Utah Code § 41-1a-404

Current through the 2024 Fourth Special Session
Section 41-1a-404 - [Effective Until 1/1/2025] Location and position of plates - Visibility of plates - Exceptions
(1) License plates issued for a vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, vintage vehicle, or semitrailer shall be attached to the vehicle, one in the front and the other in the rear.
(2)
(a) The license plate issued for a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be attached to the rear of the motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer.
(b)
(i) An owner of a vintage vehicle shall ensure that a license plate is attached to the rear of the vintage vehicle.
(ii) An owner of a vintage vehicle is not required to display a license plate on the front of the vintage vehicle.
(3) Except as provided in Subsection (5), a license plate shall at all times be:
(a) securely fastened:
(i) in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued to prevent the plate from swinging;
(ii) at a height of not less than 12 inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of the plate; and
(iii) in a place and position to be clearly visible; and
(b) maintained:
(i) free from foreign materials or a tinted or translucent license plate cover; and
(ii) in a condition to be clearly legible.
(4) Enforcement by a state or local law enforcement officer of the requirement under Subsection (1) to attach a license plate to the front of a vehicle shall be only as a secondary action when the vehicle has been detained for a suspected violation by any person in the vehicle of Title 41, Motor Vehicles, other than the requirement under Subsection (1) to attach a license plate to the front of the vehicle, or for another offense.
(5) The provisions of Subsections (3)(a)(iii) and (3)(b) do not apply:
(a) to a license plate that is obscured exclusively by one or more of the following devices or by the cargo the device is carrying, if the device is installed according to manufacturer specifications or generally accepted installation practices:
(i) a trailer hitch;
(ii) a wheelchair lift or wheelchair carrier;
(iii) a trailer being towed by the vehicle;
(iv) a bicycle rack, ski rack, or luggage rack; or
(v) a similar cargo carrying device; or
(b) to a military vehicle if the license plate is in the military vehicle and ready for inspection by law enforcement upon request.
(6) A violation of this section is an infraction.

Utah Code § 41-1a-404

Amended by Chapter 440, 2023 General Session ,§ 3, eff. 5/3/2023.
Amended by Chapter 180, 2022 General Session ,§ 2, eff. 5/4/2022.
Amended by Chapter 259, 2022 General Session ,§ 5, eff. 5/4/2022.
Amended by Chapter 412, 2015 General Session ,§ 12, eff. 5/12/2015.
Amended by Chapter 81, 2015 General Session ,§ 1, eff. 5/12/2015.
Amended by Chapter 106, 2008 General Session
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.