Vehicle Ownership in Utah — Car Alpha

Complete guide to vehicle ownership in Utah: insurance requirements (25/65/15), lemon law protections, emissions testing, registration fees, and EV incentives.

Utah Overview

Mountain West · Capital: Salt Lake City

Utah requires liability insurance and has emissions testing in several Wasatch Front counties. The state has a lemon law for new vehicles and safety inspections based on vehicle age.

Insurance Requirements

Minimum Coverage

25/65/15

Average Annual Cost

$1,375

$25,000 bodily injury per person / $65,000 bodily injury per accident / $15,000 property damage / $3,000 PIP

Full insurance guide Compare Utah rates

Utah Lemon Law

Utah's New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act covers new vehicles within the warranty period. After four repair attempts or 30 business days out of service, the consumer can seek a refund or replacement.

Full lemon law guide Talk to a lemon law attorney

Emissions Testing

Emissions testing is required in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber, and Cache counties. Testing frequency varies by county and vehicle age (annual or biennial). OBD-II testing costs approximately $30.

Safety Inspection

Safety inspections are required annually for vehicles 10+ years old in most counties. Newer vehicles are exempt until they reach 4-8 years old, depending on county. Cost is approximately $30.

EV Incentives

Utah offers a Clean Fuel Vehicle tax credit and reduced registration fees for electric vehicles through certain years. Rocky Mountain Power offers incentives for EV charging station installation.

Full EV incentives guide

Registration & Title

Registration Fee

$44 - $69 based on vehicle age

Title Fee

Plate Fee

Utah charges registration fees based on vehicle age. Newer vehicles pay $69, with fees decreasing to $44 for vehicles 12+ years old. A uniform fee of $150 applies to all new vehicle registrations.

Full registration guide