Utah drivers can drop the front license plate under the state's new DMV rules. | Urban Living

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Utah drivers can drop the front license plate under the state's new DMV rules.

Urban Living

Posted By on January 29, 2025, 4:00 AM

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Last summer, I got pulled over by the Utah Highway Patrol on Interstate 80. I wasn't speeding and, frankly, I don't know why he pulled me over.

I have a "fast lane" pass and when he flipped on his lights, I was in that far left lane—so I pulled over to the far left shoulder. The officer was mad as hell for reasons I never determined.

First, he gruffly barked that I pulled into the wrong emergency lane, and that I should have pulled to the shoulder on the far right once he turned on his lights. He said: "This lane is only for us and emergency vehicles."

Given it was close to rush hour, pulling far to the right would have taken a few miles to move over safely. I also have a handicapped license plate and a hybrid vehicle. Basically, he had nothing to ticket me for and ordered me back into traffic, but informed me that I didn't have a license plate on the front of my vehicle.

Guess what? Utah drivers are no longer required to have a plate on the front of their vehicles, and I'm not aware of any new car that has a special place for plates anymore. The Legislature killed that requirement last year!

There are a few other changes that passed in 2024 to provide more efficient service, and that will hopefully lead to fewer in-person trips to the DMV. First, instead of two decals for drivers' plates, there will just be one that we will be required to place on the upper right hand corner. Commercial vehicles can ask for two plates if they feel the need for them.

Second, the license plates will no longer have raised numbers and alphabet letters, and will instead be flat. Supposedly, the plates will look better and save production costs.

Third, plates will now be mailed to drivers when they change or update them. This last feature is what the DMV believes will save drivers from taking trips to their office locations around the state.

Currently, there are four standard-issue plate designs, as well as personalized plates, like the old-school black and white plates with no designs; special "group" license plates for folks who support certain non-profits (Boys and Girls clubs, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Farm vehicles, the Masons, vets, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, and many more); Utah-based colleges and plates for drivers with disabilities. Some money from the sale of these specialty plates goes to the non-profits they feature.

In Utah, license plate fees are pretty cheap. The standard is $7.50, personal plates are $16, group plates $21 and the new "blackout" license plates are $25, with an annual fee of $25.

Part of the sale of the blackout plates goes to the Utah State Historical Society.

About The Author

Babs De Lay

Babs De Lay

Bio:
A full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates, Babs De Lay serves on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission. A writer and golfer, you'll find them working as a staff guardian at the Temple at Burning Man each year.

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