-26 |
| Pennsylvania | Partly confirmed | Photocopy of the seller's driver's license for every sale of restricted material and any sale over $100 | Police holds only, up to 48 hours unless a judge extends them | Not confirmed | When paid in cash, the seller signs a receipt certifying ownership. We did not find a cash ban in this section | Seller and buyer signatures, plate number, date and time, description, weight and amount paid. Kept at least 2 years | 73 P.S. 1943.3 | 2026-10-26 |
| Rhode Island | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | Payment may be made by check, wire transfer, cash or any other legal means | Not in the section we checked | R.I. Gen. Laws 6-11.2-6 | 2026-10-26 |
| South Carolina | Confirmed | Seller needs a sheriff-issued permit to transport and sell nonferrous metals. The yard takes a photo or video of the seller | Police hold notices only (15 days, extendable 30) | Capped or conditional | No cash for copper, catalytic converters or beer kegs totaling $25 or more. Check payable to the seller. One cash transaction per seller per day | Photo or video of the seller (video kept at least 120 days) | S.C. Code 16-17-680 | 2026-10-26 |
| South Dakota | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | Payments over $100 for nonferrous metal (including copper) by check or electronic funds transfer. Cash up to $100 | Not in the section we checked | S.D. Codified Laws 34A-6-109.1 | 2026-10-26 |
| Tennessee | Confirmed | Copy of a photo ID plus a right thumbprint (kept 3 years) | Not in the section we checked | No cash | For copper, no on-site payment. Individuals choose a check or money order mailed to the address on their driver license, or a voucher. Business sellers are paid by check mailed to the business, unless the employee is preregistered | Transaction record with date, seller, amount paid, weight and a description of the metal using state terms. Thumbprint kept 3 years | Tenn. Code 62-9-103, 62-9-104 | 2026-10-26 |
| Texas | Confirmed | Not in the section we checked | Not in the section we checked | Capped or conditional | Cash or debit card only if the seller holds a state cash transaction card. Otherwise check, money order or direct deposit | Copy of the cash transaction card or the check kept with the purchase record | Tex. Occ. Code 1956.0381 | 2026-10-26 |
| Utah | Confirmed | Valid federal or state photo ID, the seller's signature on an ownership certificate, and a photo of the seller or a legible ID copy. Sellers must be 18 or older | No standard hold. Police can order a 60-day hold on suspected stolen metal | No rule found | No payment method rule for copper in Part 14 (76-6-1402 to 76-6-1409.1). Purchases only between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. | Description, weight, price per pound, amount paid, plate and ID number in a log. Kept at least 3 years | Utah Code 76-6-1403, 76-6-1405, 76-6-1406 | 2026-10-26 |
| Vermont | Confirmed | Current government photo ID showing full name, address and date of birth, plus a bill of sale or a signed ownership affidavit | 10 days when the seller has no bill of sale, receipt or letter of authorization | No rule found | No payment method rule in chapter 82 (9 V.S.A. 3021 to 3023) | Permanent ledger with ID details, date and time, plate and item description. Kept at least 5 years | 9 V.S.A. 3022 | 2026-10-26 |
| Virginia | Confirmed | Driver's license or other current government photo ID with full name, address, date of birth and ID number | 15-day hold for proprietary articles bought without proof of ownership | No rule found | No payment method rule in the scrap metal purchaser article | Permanent ledger with seller ID, date and time, vehicle plate and item description. Kept at least 5 years. Next-day reports to police if the locality asks | Va. Code 59.1-136.3, 59.1-136.5 | 2026-10-26 |
| Washington | Confirmed | Current government photo ID and a street address, plus a signed declaration | A mailed check goes out no earlier than 3 days after the sale | Capped or conditional | Up to $30 in cash. The rest by mailed check, or paid at once if the yard digitally captures the seller's ID and photo | Digital images kept 2 years, video 30 days | Rev. Code Wash. 19.290.030 | 2026-10-26 |
| West Virginia | Confirmed | Photocopy of a valid driver's license or state ID, or other valid photo ID, plus a signed certificate of ownership | 14 days for catalytic converters only (5 days with early reporting) | No rule found | Check payable to the seller is required for catalytic converters. We found no cash rule for copper in this section | Records kept at least 3 years on a State Police form or the dealer's own form | W. Va. Code 61-3-49 | 2026-10-26 |
| Wisconsin | Confirmed | Driver's license, tribal ID or other current government photo ID with full name, address, date of birth and ID number | Not in the section we checked | No rule found | No payment method rule in section 134.405 | Seller ID information kept at least 2 years. Next-business-day police report for proprietary articles bought without proof of ownership | Wis. Stat. 134.405 | 2026-10-26 |
| Wyoming | Confirmed | The yard records either the seller's plate number or verifies name and address with a federal or state photo ID (optional for household items under $50) | No hold period in the junk dealer chapter | No rule found | No payment method rule in the junk dealer chapter (33-18-101 to 33-18-106) | Book or dedicated software entry for every purchase, with no erasures, open to the sheriff and police | Wyo. Stat. 33-18-102 | 2026-10-26 |
Statute links go to the state legislature or state agency page where we could find one, and to a public copy of the code where the state site has no direct link. This table is general information, not legal advice. Cities and counties can add their own rules.
What this means when you sell copper
The rules in the table cover bare bright, pipe, insulated wire and the rest of the grades in our copper wire recycling guide and the solid copper pipe and fittings guide. Stripping wire first raises the price per pound, and our guide to stripping copper wire covers when it is worth the time. Several statutes treat burned or stripped wire with suspicion, so keep the insulation offcuts or a receipt if the wire came from a job.
To see what a load is worth before you go, try the copper wire scrap value calculator. If you are new to selling, the scrap metal beginner guide explains grades and how yards weigh and pay. Then find scrap yards near you and call ahead to ask how they pay for copper.
Catalytic converters fall under the same laws in many states, with extra paperwork. Read the catalytic converter recycling guide for what yards ask for, and use the catalytic converter value estimator for a price range.
How we checked the statutes
For each state we looked for the scrap metal or secondary metals law and read the section text on the state legislature site, a state agency page, or a public copy of the code. We filled a column only when the text we read said it. We did not use trade group summaries or yard websites as a source for any cell. A state is marked confirmed when we read the section that sets its copper payment rule, or read the whole scrap metal chapter and found none. As of this update 44 states are confirmed, 6 are partly confirmed (Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania). For the partly confirmed states we read the ID and record rules in the statute but did not find the section that sets a copper payment rule, so those cells say Not confirmed.
We refresh the table monthly and run an extra check around January 1, when many new state laws take effect. Each refresh adds states we have confirmed and updates the as-of date on any row that changed.
Update log
- 2026-10-26 (night): Re-read the full statute text for Arkansas, New Mexico, Utah and New Hampshire and corrected the New Mexico ID field. Added Delaware, Massachusetts and Vermont, and confirmed the copper payment rule for Montana, New Hampshire, Utah, Delaware and Vermont. 44 states now confirmed, 6 partly confirmed.
- 2026-10-26 (evening): Added 30 states. 39 states confirmed, 8 partly confirmed, 3 not confirmed. 12 confirmed states banned cash for copper.
- 2026-10-26: First version. 17 states confirmed against the statute text, 33 marked not confirmed.
Questions about selling scrap copper
Why do scrap yards take down my driver's license and plate number every time I bring in a load?
In most states it is the law. Most of the statutes we confirmed make the yard record who sold the metal and keep a copy of a government photo ID and the plate of the vehicle that delivered it. Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Michigan and Tennessee add a fingerprint or thumbprint. The records go to police on request, and in some states to a state database.
Which states ban cash for scrap copper?
Of the 44 states where we confirmed the payment rule against the statute, 12 do not allow a cash payout for copper: Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee. Another 16 cap cash or attach conditions to it: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington.
Does my yard pay out in cash or cut a check?
It depends on your state and sometimes on the amount. Colorado allows cash up to $300, Illinois bans cash for copper worth $100 or more, Washington allows $30 in cash, and Alabama caps copper cash at $50. In Oregon, Mississippi and Louisiana a check usually goes out by mail. Texas allows cash only for sellers who hold a state cash transaction card.
How long do I have to wait to get paid for copper?
In the states we confirmed, the wait runs from none to 5 business days. California and Oregon pay on or after the third business day, Mississippi waits 3 days, Georgia vouchers can be cashed after 3 days, and Louisiana mails the check no earlier than 5 business days after the sale.
Why does Texas want a cash transaction card when I already have a state ID?
Texas Occupations Code 1956.0381 lets a metal recycler pay cash or debit for regulated material only if the seller holds a cash transaction card. Without one, the yard has to pay by check, money order or direct deposit. Your ID still goes on the purchase record. The card only decides if the yard may pay you in cash.
Do I need a license to sell scrap copper?
In Minnesota, yes. Since January 1, 2025, a person needs a state license to sell scrap copper, and a yard can buy only up to $25 of copper from someone without one. In South Carolina the seller needs a sheriff-issued permit to transport and sell nonferrous metals. We did not find a seller license in the other statutes we confirmed.
What if my mailed check from the scrap yard never shows up?
Keep your scale ticket and receipt. The statutes we read set when a check may be mailed, not what happens when it goes missing, so ask the yard to confirm the check has not been cashed and to void and reissue it. If that stalls, a small claims court in your county can hear an unpaid amount.
Do the same rules cover catalytic converters?
Sometimes. South Carolina puts catalytic converters under the same $25 cash limit as copper. Many states have a separate converter law with its own records, and we have not added those to this table yet. Our catalytic converter guide covers what yards usually ask for.
Last checked October 26, 2026. State laws change, so confirm with the yard or the state before relying on a row here. This page is general information, not legal advice.