---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 33"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "33"
heading: "Destruction of motor vehicles or motor vehicle facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/33"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 2 — Aircraft and Motor Vehicles"
---

# §33. Destruction of motor vehicles or motor vehicle facilities

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) willfully, with intent to endanger the safety of any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) on board or anyone who he believes will board the same, or with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life, damages, disables, destroys, tampers with, or places or causes to be placed any [explosive](/usc/18/841.md?p=d) or other [destructive substance](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-3) in, upon, or in proximity to, any [motor vehicle](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-6) which is used, operated, or employed in [interstate or foreign commerce](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-2), or its cargo or material used or intended to be used in connection with its operation; or

  [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) willfully, with like intent, damages, disables, destroys, sets fire to, tampers with, or places or causes to be placed any [explosive](/usc/18/841.md?p=d) or other [destructive substance](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-3) in, upon, or in proximity to any garage, terminal, structure, supply, or facility used in the operation of, or in support of the operation of, [motor vehicles](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-6) engaged in [interstate or foreign commerce](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-2) or otherwise makes or causes such property to be made unworkable, unusable, or hazardous to work or use; or

  [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), with like intent, willfully disables or incapacitates any driver or [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) employed in connection with the operation or maintenance of the [motor vehicle](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-6), or in any way lessens the ability of such [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) to perform his duties as such; or

  [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) willfully attempts or conspires to do any of the aforesaid acts—

  shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

- (b) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) is convicted of a violation of [subsection (a)](#a) involving a [motor vehicle](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-6) that, at the time the violation occurred, carried high-level radioactive waste (as that term is defined in section 2(12) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 ([42 U.S.C. 10101(12)](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12))) or spent nuclear fuel (as that term is defined in section 2(23) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 ([42 U.S.C. 10101(23)](/usc/42/10101.md?p=23))), shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years not less than 30, or for life.

## Source credit

(Added July 14, 1956, ch. 595, § 1, 70 Stat. 540; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–88, title IV, § 402(a), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 955; Pub. L. 109–177, title IV, § 406(c)(1), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 245.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–177 inserted “or conspires” before “to do any of the aforesaid acts” in fourth par.

1995—Pub. L. 104–88 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of Title 49, Transportation.