The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act seeks to reduce the rising theft of catalytic converters and other precious metal car parts by implementing a multi-faceted approach. It directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to revise existing motor vehicle theft prevention standards within 180 days. These revisions will require catalytic converters to be included among parts specified for theft prevention and mandate that all catalytic converters be marked, even if a vehicle is otherwise exempt from certain regulations. The bill establishes a grant program, administered by the Secretary of Transportation, to fund activities like die or pin stamping of identification numbers on catalytic converters. Eligible entities, including law enforcement and repair shops, can receive grants to mark converters with the vehicle's full VIN or a unique part identification number, using high-visibility, high-heat theft deterrence paint. This marking must be done at no cost to the vehicle owner, and the program prioritizes areas with high theft rates, with $7 million in funding allocated. Furthermore, the Act imposes strict requirements on the sale of motor vehicle parts containing precious metals, including catalytic converters. Sellers must provide purchasers with their identification and the vehicle identification number of the original vehicle, retaining this information for at least two years. The bill explicitly makes it unlawful to sell or purchase catalytic converters with removed or tampered markings and prohibits transactions involving cash or digital assets, requiring traceable forms of payment instead. Finally, the PART Act introduces new federal criminal penalties to deter catalytic converter theft and trafficking. It makes it unlawful to steal or knowingly purchase a stolen catalytic converter with intent to distribute, sell, or dispose of it or its precious metals, carrying a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment. The bill also amends the definition of a "chop shop" to include facilities involved in extracting precious metals from unlawfully obtained vehicle parts, further strengthening enforcement against organized theft rings.