Utah
Vehicle Resource Center
Utah is home to more than 2 million licensed drivers who travel throughout the state, following carefully crafted driving laws and meeting ongoing maintenance requirements. Vehicle owners throughout the state must understand all the paperwork requirements and ongoing upkeep that come along with having a vehicle in Utah to avoid fines, legal issues, and other complications.
Ownership and Maintenance
As a vehicle owner in Utah, there are specific maintenance tasks that must be completed each year. Simple things like registration renewal, insurance requirements, and more must be understood well to avoid legal issues.
Utah does not require safety inspections for its private-use vehicles, but there are five counties within the state that demand emissions inspections be completed once every two years.
Counties that Require Emissions Inspections
In any county where emissions inspections are required, any vehicle that's less than six years old must have an emissions inspection every two years.
The vehicle will have an inspection decal that denotes the inspection expiration date. Before the inspection expires, the owner should bring the vehicle to an inspection station and get the inspection renewed.
Visit an On-the-Spot Renewal Station
There are renewal stations set up throughout Utah. These convenient stations handle emissions inspections, registration renewal, and new decals. Anyone looking for an inspection or a registration renewal should visit one of the stations.
Utah is a no-fault insurance state, which means that all parties involved in an accident must depend on their insurance to cover the damages of the accident. This means more substantial insurance policies are required by law to drive. Every Utah vehicle owner must obtain at least the minimum insurance coverage amount to legally drive.
The Minimum Coverage
The minimum coverage amounts must be met to legally drive the vehicle. Most experts recommend increasing your liability insurance coverage, and many owners invest in collision insurance to cover any damages to a personal vehicle when causing an accident.
Liability
The following liability coverage minimums must be met.
Personal Injury Protection
Along with having the minimum liability insurance coverage, vehicle owners must carry at least $3,000 in personal injury protection. This is for any personal medical expenses in an accident.
Each year, Utah vehicle registrations expire, and vehicle owners must go through the registration renewal process to restore them.
Get Automatic Registration Renewals
Many Utah residents choose to have their vehicle registration renewed automatically. Anyone who is prepared to pay the registration fees can stop worrying about going through the renewal process and have the state do so automatically.
Utah sends reminders informing vehicle owners of any inspections they must complete prior to their registration renewal date. On the specific renewal date, the state verifies all inspections are completed, automatically charges the renewal fee, and sends out a replacement decal. The state handles all the work.
Renew Online
Residents can utilize Renewal Express to rapidly renew their registration online each year. To use this process, vehicle owners either input the data on their renewal notice or manually provide their name, zip code, vehicle license plate number, and the last eight digits of their vehicle's VIN. After submitting the data, the renewal payment can be processed online, and the registration decal is mailed to the address on file.
Renew at a Spot Station
Any resident who wants to renew quickly without going online can use a Spot Station instead. Visit one of the station locations, input the requested data, and pay the renewal fee at the station to instantly renew.
Renew By Mail
Get full renewal information, including the fees required, by visiting this online tool. Then, mail in the renewal notice, any inspection certificates required, and a check for the calculated renewal fee amount payable to the Utah State Tax Commission.
Send the documents to:
Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
Renew at a DMV Office
To renew in person, travel to a local DMV office and provide the inspection certificate as well as the renewal notice if you have it. You can pay the renewal fee to a clerk at the office and finalize the renewal in person. Many offices require scheduling an appointment to visit, which can be accomplished by using the appointment scheduler.
A Utah Driver's License is good for six years before it must be renewed. Licenses can be renewed online every other time and then must be renewed in person at a Driver's License Office.
Renewing Online
To renew online, visit the state's license renewal page and input the PIN provided, your Driver's License number, license issue date, and your last name. Once you've inputted this data, you can pay the renewal fee and finalize the license renewal.
Renewing in Person
To renew in person, you must visit a Driver's License office and bring the following documents with you.
When renewing a license, drivers must complete an eye test, have a new photo taken, and pay the renewal fee. Some residents will be required to complete a written knowledge test if they have six citations or more within the last eight years. Once all these steps are completed, the renewal is complete, and the license will be mailed to the address on file.
Driver's License Renewal
The fee is $52.00 to renew a driver's license or $27.00 for residents 65 and older.
Use Taxes and Registration Renewal
Use taxes and registration renewal fees are due each year, but these fees change and are based on the vehicle's location, age, and value. Calculate these fees using this page.
Emissions Inspection
Utah emissions inspection stations charge different rates, between $30 and $50, depending on the location and the age of the vehicle.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling vehicles, Utah state residents must utilize the proper paperwork and follow specific procedures to keep everything legal.
Remove the License Plate
Take off the plate before giving the buyer the vehicle. The plate must be returned to the DMV to avoid any issues.
Provide a Lien-Free Title
The seller is responsible for providing the buyer with a lien-free title for the vehicle being sold. The title must be filled out entirely on the back to finalize the sale and give the buyer what's required to title and register the vehicle.
Provide a Bill of Sale
Both the buyer and seller should leave an automobile transaction with a Bill of Sale proving how much the buyer paid and when the vehicle was sold. The official state Bill of Sale document or any drafted document may be used as long as it includes the necessary information.
Provide an Odometer Disclosure
For any vehicle newer than 20 years old, the seller must provide the buyer with an Odometer Disclosure form. This states the current odometer reading and serves as a statement assuring the odometer reading is accurate.
Necessary Information
Report the Vehicle As Sold
After selling the vehicle, it's essential to report the sale to the DMV as soon as possible. Use this web portal to complete the task, or send in a document via mail instead.
To report the vehicle sale by mail, send in a document that includes the vehicle's year, make, plate number, and VIN, and include the owner's signature.
Send this notice to the following address:
Division of Motor Vehicles
MVCC
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
Fax: (801) 297-3570
Cancel Vehicle Insurance
Once the vehicle is reported as sold to the DMV, cancel its insurance policy to avoid paying for coverage that is no longer required.
Research the Vehicle
Before purchasing the vehicle, the buyer must always research the car as much as possible. A simple method for conducting research quickly is to obtain a VIN Check Report or License Plate Report from GoodCar. These simple reports offer in-depth information at a low cost. The reports include data about open recalls, ownership history, accident history, vehicle features and specifications, odometer readings, title brands, and more.
Check and Acquire a Proper Title
The seller must provide a matching Certificate of Title for the vehicle being sold. Check the vehicle's VIN and make sure the vehicle description matches what is being sold. Also, look to see that there are no liens present on the title before purchasing the vehicle.
Get a Bill of Sale
When buying a car, it's essential to obtain a Bill of Sale. The seller should provide this document, but it's wise to bring a copy of the official Bill of Sale form to have the seller fill out if they do not have the paper.
Get an Odometer Disclosure Form
The seller should provide the form, but if not, give them an Odometer Disclosure Form to fill out. This form must be acquired for any vehicle newer than 20 years old.
Register and Title the Vehicle
The buyer must visit a DMV location and provide an Application for Utah Title Form (TC-656) as well as the Certificate of Title, a driver's license, and an emissions inspection certificate if one is required in the county it's being registered.
Sales Tax
When registering a newly purchased vehicle, the owner must pay a 6.85% tax rate on the purchase price of the vehicle.
New Title
There is a $6.00 fee for new titles.
Registration Fees
The registration fees vary based on the vehicle type, weight, county location, and more. For specifics, vehicle owners are required to call the DMV to learn more.
Miscellaneous Fees
There are several additional fees that the buyer must pay when registering the purchased vehicle. These include the Automobile Driver Education Fee of $3.00, an Uninsured Motorist Identification fee of $1.00 each year, and Air Pollution Control fees of $3.00 when residing in a county that requires emissions inspections. There is also a Corridor Fee of $10 when registering in 11 counties throughout Utah.
Laws and Regulations
Utah residents face a series of strict driving laws that regulate how vehicles are used and what is expected of drivers. Each driver is expected to follow these laws, and failure to do so results in fines, license suspensions, and even imprisonment for more serious laws such as DUI regulations.
Utah has strict DUI laws designed to prevent drivers from operating vehicles with any drugs or alcohol in their systems. The state has a lower BAC (blood alcohol content) amount allowed than most others, and drivers must be aware of all the rules before driving in the state.
Understanding the State BAC Limits
Any driver caught with a 0.05 BAC or higher can be charged with a DUI in the state. A standard DUI changes to a high BAC DUI when the BAC is 0.16 or higher.
Any minor (under 21) caught with a discernible amount of alcohol in their system leads to an automatic DUI charge.
DUI Penalties
Drivers charged with a DUI face license suspension, fines, and potential jail sentences. For more information about DUI charges, fines, and the state's testing practices, see the Utah State Legislature traffic codes section covering DUIs.
Utah has strict seat belt laws that clearly define the requirements for every passenger in a vehicle. According to the state's laws, everyone must remain buckled while in a vehicle regardless of their age or position in the vehicle, but only some of those people are the responsibility of the driver.
The driver is responsible for ensuring anyone 16 years old and younger is buckled properly before leaving. The driver must also make sure any child under eight years old is properly secured by a child safety seat. Failing to properly secure any passengers can result in a single citation for the driver.
Securing Child Passengers
Any child under eight should be secured in either a car seat or a booster seat. Rear-facing car seats are used for infants, and children should remain in rear-facing seats until they are as old as three or four, depending on their size. Only children who exceed the size limits put on the rear-facing car seats should be moved to forward-facing car seats.
Forward-facing car seats are good for children ages two to four. Only children who outgrow rear-facing seats should be put in forward-facing car seats. Once a child is too large for a forward-facing car seat, they can be moved to a booster seat. Children often don't require a booster seat for their size until they are five or six years old. Children can stop using boosters when they reach age eight, but many should remain buckled for many more years until they reach 57 inches tall.
Learn more about specific seat belt laws from the Utah State Legislature here.
Adding tint to a vehicle in Utah helps keep the interior cooler, protects the upholstery from harsh sunlight, and improves privacy for the passengers. The state restricts what tint can be used, but it is lenient when compared to other states.
According to state law, any non-reflective tint is allowed above the AS-1 line on the windshield, and the remaining windshield must allow 70% of visible light or more through.
The front-side windows must allow a minimum of 30% of visible light through, and the remaining windows can be any tint.
Failure to follow these rules can lead to traffic tickets and the requirement to remove the tint.
Utah has a strict Lemon Law designed to protect buyers who purchase new vehicles. Anyone who obtains a new vehicle that is still covered by the manufacturer's warranty is protected by the law. The law is good for private-use vehicles under 12,000 pounds only.
A vehicle that is deemed a lemon must be bought back by the manufacturer, and the buyer must be given a full refund. A vehicle can only be deemed a lemon if it suffers from a significant defect that makes it unsafe or reduces its resale value significantly. These defects must be original to the vehicle and not caused by accidents, misuse, or neglect.
A Vehicle is a Lemon When:
Useful Things to Know
Find Utah EV Charging Stations
EV owners in Utah benefit from access to public charging stations for their electric vehicles. Use this search tool to locate nearby charging stations they can use: Utah EV Charging Station Locator
Utah Driver Handbook
Interested drivers can access the Utah Driver Handbook online and prepare for the written driver exam. Anyone interested in refreshing themselves on Utah legal information can use the book as well: Utah Driver Handbook Online
Utah Crash Trends
Utah is one of the safest states in which to operate a vehicle, according to car crash statistics provided by the IIHS in 2021. Within the state, 328 people were killed because of 293 car crashes, and victims in the state died at a rate of 0.98 deaths per 100 million miles traveled (VMT). These statistics make Utah one of the safest states to drive in overall. For a complete understanding, see the Utah car crash statistics at GoodCar.
Locate a Nearby DMV
Find a DMV office using this simple directory: DMV Location Directory
Find a Driver's License Office
Locate a Driver's License office for help with license-related services: Utah Driver's License Office Locations
Get the Latest Utah Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Utah vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.