1     
LICENSE PLATE TRANSFER AMENDMENTS

2     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Norman K. Thurston

5     
Senate Sponsor: Deidre M. Henderson

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions relating to the transfer of motor vehicle license plates
10     when a vehicle is sold.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     requires the Motor Vehicle Division to transfer the license plate of a vehicle that has
14     been sold, traded, or the ownership of which has been otherwise released, to the
15     new person registering the vehicle in certain circumstances; and
16          ▸     makes technical changes.
17     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18          None
19     Other Special Clauses:
20          This bill provides a special effective date.
21     Utah Code Sections Affected:
22     AMENDS:
23          41-1a-401, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 303
24          41-1a-413, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 222
25          41-1a-701, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
26          41-1a-703, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
27     

28     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29          Section 1. Section 41-1a-401 is amended to read:
30          41-1a-401. License plates -- Number of plates -- Reflectorization -- Indicia of
31     registration in lieu of or used with plates.
32          (1) (a) [The] Except as provided in Subsection (1)(c), the division upon registering a
33     vehicle shall issue to the owner:
34          (i) one license plate for a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer;
35          (ii) one decal for a park model recreational vehicle, in lieu of a license plate, which
36     shall be attached in plain sight to the rear of the park model recreational vehicle;
37          (iii) one decal for a camper, in lieu of a license plate, which shall be attached in plain
38     sight to the rear of the camper; and
39          (iv) two identical license plates for every other vehicle.
40          (b) The license plate or decal issued under Subsection (1)(a) is for the particular
41     vehicle registered and may not be removed during the term for which the license plate or decal
42     is issued or used upon any other vehicle than the registered vehicle.
43          (c) (i) Notwithstanding Subsections (1)(a) and (b) and except as provided in Subsection
44     (1)(c)(ii), the division, upon registering a motor vehicle that has been sold, traded, or the
45     ownership of which has been otherwise released, shall transfer the license plate issued to the
46     person applying to register the vehicle if:
47          (A) the previous registered owner has included the license plate as part of the sale,
48     trade, or ownership release; and
49          (B) the person applying to register the vehicle applies to transfer the license plate to the
50     new registered owner of the vehicle.
51          (ii) The division may not transfer a personalized or special group license plate to a new
52     registered owner under this Subsection (1)(c) if the new registered owner does not meet the
53     qualification or eligibility requirements for that personalized or special group license plate
54     under Sections 41-1a-410 through 41-1a-422.
55          (2) The division may receive applications for registration renewal, renew registration,
56     and issue new license plates or decals at any time prior to the expiration of registration.
57          (3) (a) All license plates to be manufactured and issued by the division shall be treated
58     with a fully reflective material on the plate face that provides effective and dependable
59     reflective brightness during the service period of the license plate.
60          (b) The division shall prescribe all license plate material specifications and establish
61     and implement procedures for conforming to the specifications.
62          (c) The specifications for the materials used such as the aluminum plate substrate, the
63     reflective sheeting, and glue shall be drawn in a manner so that at least two manufacturers may
64     qualify as suppliers.
65          (d) The granting of contracts for the materials shall be by public bid.
66          (4) (a) The commission may issue, adopt, and require the use of indicia of registration
67     it considers advisable in lieu of or in conjunction with license plates as provided in this part.
68          (b) All provisions of this part relative to license plates apply to these indicia of
69     registration, so far as the provisions are applicable.
70          (5) A violation of this section is an infraction.
71          Section 2. Section 41-1a-413 is amended to read:
72          41-1a-413. Personalized plates -- Sale of vehicle -- Transfer of plates -- Release of
73     priority.
74          [If] Except as provided in Subsection 41-1a-401(1)(c), if a person who has been issued
75     personalized license plates sells, trades, or otherwise releases ownership of the vehicle for
76     which the personalized license plates have been issued, that person shall immediately:
77          (1) apply to display the license plates on a different vehicle owned by the person; or
78          (2) surrender the license plates to the division and release his priority to the letters and
79     numbers displayed on the personalized license plates.
80          Section 3. Section 41-1a-701 is amended to read:
81          41-1a-701. Transfer by owner -- Removal of plates.
82          (1) (a) If the owner of a registered vehicle transfers [his] the title or interest to the
83     vehicle the registration of the vehicle expires. [The]
84          (b) Unless an owner has included the transfer of a license plate as part of a sale, trade,
85     or ownership release of a vehicle, the owner shall remove the license plates from the
86     transferred vehicle.
87          (2) (a) [Within] If an owner does not transfer a license plate to a person as part of a
88     sale, trade, or ownership release of a vehicle, within 20 days from the date of transfer the owner
89     shall forward the plates to the division to be destroyed or may have the plates [and the
90     registration number] assigned to another vehicle, subject to the rules of the division.
91          (b) If an owner transfers a license plate as part of a sale, trade, or ownership release of
92     a vehicle, the new registered owner of the transferred vehicle shall apply to the division to have
93     the plates assigned to the new registered owner.
94          (3) A violation of this section is an infraction.
95          Section 4. Section 41-1a-703 is amended to read:
96          41-1a-703. New owner to secure new registration and new certificate of title.
97          (1) The transferee, before operating or permitting the operation of a transferred vehicle
98     on a highway, shall:
99          (a) present to the division the certificate of registration and the certificate of title,
100     properly endorsed[, and shall];
101          (b) apply for a new certificate of title and obtain a new registration for the transferred
102     vehicle, as upon an original registration, except as permitted under Sections 41-1a-223,
103     41-1a-520, and 41-1a-704[.]; and
104          (c) apply to the division to have the license plates assigned to the new registered owner
105     of the transferred vehicle if the license plates were included as part of the sale, trade, or
106     ownership release of the transferred vehicle.
107          (2) A violation of this section is an infraction.
108          Section 5. Effective date.
109          This bill takes effect on January 1, 2019.