Kern County adopts ordinance making possession of detached catalytic converters unlawful without proof of ownership

The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0, with one absence, to approve a proposed ordinance adding chapter 9.46 to title 9 of the Kern County Ordinance to address catalytic converter theft in the unincorporated county.

County counsel staff presented the ordinance as a local complement to recent state laws that restrict resale and require documentation at recyclers but do not, in county staff’s view, give law enforcement tools to address possession of detached converters below a high‑quantity threshold. Josh Rugnick, an attorney in the County Counsel’s office, said the county has no local law requiring a person who is not a licensed recycler to show ownership documentation for a detached catalytic converter. "Under state law, individuals could go unpunished unless they possess nine or more catalytic converters," Rugnick said. "This ordinance fills that enforcement gap by requiring documentation for detached converters in unincorporated Kern County."

Key provisions: the ordinance makes it unlawful for any person other than a core recycler or licensed dismantler to possess a catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle unless the possessor has valid documentation or other written proof clearly identifying the vehicle of origin. Acceptable documentation enumerated in the staff presentation includes a signed bill of sale from the vehicle owner with contact information, verifiable documentation from an auto body shop showing the owner relinquished the converter, verifiable electronic communication from the previous owner conveying ownership, or vehicle registration accompanied by photographs that link the vehicle’s VIN or license plate to the converter.

Penalties and enforcement: Rugnick told the board the ordinance may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, county jail for up to one year, or both. The ordinance also permits administrative penalties issued by citation: $1,000 for a first violation, $2,000 for a second, and $5,000 for a third and any subsequent violations.

Scale and justification: county staff said catalytic converter thefts in the unincorporated county have declined from a statewide peak in 2022 but remain a local problem — staff reported 42 catalytic converters reported stolen in unincorporated Kern County in 2024. Presenters noted thieves sell converters for $50 to $800 on illicit markets while replacement costs for vehicle owners can range from about $1,000 to $3,500 or more.

Public comment in support: Daryl Terrell, a statewide advocate who described meeting with affected residents, told the board the ordinance gives deputies tools to hold thieves accountable even when they possess fewer than nine converters. "This ordinance does matters. It gives your deputies the tools they need regardless if it's 1 or 9 to bring these people to justice," Terrell said, describing examples of single parents and small‑business owners forced to miss work and borrow money after thefts.

Supervisor Parlier, who said she had worked on similar local measures while on the Bakersfield City Council, moved to adopt staff’s recommendation; the board approved the ordinance by roll call (4 ayes, 1 absent). Parlier urged other local jurisdictions in the Central Valley to adopt similar ordinances to create a broader enforcement posture.

Action recorded: Motion to approve staff recommendation to add chapter 9.46 to title 9 of the Kern County Ordinance and authorize any required clerical actions; motion approved 4-0, 1 absent.

Next steps: County Counsel and the Sheriff’s Office will implement the ordinance’s enforcement provisions in unincorporated areas; staff urged local cities to consider similar ordinances to reduce regional illegal markets for stolen catalytic converters.