The Utah DMV says new residents have 60 days to transfer titles and registrations. Start with the original out-of-state title or the out-of-state registration, which the moved-from-out-of-state page says is enough to begin at the DMV and to get a temporary permit while you finish inspections. A VIN inspection or an emissions inspection comes before the new title and plates. Passenger vehicles pay an age-based fee, not a sales tax the Tax Commission describes as a percent of the purchase price, unless a different uniform fee applies.
What do I do, in order?
- Gather ownership documents. The documents page says an out-of-state title and registration needs a valid government ID for every owner and the out-of-state title. The seller's signature must release the title if ownership is changing. A registration-only transaction can start with the out-of-state registration instead of the title.
- Check inspections. If the county and the model year require emissions, get that test. If they do not, get a VIN inspection. The documents page says a safety inspection is required only for a street-legal ATV or when you are changing the brand, not for an ordinary car coming from another state.
- Make a DMV appointment or visit an office. Form TC-656, the Utah title application, is required if an owner cannot be present, including at a virtual appointment. Every owner on the application needs government-issued identification. Bring a driver license.
- If the vehicle is leased, bring the lessor's power of attorney. The transfer page also asks for a billing statement and the lessor's Utah sales tax number.
- Pay the fee the county and the Tax Commission assess. The DMV points you to a fee estimator and does not print one statewide registration price on the documents page.
The nonresident page says Utah law requires registration within 60 days if you have a permanent home in the state, live here a total of six months, work here other than seasonal work and do not commute in, declare yourself a resident for a privilege such as resident tuition or a resident hunting license, or get a Utah driver license. It names exceptions for full-time nonresident students, military personnel temporarily stationed in Utah, and people in public, charitable, educational, or religious service. Those nonresidents may choose to register. If they do, Utah fees and inspections apply.
Which inspections apply?
Emissions, when required, are a prerequisite for registration in Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber counties. Tax Commission Publication 9 says the certificate is valid for two months. In Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber counties, gas cars and trucks less than six years old are tested every other year, even model years in even years and odd in odd years. Vehicles less than two years old, based on model year, are exempt. Vehicles six years old or older, back to model year 1967, are tested every year, except that Weber County exempts model years 1995 and older. Cache County does not require an emissions test for vehicles less than six years old. Vehicles 1995 and older are exempt there. The publication says emissions stations are at most service stations.
A VIN or hull inspection is required the first time a vehicle or vessel is titled in Utah. Publication 9 says a signed safety or emissions inspection is an acceptable VIN check for cars, trucks, and motorcycles if the VIN matches. The documents page says the separate VIN inspection applies when the car is from out of state and an emissions inspection is not required.
What fee do new residents pay?
Publication 23 says vehicles pay either an age-based uniform fee or a 1.5 percent uniform fee before registration. Passenger vehicles, light trucks, SUVs, and vans are in the age-based group. The fee is paid at the first registration and at each renewal. A new resident who brings a vehicle from out of state must pay the appropriate fee unless all property taxes or fees imposed by the state they moved from have been paid for the current year. That is not written as a credit against another state's sales tax. The publication tells you to see the charts for the dollar amount by model year. This guide does not copy those chart amounts.
A 30-day temporary permit costs $6 when the registration has expired or is about to expire and you need time for inspections. All registration fees are paid when that permit is issued.
What insurance is required?
The Utah Insurance Department says motorists must carry at least $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $65,000 for two or more persons, and $25,000 for property damage. It shows that as 30/65/25. It also says the first $3,000 of medical expenses for a person injured in your vehicle is submitted to the policy covering your vehicle, as personal injury protection, before a claim against the other driver. The DMV documents page does not restate these dollar limits. It does require the inspections and identity papers above.
What if the car is shipped to Utah?
A truck delivery does not replace the 60-day transfer. You still need the title or registration, the inspection the county requires, and the uniform fee unless the prior state was already paid for the current year. See car shipping to Utah, the cost page, and emissions when states differ. RideShipper compares quotes. It is not a carrier or a broker, and it does not issue the registration.