Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 277 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Hall, Katy

Final action

House/ filed 3/7/2025

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• allows the owner of certain vehicles to cancel the registration of the vehicle;
• allows the owner of a vehicle that cancels the registration of the vehicle to receive a refund of the registration fees and uniform fees in lieu of ad valorem tax on a pro rata basis; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

47
41-1a-209
59-2-405.1
Vehicle Registration Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Katy Hall
Senate Sponsor: Daniel McCay
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill allows the cancellation of vehicle registration and the refund of certain taxes and 
fees on a pro rata basis.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
allows the owner of certain vehicles to cancel the registration of the vehicle;
allows the owner of a vehicle that cancels the registration of the vehicle to receive a 
refund of the registration fees and uniform fees in lieu of ad valorem tax on a pro rata 
basis; 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-209
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 135
59-2-405.1
, (Effective 01/01/26) as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 397
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
41-1a-209
 is amended to read:
41-1a-209. Application for registration -- Contents -- Cancellation of registration.
(1)
An owner of a vehicle subject to registration under this part shall apply to the division 
for registration on forms furnished by the division.
(2)
The application for registration shall include:
(a)
the signature of an owner of the vehicle to be registered;
(b)
the name, bona fide residence and mailing address of the owner, or business address 
of the owner if the owner is a firm, association, or corporation;
(c)
a description of the vehicle including the make, model, type of body, the model year 
as specified by the manufacturer, the number of cylinders, and the identification 
number of the vehicle;
(d)
other information required by the division to enable it to determine whether the 
owner is lawfully entitled to register the vehicle; and
(e)
an indication if the applicant is applying for automatic registration renewal as 
described in Section 
41-1a-216
.
(3)
(a)
A vehicle owner may cancel registration of the vehicle electronically in the 
manner prescribed by the division.
(b)
A cancellation of registration described in Subsection 
(3)(a)
 does not obviate the 
requirement for registration described in Section 
41-1a-201
.
(4)
(a)
Subject to Subsection 
(4)(c)
 and (d), if an owner of a vehicle cancels the 
registration of the vehicle, the owner of the vehicle that is 12,000 pounds or less 
gross laden weight subject to registration under this part is entitled to a refund of the 
following fees for the portion of the year remaining since the date the fees were due 
for that year:
(i)
fees described in Section 
41-1a-1206
; 
(ii)
fees described in Section 
41-1a-1222
; and
(iii)
fees described in Section 
41-1a-1223
.
(b)
The division shall refund the registration fee on a pro rata monthly basis for any 
whole month remaining in the 12-month registration period after the date of the 
cancellation.
(c)
The division may withhold from the refund amount the mailing and administrative 
costs of administering the refund.
(d)
If the costs to administer the refund exceed the amount of the refund, the owner of 
the vehicle is not entitled to the refund.
Section 2, Section 
59-2-405.1
 is amended to read:
59-2-405.1 (Effective 01/01/26). Uniform fee on certain vehicles weighing 12,000 
pounds or less -- Distribution of revenues -- Appeals -- Refunds.
(1)
The property described in Subsection 
(2)
 is exempt from ad valorem property taxes 
pursuant to Utah Constitution
,
 Article XIII, Section 2, Subsection (6).
(2)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection 
(2)(b)
, there is levied as provided in this part a 
statewide uniform fee in lieu of the ad valorem tax on:
(i)
motor vehicles as defined in Section 
41-1a-102
 that:
(A)
are required to be registered with the state; and
(B)
weigh 12,000 pounds or less; and
(ii)
state-assessed commercial vehicles required to be registered with the state that 
weigh 12,000 pounds or less.
(b)
The following tangible personal property is exempt from the statewide uniform fee 
imposed by this section:
(i)
aircraft;
(ii)
tangible personal property subject to a uniform fee imposed by:
(A)
Section 
59-2-405
;
(B)
Section 
59-2-405.2
; or
(C)
Section 
59-2-405.3
; and
(iii)
tangible personal property that is exempt from state or county ad valorem 
property taxes under the laws of this state or of the federal government.
(3)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsections 
(3)(b)
 and 
(c)
, beginning on January 1, 1999, 
the uniform fee for purposes of this section is as follows:
Age of Vehicle
Uniform Fee
12 or more years
$10
9 or more years but less than 12 years
$50
6 or more years but less than 9 years
$80
3 or more years but less than 6 years
$110
Less than 3 years
$150
(b)
For registrations under Section 
41-1a-215.5
, the uniform fee for purposes of this 
section is as follows:
Age of Vehicle
Uniform Fee
12 or more years 
$7.75
9 or more years but less than 12 years
$38.50
6 or more years but less than 9 years
$61.50
3 or more years but less than 6 years
$84.75
Less than 3 years
$115.50
(c)
Notwithstanding Subsections 
(3)(a)
 and 
(b)
, beginning on September 1, 2001, for a 
motor vehicle issued a temporary sports event registration certificate in accordance 
with Section 
41-3-306
, the uniform fee for purposes of this section is $5 for the event 
period specified on the temporary sports event registration certificate regardless of 
the age of the motor vehicle.
(4)
Notwithstanding Section 
59-2-407
, property subject to the uniform fee that is brought 
into the state and is required to be registered in Utah shall, as a condition of registration, 
be subject to the uniform fee unless all property taxes or uniform fees imposed by the 
state of origin have been paid for the current calendar year.
(5)
(a)
The revenues collected in each county from the uniform fee shall be distributed by 
the county to each taxing entity in which the property described in Subsection 
(2)
 is 
located in the same proportion in which revenue collected from ad valorem real 
property tax is distributed.
(b)
Each taxing entity shall distribute the revenues received under Subsection 
(5)(a)
 in 
the same proportion in which revenue collected from ad valorem real property tax is 
distributed.
(6)
(a)
If the owner of a vehicle subject to the uniform fee in lieu of the ad valorem tax 
described in this section cancels the registration of the vehicle as described in Section 
41-1a-209
, the owner is entitled to a refund of the uniform fee in lieu of the ad 
valorem tax paid under this section for the portion of the year remaining since the 
date the uniform fee in lieu of the ad valorem tax was paid.
(b)
The division shall refund the uniform fee in lieu of the ad valorem tax on a pro rata 
monthly basis for any whole month remaining in the 12-month registration period 
after the date of the cancellation.
(c)
The commission may withhold from the refund amount the mailing and 
administrative costs of administering the refund.
(d)
If the costs to administer the refund exceed the amount of the refund, the owner of 
the vehicle is not entitled to the refund.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
January 1, 2026
.
1-20-25 1:10 PM