Selling car parts online: emissions, lighting and the words that get parts removed

Some car parts may not be sold or advertised at all, whatever the title says. Under the Clean Air Act, selling or advertising a part that defeats a vehicle's emission controls is unlawful, and "for off-road use only" in the title does not change what the part does. Walmart names the products directly: delete kits, sensor simulators, muffler deletes and more.

This page covers defeat devices, Walmart's rules, Amazon's restricted categories, and eBay.

What this page covers: engine and exhaust parts, tuners, lighting, catalytic converters, refrigerants and accessories.

The short version

• Selling or advertising parts that defeat emission controls is unlawful under the Clean Air Act.
• Walmart prohibits defeat devices, DPF, EGR and SCR delete kits, O2 sensor simulators, muffler deletes and parts that fail CARB rules.
• Walmart asks for parts that meet DOT and FMVSS rules.
• Amazon restricts products that need an EPA certificate of conformity, and refrigerants.
• eBay has a separate policy for catalytic converters and test pipes.

Can you sell a defeat device online?

No. The Clean Air Act makes it unlawful to sell or advertise a part whose job is to bypass, defeat or make inoperative a vehicle's emission controls. The listing's words count: a tuner described as "removes emissions limits" is advertised as a defeat device.

Which car parts does Walmart bar?

Walmart prohibits these car parts:

• defeat devices
• DPF, EGR and SCR delete kits
• O2 sensor simulators
• muffler deletes
• parts that fail California Air Resources Board (CARB) rules

Parts sold on Walmart must meet Department of Transportation rules and the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

What do Amazon and eBay restrict for car parts?

Amazon restricts emissions-certified parts and refrigerants, and eBay has a separate policy for catalytic converters and test pipes:

• Amazon treats products that need an EPA certificate of conformity, and refrigerants, as restricted categories.
• eBay has a separate policy for catalytic converters and test pipes.

What should a car part listing say and show?

A car part listing should say what the part replaces or fits, never what emission control it removes:

• Describe what the part replaces or improves, and which vehicles it fits.
• Leave out "delete", "removes emissions", "bypass" and similar words.
• Show the part and its markings, and for lighting, any DOT marking as printed.

How Commicorn helps

• Your part, as photographed. On the Untouched product route your photo's pixels are never redrawn, so part numbers and markings stay exactly as printed.
• Your words, from your details. The listing copy is written from the details you give us. Read it against the list above before you export.

Questions sellers ask

Does "for off-road use only" make a delete kit legal to sell?

No. Under the Clean Air Act, "for off-road use only" in the title does not change what the part does, and selling or advertising a defeat device is unlawful.

Can I sell O2 sensor simulators on Walmart?

No. Walmart prohibits O2 sensor simulators, along with defeat devices, DPF, EGR and SCR delete kits and muffler deletes.

Do car parts sold on Walmart need to meet DOT rules?

Yes. Parts sold on Walmart must meet Department of Transportation rules and the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Can I sell refrigerants on Amazon?

Amazon treats refrigerants as a restricted category, as it does products that need an EPA certificate of conformity.

Which words get a car part listing removed?

"Delete", "removes emissions", "bypass" and similar words describe a defeat device, so leave them out of a car part listing.

Before you list

Have what the part replaces and which vehicles it fits, any EPA certificate of conformity the part needs, and photos of its markings, any DOT marking included, ready before the listing goes live. On an edge case, the Clean Air Act decides it: a part whose job is to bypass, defeat or make inoperative an emission control cannot be sold or advertised, whatever the title says. On Walmart, CARB rules and the DOT and FMVSS standards decide it too, and on eBay, its catalytic converter and test pipe policy.