How Much Are Utah Vehicle Registration Fees?
If you’re wondering how much does it cost to register a car in Utah, you’re in the right place. Unlike many states, Utah doesn’t have a set price schedule for registering your vehicle. Instead, Utah calculates the cost of registering a car based on the type of vehicle it is, how old it is, what kind of fuel it uses, and the weight of the vehicle.
That’s because registration fees help the state cover things like infrastructure maintenance, environmental regulation, and road repair. By changing registration costs based on how much a vehicle is likely to cost the state is a good way to stay on top of those expenses.
The problem is that having a variable registration fee makes it harder to learn how much does it cost to register a car in Utah. Here’s what you need to know to figure out what it will cost to register your car in Utah, how often you’ll need to register, and more.
How Are Registration Fees Calculated In Utah?
As of 41-1a-1206, which went into effect on 1/1/2021, most vehicles registration fees are based on gross domestic weight. There are a lot of other factors as well; for instance, motorcycles have their own classification for registration.
For some vehicles, it’s easy to tell what the registration fee is, while others might qualify under several different provisions in the law. For instance, before other possible fees, motorcycles have a base registration fee of $46, and passenger vehicles that weigh 12,000 or less are $44, excluding motorcycles.
But, there are additional fees in some cases, like for hybrid and electric vehicles or commercial vehicles. Heavy vehicles may also have a scaled registration fee, where the fee increases with the weight of the vehicle. For instance, the fee is $53 for farm vehicles exceeding 12,000 lbs. but less than 14,000 lbs. But for farm vehicles exceeding 14,000 lbs. there is an additional $9 for every additional 2,000 lbs.
Some counties in Utah also charge additional registration surcharges. These charges may help budget for infrastructure maintenance and improvements, cover the additional wear and tear that happens in those counties, or be used to help enforce certain county-wide regulations.
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Which Utah Counties Charge Additional Registration Fees?
There are several different fees that are charged based on the county you live in. Here’s a list of those fees for the state of Utah.
Corridor Fees
These counties charge a ‘Corridor Fee’ of $10 in addition to other registration costs to help contribute to the maintenance of the highways in the county.
- Salt Lake
- Davis
- Utah
- Weber
- Summit
- Wasatch
- Iron
- Box Elder
- Washington
- Tooele
- Morgan
So, if you calculate your registration in Utah, remember to add that $10 fee if you live in any of the listed counties.
Air Pollution Control Fee
The air pollution control fee applies in counties that are trying to reduce the level of air pollution they are dealing with on a regular basis, and the amount of the air pollution control fee, or APC fee, depends on which county you live in:
- Salt Lake $3.00
- Davis $3.00
- Cache $3.00
- Utah $2.00
- Weber $1.00
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Statewide Registration Fees In Utah
In addition to county fees, Utah charges a range of additional fees to help cover the costs of maintaining roadway infrastructure and help keep motorists safe.
Automobile Driver Education Fee
This is a flat $2.50 fee and is applied to all vehicle registrations except for vehicles with purple heart plates.
Uninsured Motorist Identification Fee
The uninsured motorist identification fee helps the state cover the costs of finding uninsured and underinsured drivers, keeping the roads safer for everyone.
This is a flat $1 fee for all vehicles, except vehicles with purple heart plates, vehicles owned by the state, and vehicles registered as a part of a fleet.
Once you’ve figured out how much does it cost to register a car in Utah, you’ll typically need to add these state and county fees as an additional cost.
Uniform Fees
In addition to other registration fees, Utah also has a uniform fee that functions as a kind of property tax on your vehicle. These fees are flat fees based on the age of your vehicle. The newer your vehicle is, the higher the uniform registration fee is.
If your vehicle is 3 years old or younger, the fee is $150.
- 3-6-year-old vehicles have a uniform fee of $110.
- 6-9-year-old vehicles have a uniform fee of $80.
- 9-12-year-old vehicles have a uniform fee of $50.
- Any vehicle older than 12 years has a base uniform fee of $10.
Temporary Permit Fees
When you bring a vehicle to Utah, or if your registration has expired and you need to get emissions tested before you can renew the registration, you may need to get a temporary permit. Temporary permits don’t have the same emissions requirements as registration, but they make it legal for you to continue driving your vehicle so you can get its emissions tested.
Utah offers two temporary permits, a 96-hour permit that costs $2.50, and a 15-day permit for $6.
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How To Calculate Your Vehicle’s Registration Fees
Figuring out how much does it cost to register a car in Utah can be a bit of a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be too difficult. You need to know the make, model, and fuel type of your vehicle to start with. If you also have the license plate number, state of current registration, and VIN (vehicle identification number), you can look up your vehicle’s current registration fee.
You can also call your local DMV at 801-297-7780 or 1-800-DMV-UTAH (800-368-8824) to find out what your registration fees are before the Uniform Fee.
Renewal information and paperwork can be requested as soon as you are within 60 days of your vehicle’s registration expiring.
Final Thoughts
Unless otherwise stated, your Utah vehicle registration needs to be renewed every 12 months. Your uniform fee will go down every three years until your vehicle is 12 years or older when you get it.
Fortunately, while Utah doesn’t have a set fee schedule, figuring out your vehicle registration fees shouldn’t be too difficult.
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