1     
SAFETY INSPECTION AMENDMENTS

2     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Norman K Thurston

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions relating to motor vehicle safety inspections.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     reduces the required frequency of a safety inspection for certain vehicles; and
13          ▸     makes technical changes.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     AMENDS:
20          53-8-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 453
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 53-8-205 is amended to read:
24          53-8-205. Safety inspection required -- Frequency of safety inspection -- Safety
25     inspection certificate required -- Out-of-state permits.
26          (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), a person may not operate on a
27     highway, a motor vehicle required to be registered in this state unless the motor vehicle has
28     passed a safety inspection if required in the current year.
29          (b) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply to:
30          (i) a vehicle that is exempt from registration under Section 41-1a-205;
31          (ii) an off-highway vehicle, unless the off-highway vehicle is being registered as a
32     street-legal all-terrain vehicle in accordance with Section 41-6a-1509;
33          (iii) a vintage vehicle as defined in Section 41-21-1;
34          (iv) a commercial vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 pounds that:
35          (A) is operating with an apportioned registration under Section 41-1a-301; and
36          (B) has a valid annual federal inspection that complies with the requirements of 49
37     C.F.R. Sec. 396.17; and
38          (v) a trailer, semitrailer, or trailering equipment attached to a commercial motor vehicle
39     described in Subsection (1)(b)(iv) that has a valid annual federal inspection that complies with
40     the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Sec. 396.17.
41          (2) Except as provided in Subsection (3), the frequency of the safety inspection shall be
42     determined based on the age of the vehicle determined by model year and shall:
43          (a) be required each year for a vehicle that is 10 or more years old on January 1; [or]
44          [(b) for each vehicle that is less than 10 years old on January 1, be required in the
45     fourth year and the eighth year;]
46          [(c)] (b) be made by a safety inspector certified by the division at a safety inspection
47     station authorized by the division;
48          [(d)] (c) cover an inspection of the motor vehicle mechanism, brakes, and equipment to
49     ensure proper adjustment and condition as required by department rules; and
50          [(e)] (d) include an inspection for the display of license plates in accordance with
51     Section 41-1a-404.
52          (3) (a) (i) A salvage vehicle as defined in Section 41-1a-1001 is required to pass a
53     safety inspection when an application is made for initial registration as a salvage vehicle.
54          (ii) After initial registration as a salvage vehicle, the frequency of the safety inspection
55     shall correspond with the model year, as provided in Subsection (2).
56          (b) Beginning on the date that the Motor Vehicle Division has implemented the Motor
57     Vehicle Division's GenTax system, a commercial vehicle as defined in Section 41-1a-102 with
58     a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more is required to pass a safety inspection
59     annually or comply with Subsection (1)(b)(iv)(B).
60          (4) (a) A safety inspection station shall issue two safety inspection certificates to the
61     owner of:
62          (i) each motor vehicle that passes a safety inspection under this section; and
63          (ii) a street-legal all-terrain vehicle that meets all the equipment requirements in
64     Section 41-6a-1509.
65          (b) A safety inspection station shall use one safety inspection certificate issued under
66     this Subsection (4) for processing the vehicle registration.
67          (c) A person operating a motor vehicle shall have in the person's immediate possession
68     a safety inspection certificate or other evidence of compliance with the requirement to obtain a
69     safety inspection under this section.
70          (5) The division may:
71          (a) authorize the acceptance in this state of a safety inspection certificate issued in
72     another state having a safety inspection law similar to this state; and
73          (b) extend the time within which a safety inspection certificate must be obtained by the
74     resident owner of a vehicle that was not in this state during the time a safety inspection was
75     required.




Legislative Review Note
     as of 2-17-15 4:12 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel