UTAH.STATERECORDS.ORG IS A PRIVATELY OWNED WEBSITE THAT IS NOT OWNED OR OPERATED BY ANY STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
close banner

Utah License Plate Lookup

state records colored logo
LOGIN
CONTACT
(801) 650-3380

License Plate Search

  • Make
  • Vehicle Details
  • Modal
  • Vehicle Specs
  • Year
  • Recalls and Defects
  • Public Records
  • Vehicle Identification Number
  • Number
  • And More
  • Make
  • Model
  • Year
  • Recalls And Defects
  • Vehicle Specs
  • Vehicle Details
  • Public Records
  • Vehicle Identification Number
  • Number
  • And More

License Plate Lookup in Utah

A Utah license plate lookup involves looking up information about a vehicle by entering the license plate number in a license plate search tool. This search provides information specific to the vehicle and its owner, including selected Utah traffic records as well as:

  • Vehicle information, such as body type and engine specifications
  • Accident report
  • Previous owners of the vehicle
  • Traffic citations linked to the vehicle
  • Vehicle registration details
  • Recent odometer readings
  • Vehicle's registration status

A license plate lookup may be performed when finding out the vehicle owner or when a prospective buyer intends to purchase the vehicle with the license plate. Results obtained from the lookup may help estimate the vehicle's market worth and aid the buyer in negotiating a fair price for the vehicle. More significantly, a Utah license plate lookup can stop residents from purchasing stolen vehicles.

A license plate lookup may be performed through the Utah Division of Vehicle (DMV) or online via free or paid license plate lookup services. Free license plate lookup services provide basic vehicle information, while lookups are carried out through paid services, and the Utah DMV delivers comprehensive and accurate vehicle information.

What is a Utah License Plate?

Utah license plates are number plates affixed to motor vehicles to identify and register them in the state. It is illegal for vehicles to ply Utah roads without valid Utah license plates. Utah requires every registered vehicle in the state to display securely attached rear and front license plates. Motorcycles, trailers, or semi trailers may display rear license plates only. Utah license plates are issued by the state's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Utah's DMV issues three standard license plates and various other plates, with the majority of these plates, permitted to be personalized by requesters. The DMV issues special group license plates and, in doing so, generates funds for specific purposes to honor or recognize specific groups of people.

The special group plates have a five-character combination on the right, a special group sticker on the left, and a descriptive statement on the bottom. The Utah DMV permits special group plates to be personalized. Per the DMV, all publicly owned vehicles and vehicles leased by public entities are required to be registered as "exempt" and hence bear exempt plates. The state also categorizes plates on Utah Highway Patrol vehicles as exempt.

There are currently three standard-issue plate designs (In God We Trust, Life Elevated Skier, and Life Elevated Arches) and four additional plates that the DMV no longer issues but are still valid to be affixed on vehicles. Utah's standard license plates may have up to 7 characters, although the "In God We Trust Plate" may only have up to 5 characters. Motorcycle license plates may have only up to 4 characters.

Passenger License Plates vs. Commercial License Plates

The Utah DMV issues passenger license plates to passenger vehicles and commercial license plates to commercial vehicles. Passenger vehicles are vehicles used for personal purposes, such as sport-utility vehicles, vans, and non-commercial vehicles. On the other hand, commercial vehicles are vehicles weighing over 12,000 lbs. Passenger license plates are the standard-issue license plates in Utah. The procedure for obtaining passenger license plates is the same as obtaining standard-issue license plates.

To obtain a commercial vehicle license plate, the vehicle must be titled and registered. The vehicle owner must pay a registration fee at the time of initial registration and yearly thereafter. Utah applies uniform fees to commercial vehicle registration. The following are required to complete a vehicle title:

  • Acquaint yourself with Utah's commercial vehicle titling information.
  • Complete the Utah Title Application - Form TC-656.
  • VIN inspections if the vehicle is being titled in Utah for the first time. You may use Form TC-661 - Certificate of Inspection. Utah exempts new vehicles sold by dealers resident in the state from this requirement.
  • A minimum of one person whose name must appear on the new title.

To register a commercial vehicle, the following are required:

  • Utah emission certificate, if applicable
  • Utah safety inspection certificate
  • Payment of uniform fees
  • Payment of registration fees
  • If the vehicle weights over 55,000 lbs., complete Form 2290 - Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Form

How Do I Get a License Plate in Utah?

To obtain the standard-issue Utah license plates, you must complete your vehicle's title and registration process. Although the registration requirement slightly differs depending on the circumstances, registrants must at least have the original title or a bill of sale from the previous owner of the vehicle if registering a used vehicle. New vehicle owners who do not have a title yet must complete Form TC-656, Application for Utah Title. To complete the vehicle registration process, take the following to the DMV office:

  • Serial number (VIN) inspection, where required. VIN or HIN inspections are required for all vehicles or vessels to be titled in Utah for the first time. These inspections can be completed by peace officers, inspection stations, Utah-licensed dealerships, or DMV employees. Inspections are required to be completed using the Certificate of Inspection (TC-661) Form.
  • Utah diesel or gas emission certificate, where required. Emission certificates are required in Weber, Utah, Salt Lake, and Davis counties for gas-powered cars and trucks.
  • Your current Utah driver's license.
  • Proof of ownership.
  • Proof of Utah vehicle insurance.
  • Proof of registration fees. Vehicle registration fees are based on the weight of the vehicle and the year of manufacture, including your county of residence.

After completing registration at the DMV office, the DMV will mail your plates with the expiration details. Although you may receive your license plates in less time, it may take 4-6 weeks before it arrives. For more information on vehicle titles and registration in Utah, visit the Utah DMV appointment scheduler page and select the title and registration tab.

You can apply for personalized license plates in Utah by completing Form TC-817 - Application for Personalized Plates and submitting the required payment. Alternatively, you may complete the process online at the Utah DMV Motor Vehicle Portal. Form TC-817 allows applicants to submit up to three requested combinations of numbers and letters. The vehicle on which the proposed personalized plates will be displayed must be identified on the application.

Personalized plates may not use any special punctuation signs, such as periods, commas, hyphens, question marks, and exclamation marks. Application fees paid for personalized plate applications that do not comply with Utah laws will be refunded. Personalized plate cost varies due to each plate type. An additional $10 annual fee is due each year at registration renewal. Completed Form TC-817 and the check or money order for the applicable fee must be made to:

Division of Motor Vehicles
Miscellaneous Services Unit
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130

After receiving the license plate from the manufacturer, the DMV will mail it to the mailing address indicated on the motor vehicle database.

Note that Utah laws on personalized license plates prohibit the use of any combination of characters that carry connotations considered offensive to decency and good taste or that may be misleading. Hence, the state does not permit personalized license plate combinations that:

  • Are profane, vulgar, or indecent
  • Use the term or refer to "drugs" or "drug paraphernalia".
  • Invoke sexual actions, genitalia, or physiological processes
  • Express scorn for, mockery of, disparagement of, or superiority toward a person's race, color, national origin, religion, deity, ethnic heritage, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, political affiliation, or physical or mental handicap
  • Endanger the public welfare by expressing or implying endangerment.

Additionally, the letter and number combination sought cannot be identical to an existing registered license plate or conflict with a series or the letter or number combinations used on standard-issue license plates. Failure to retain the customized plate in a properly registered vehicle within six months after expiration results in losing your right to the letter or number combination on your personalized plates.

How Can I Find the Owner of a License Plate in Utah?

License plate lookup tools that search public databases or motor vehicle records may be used to find the owner of a Utah license plate. If you perform a license plate lookup, you can obtain some basic information about the vehicle, but you are unlikely to learn anything about the identity of the license plate owner. Utah law and the Federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act prohibit the inclusion of sensitive personal information about drivers in license plate lookup search results. However, the Act makes a provision for persons such as licensed security services, government agencies, and insurance firms to legally access this data if required.

Nonetheless, you may be able to find the owner of a license plate using the basic information obtained from the license plate lookup. The result from the search typically contains information that can be checked against publicly accessible data, such as phone number lookups, in order to reveal the identity of the plate owner.

Third-party aggregate sites are a reliable alternative for obtaining license plate information. These sites are maintained by independent establishments which collate the information from government-run repositories. Obtaining records from these sites often proves substantially easier than government alternatives. However, requestors may be required to provide any information required to facilitate the record search and pay any required fees to access the record of interest.

Utah License Plate Renewal

Utah license plates are renewed when you renew your vehicle registrations. Renewals may be conducted at any time prior to the expiry of the existing registration, provided that renewal documents are available. Usually, the registration period retains the same expiration month as the original registration. Most motorists in the state receive vehicle registration renewal reminders by email. You may register on the DMV portal to ensure you receive a reminder from the DMV when your vehicle registration's expiry date draws near.

You may complete Utah vehicle registration renewal online, at on-the-spot stations, local DMV offices, or automatically through the Motor Vehicle Portal.

To complete renewals online, visit the Utah RenewalExpress portal. This portal provides one of the most convenient methods allowing users to complete the process from the comfort of their homes. There are also several inspection stations that allow motorists to complete renewals as part of the Utah On-The-Spot program. You may view On-The-Spot-Station locations from the DMV website.

Renewals may be completed at the drive-through or lobby of most local DMV offices. However, you may be required to schedule an appointment with the office before visiting. You may use the DMV appointment scheduler tool to schedule an appointment. To complete a renewal through the mail service, send renewal items as described in the renewal notice received to:

Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130

To complete any renewal transaction, applicable inspection certificates and payment of any associated registration fees are necessary. You may use the renewal information link on the DMV website to access your renewal information and calculate registration fees. To determine if you qualify for a fee waiver, contact the DMV at (801) 297-7780.

Automatic renewals are possible if you sign up for automatic registration renewal on the Utah DMV Motor Vehicle Portal or complete an Automatic Registration Renewal Application (TC-505) Form. The TC-505 form may be submitted to the DMV address provided on the form.

Upon signing up for the DMV, you will receive an email notifying you of an upcoming registration renewal when due. The notification will alert you of any inspections that must be completed and provide an estimated time frame for completion. On the due date, payment and inspection requirements will be verified. When your renewal is complete, the DMV will send you a notification and receipt. Your decal and registration will be sent to the address on file. To complete this step, you will be required to provide your bank account details to allow ACH payment of the renewal.

Can You Look Up License Plates with VIN?

Yes, you can look up a vehicle's license plate with its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) if known. The VIN and the license plate number are linked in the Utah DMV vehicle registration database. You may visit any local DMV office to perform a license plate lookup with a VIN if you have legitimate reasons to do so.

VIN Number Lookup

A VIN number lookup entails inputting a known VIN number in a VIN search tool to obtain information about the vehicle linked to the number. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is an abbreviation for Vehicle Identification Number, a unique serial number provided to each vehicle at the time of production. The serial number is unique to each vehicle and may be used to obtain information on a vehicle's history. VINs were standardized as 17-digit strings in 1981. According to NHTSA standards, some of the 17-character serials are given values to which manufacturers must adhere; other elements are left to manufacturers' discretion. Before 1981, vehicle manufacturers specified their own VIN; as a result, the number's length and format vary.

A vehicle's VIN number may provide information about:

  • Previous ownership
  • Vehicle maintenance
  • Damages caused by flooding
  • History of accidents
  • Airbag deployments
  • Liens secured against the vehicle
  • Incorrect odometer settings

The vehicle identification number (VIN) must be known to do a license plate lookup. Typically, the VIN is located on the windshield or a label on the driver's side door jamb or side door. Additionally, the number may be found on the spare tire or chassis plate. When purchasing a used vehicle, a VIN check will provide a ton of information about the vehicle's history, which will help the buyer decide on the purchase.

Can Civilians Lookup License Plates in Utah?

In Utah, motor vehicle records are considered protected records and, therefore, not open to the public. However, several exceptions are provided where records may be released. Civilians in Utah can look up license plate records if they are the subject of the record. Law enforcement officials may also lookup motor vehicle records while carrying out their official duties.

In addition, records may be released if they are used for research activities, as long as the information is not re-disclosed, published, or used for a secondary task.

What Do Police See When They Run Your Plates in Utah?

When a Utah police officer runs a plate in Utah, the officer is given instant access to different information related to the vehicle and its registered owner compiled from different sources, including the Utah DMV. The office will be able to see

  • The identity of the registered owner
  • The status of the registration (expired or valid)
  • The make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN)
  • The status of the registered owner's driving license

Police officers can also run licenses to get additional information, such as if the driver has any outstanding arrest warrants.

Most of the information available during a license plate search is protected by privacy laws and may not be shared with the public. This includes information like the owner's telephone number, email address, fingerprints, drive tests, and social security number.

Free License Plate Lookup in Utah

The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles processes requests for license plate lookup. However, it charges a fee for his service. Requesters can access records if they have a legitimate reason to do so. To obtain records, applicants will need to submit a completed application form that includes details like the:

  • Requestor's Name
  • Requestor's Driving License number
  • Requested License Plate number

Requesters will also need to indicate if the records will be used by a licensed private investigative agency, in connection with a court order, or by a law enforcement agency.

How to Search for Ticket by License Plate in Utah

To search for a ticket in Utah, drivers will need to contact the local court or law enforcement agency that issued the ticket. Tickets issued by the Utah Highway Patrol can be found by contacting the local office in the city or county where the ticket was obtained. Depending on where the infraction occurred, drivers may also be able to search for traffic tickets using an online traffic search tool that offers this feature.

To process the search, requests will need to provide specific information, such as their full name, citation number, license number, date of the traffic violation, the name of the ticketing officer, and a valid ID. It's important that drivers respond to tickets before the deadline, as failing to do this may lead to additional penalties and a possible driving suspension.