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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
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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) [
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)(iii), 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 [
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 [
83 vehicle the registration of the vehicle expires. [
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) [
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 and registration number 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[
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[
104 (c) apply to the division to have the license plates and registration number assigned to
105 the new registered owner of the transferred vehicle if the license plates were included as part of
106 the sale, trade, or 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.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel