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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates a new standard issue license plate called the Utah Dark Sky license
10 plate.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ creates a new standard issue license plate called the Utah Dark Sky license plate;
14 and
15 ▸ makes technical changes.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 This bill provides a special effective date.
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 41-1a-402, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapters 20 and 262
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24 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 Section 1. Section 41-1a-402 is amended to read:
26 41-1a-402. Required colors, numerals, and letters -- Expiration.
27 (1) Each license plate shall have displayed on it:
28 (a) the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued;
29 (b) the name of the state; and
30 (c) unless exempted by Section 41-1a-301 or 41-1a-407, a registration decal showing
31 the date of expiration displayed in accordance with Subsection (6).
32 (2) If registration is extended by affixing a registration decal to the license plate, the
33 expiration date of the decal governs the expiration date of the license plate.
34 (3) Except as provided in Subsection (4), each original license plate that is not one of
35 the special group license plates issued under Section 41-1a-418 shall be:
36 (a) a statehood centennial license plate with the same color, design, and slogan as the
37 plates issued in conjunction with the statehood centennial;
38 (b) a Ski Utah license plate; [
39 (c) an In God We Trust license plate[
40 (d) a Utah Dark Sky license plate.
41 (4) Beginning on the date that the division determines the existing inventories of
42 statehood centennial license plates and Ski Utah license plates are exhausted, each license plate
43 that is not one of the special group license plates issued under Section 41-1a-418 shall:
44 (a) (i) display the "Life Elevated" slogan; and
45 (ii) have a color and design approved by the 57th Legislature in the 2007 General
46 Session that features:
47 (A) a skier with the "Greatest Snow on Earth" slogan; or
48 (B) Delicate Arch;
49 (b) be an In God We Trust license plate; or
50 (c) be a Utah Dark Sky license plate; or
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52 decals for an apportioned vehicle described in Section 41-1a-301 are exhausted, be a distinctive
53 license plate displaying the word "apportioned" or the abbreviation "APP."
54 (5) (a) Except as provided under Subsection 41-1a-215(2) and Section 41-1a-216,
55 license plates shall be renewed annually.
56 (b) (i) The division shall issue the vehicle owner a month decal and a year decal upon
57 the vehicle's first registration with the division.
58 (ii) The division shall issue the vehicle owner only a year decal upon subsequent
59 renewals of registration to validate registration renewal.
60 (6) The decals issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be applied as follows:
61 (a) for license plates issued beginning in 1974 through 1985, decals displayed on
62 license plates with black lettering on a white background shall be applied to the lower left-hand
63 corner of the rear of the license plate vehicles;
64 (b) decals displayed on statehood centennial license plates and on Ski Utah license
65 plates issued in accordance with Subsection (3) shall be applied to the upper left-hand corner of
66 the rear license plate;
67 (c) decals displayed on special group license plates issued in accordance with Section
68 41-1a-418 shall be applied to the upper right-hand corner of the license plate unless there is a
69 plate indentation on the upper left-hand corner of the license plate;
70 (d) decals displayed on license plates with the "Life Elevated" slogan issued in
71 accordance with Subsection (4) shall be applied in the upper left-hand corner for the month
72 decal and the upper right-hand corner for the year decal;
73 (e) decals displayed on license plates with the "In God We Trust" slogan issued in
74 accordance with Subsection (4)(b) shall be applied in the upper right-hand corner of the rear
75 license plate unless there is a plate indentation on the upper left-hand corner of the license
76 plate;
77 (f) decals displayed on Utah Dark Sky license plates issued in accordance with
78 Subsection (3)(d) or (4)(c) shall be applied in the upper left-hand corner for the month decal
79 and the upper right-hand corner for the year decal;
80 [
81 plate opposite the word "Utah"; and
82 [
83 applied as appropriate for the year of the plate.
84 (7) (a) The month decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be displayed on
85 the license plate in the left position.
86 (b) The year decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be displayed on the
87 license plate in the right position.
88 (8) The current year decal issued in accordance with Subsection (5) shall be placed
89 over or in place of the previous year decal.
90 (9) If a license plate, month decal, or year decal is lost or destroyed, a replacement shall
91 be issued upon application and payment of the fees required under Section 41-1a-1211 or
92 41-1a-1212.
93 (10) (a) A violation of this section is an infraction.
94 (b) A court shall waive a fine for a violation under this section if:
95 (i) the registration for the vehicle was current at the time of the citation; and
96 (ii) the person to whom the citation was issued provides, within 21 business days,
97 evidence that the license plate and decals are properly displayed in compliance with this
98 section.
99 Section 2. Effective date.
100 This bill takes effect on October 1, 2021.