Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 162 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Thurston, N.  (Thurston’s own bill)

Final action

Governor Signed 3/26/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the Motor Vehicle Division to transfer the license plate of a vehicle that has been sold, traded, or the ownership of which has been otherwise released, to the new person registering the vehicle in certain circumstances; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LICENSE PLATE TRANSFER AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Norman K. Thurston
Senate Sponsor: 
 Deidre M. Henderson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies provisions relating to the transfer of motor vehicle license plates
when a vehicle is sold.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires the Motor Vehicle Division to transfer the license plate of a vehicle that has
been sold, traded, or the ownership of which has been otherwise released, to the
new person registering the vehicle in certain circumstances; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
41-1a-401
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 303
41-1a-413
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 222
41-1a-701
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
41-1a-703
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
41-1a-401
 is amended to read:
41-1a-401.
License plates -- Number of plates -- Reflectorization -- Indicia of
registration in lieu of or used with plates.
(1) (a) [
The
] 
Except as provided in Subsection (1)(c), the
 division upon registering a
vehicle shall issue to the owner:
(i) one license plate for a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer;
(ii) one decal for a park model recreational vehicle, in lieu of a license plate, which
shall be attached in plain sight to the rear of the park model recreational vehicle;
(iii) one decal for a camper, in lieu of a license plate, which shall be attached in plain
sight to the rear of the camper; and
(iv) two identical license plates for every other vehicle.
(b) The license plate or decal issued under Subsection (1)(a) is for the particular
vehicle registered and may not be removed during the term for which the license plate or decal
is issued or used upon any other vehicle than the registered vehicle.
(c) (i) Notwithstanding Subsections (1)(a) and (b) and except as provided in Subsection
(1)(c)(iii), the division, upon registering a motor vehicle that has been sold, traded, or the
ownership of which has been otherwise released, shall transfer the license plate issued to the
person applying to register the vehicle if:
(A) the previous registered owner has included the license plate as part of the sale,
trade, or ownership release; and
(B) the person applying to register the vehicle applies to transfer the license plate to the
new registered owner of the vehicle.
(ii) The division may not transfer a personalized or special group license plate to a new
registered owner under this Subsection (1)(c) if the new registered owner does not meet the
qualification or eligibility requirements for that personalized or special group license plate
under Sections 
41-1a-410
 through 
41-1a-422
.
(2) The division may receive applications for registration renewal, renew registration,
and issue new license plates or decals at any time prior to the expiration of registration.
(3) (a) All license plates to be manufactured and issued by the division shall be treated
with a fully reflective material on the plate face that provides effective and dependable
reflective brightness during the service period of the license plate.
(b) The division shall prescribe all license plate material specifications and establish
and implement procedures for conforming to the specifications.
(c) The specifications for the materials used such as the aluminum plate substrate, the
reflective sheeting, and glue shall be drawn in a manner so that at least two manufacturers may
qualify as suppliers.
(d) The granting of contracts for the materials shall be by public bid.
(4) (a) The commission may issue, adopt, and require the use of indicia of registration
it considers advisable in lieu of or in conjunction with license plates as provided in this part.
(b) All provisions of this part relative to license plates apply to these indicia of
registration, so far as the provisions are applicable.
(5) A violation of this section is an infraction.
Section 2. Section 
41-1a-413
 is amended to read:
41-1a-413.
Personalized plates -- Sale of vehicle -- Transfer of plates -- Release of
priority.
[
If
] 
Except as provided in Subsection 
41-1a-401
(1)(c), if
 a person who has been issued
personalized license plates sells, trades, or otherwise releases ownership of the vehicle for
which the personalized license plates have been issued, that person shall immediately:
(1) apply to display the license plates on a different vehicle owned by the person; or
(2) surrender the license plates to the division and release his priority to the letters and
numbers displayed on the personalized license plates.
Section 3. Section 
41-1a-701
 is amended to read:
41-1a-701.
Transfer by owner -- Removal of plates.
(1) 
(a)
 If the owner of a registered vehicle transfers [
his
] 
the
 title or interest to the
vehicle the registration of the vehicle expires. [
The
]
(b) Unless an owner has included the transfer of a license plate as part of a sale, trade,
or ownership release of a vehicle, the
 owner shall remove the license plates from the
transferred vehicle.
(2) 
(a)
 [
Within
] 
If an owner does not transfer a license plate to a person as part of a
sale, trade, or ownership release of a vehicle, within
days from the date of transfer the owner
shall forward the plates to the division to be destroyed or may have the plates and the
registration number assigned to another vehicle, subject to the rules of the division.
(b) If an owner transfers a license plate as part of a sale, trade, or ownership release of
a vehicle, the new registered owner of the transferred vehicle shall apply to the division to have
the plates and registration number assigned to the new registered owner.
(3) A violation of this section is an infraction.
Section 4. Section 
41-1a-703
 is amended to read:
41-1a-703.
New owner to secure new registration and new certificate of title.
(1) The transferee
,
 before operating or permitting the operation of a transferred vehicle
on a highway
,
 shall
:
(a)
 present to the division the certificate of registration and the certificate of title,
properly endorsed[
, and shall
]
;
(b)
 apply for a new certificate of title and obtain a new registration for the transferred
vehicle, as upon an original registration, except as permitted under Sections 
41-1a-223
,
41-1a-520
, and 
41-1a-704
[
.
]
; and
(c) apply to the division to have the license plates and registration number assigned to
the new registered owner of the transferred vehicle if the license plates were included as part of
the sale, trade, or ownership release of the transferred vehicle.
(2) A violation of this section is an infraction.
Section 5. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on January 1, 2019.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel