Unlicensed Driver Amendments

Increased the administrative impound fee from $425 to $600 and raised the portion of that fee deposited into the Department of Public Safety Restricted Account from $147 to $187.

Extended the deadline for law enforcement agencies to ensure access to fingerprinting equipment from January 1, 2028, to January 1, 2029.

Added a requirement that software vendors providing services for fingerprint devices must ensure their software is compatible with law enforcement database software.

Adjusted the point system for speeding violations to allow for no points on 'minimum' speeding violations (up to 10 mph over the limit) in non-school zones.

Expanded the definition of 'criminal offense' to include local ordinances that are substantially similar to state traffic offenses, broadening the grounds for vehicle seizure.

Modified the seizure rules for vehicles operated without insurance to require verification through the Uninsured Motorist Identification Database before seizure in certain cases.

Corrected a typo in the effective date of Section 53-25-802 from 2027 to 2028.

Added a definition for 'road rage event' to clarify specific circumstances under which a vehicle must be seized.

The deadline for law enforcement agencies to provide portable biometric capture devices was moved from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028.

Administrative impound fees increased from $425 to $600, and administrative testing fees increased from $30 to $60.

New mandatory license suspensions were added for convictions of specific drug crimes and offenses enhanced under Section 76-3-203.17.

New mandatory license revocations were added for adjudications involving firearm discharge or explosive devices from vehicles.

The definition of 'quick fingerprint' was updated to specify a completion time of approximately 15 minutes or less.

The bill was renumbered to insert a new section regarding license revocations, shifting all subsequent section numbers by one.

Officers must now query the Driver License Division database to verify if a driver has been issued a credential before seizing their vehicle for lack of a license, rather than seizing immediately.

The administrative impound fee for unlicensed drivers increased from $425 to $600, and the administrative testing fee increased from $30 to $60.

A new section requires software vendors providing electronic citation services to ensure their software can submit biometric data to court systems.

Law enforcement agencies must ensure field officers have portable biometric capture devices starting January 1, 2028.

The definition of 'quick fingerprint' was updated to specify that the data must be queried against specific state and national databases (including the Bureau of Criminal Identification and NCIC) rather than just a generic system.

A previous repeal date for a specific impound report requirement (originally set for 2027) was removed from the bill text.

Added a new section (53-3-220) mandating immediate license revocation for specific serious offenses, including drug-related crimes, multiple reckless driving charges, and operating without an ignition interlock.

Modified requirements for unlicensed drivers stopped by police, now mandating a 'quick fingerprint' check to verify identity if the officer cannot verify a driving credential or if identification is missing.

Added a new requirement that vehicle rental businesses must verify the driver's license and signature before renting a vehicle to anyone.

Modified administrative impound fees, increasing the fee from $425 to $600 and updating how the funds are distributed to various state accounts.

Added a new definition for 'road rage event' to clarify circumstances under which a vehicle must be seized and impounded.

Modified the repeal date for a specific impound report requirement in Section 41-6a-1406, moving the deadline from January 1, 2027, to a later date or removing the repeal entirely.

Increased the administrative impound fee from $425 to $600 and the administrative testing fee from $30 to $60 for vehicles seized due to unlicensed driving or specific accidents.

Added specific exceptions where law enforcement is not required to seize a vehicle for unlicensed driving, such as when the operator is under 18, has an expired credential, or another licensed occupant is available to drive.

Updated the definition of a 'quick fingerprint' to remove the requirement that it be queried against the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification database, allowing queries against similar national databases instead.

Removed the requirement for a peace officer to take a quick fingerprint if the driver is under 18 years old.

Changed the effective date for the impound report requirements in Section 41-6a-1406 from July 1, 2026, to May 6, 2026, to align with the rest of the bill.

Corrected the repeal date for Section 41-6a-1406(4)(d) from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028, and removed the requirement for software vendors to ensure compatibility with specific law enforcement database software.

The effective date for the impoundment reporting requirements in Section 41-6a-1406 was changed from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2026.

The repeal date for the impoundment reporting requirements in Section 41-6a-1406 was changed from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2029, to match the new effective date structure.

Section 8 was modified to explicitly state that the actions affecting Section 41-6a-1406 take effect on July 1, 2026, while the rest of the bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Modified vehicle seizure rules to require peace officers to query a database to verify if an unlicensed driver has been issued a credential before seizing a vehicle, unless specific exceptions apply.

Added new exemptions preventing vehicle seizure for drivers under 18, those with expired licenses, or when seizing the vehicle would create a public safety concern.

Increased the administrative impound fee from $425 to $600 and raised the administrative testing fee from $30 to $60.

Extended the deadline for law enforcement agencies to ensure access to fingerprinting equipment from 2027 to January 1, 2028.

Updated the definition of 'quick fingerprint' to explicitly list the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, Bureau of Criminal Identification, and National Crime Information Center as queryable databases.

Added requirements for software vendors to ensure their electronic filing systems can submit biometric data captured by portable devices to court interfaces.

Changed the penalty for violating driving credential requirements from an 'infraction' to a 'class C misdemeanor.'

Added a new definition for 'quick fingerprint' specifying it must be taken on a biometric device, queried against a database, not stored in that database, and completed in 15 minutes or less.

Updated the fingerprinting requirement timeline to ensure law enforcement agencies have access to the necessary equipment by January 1, 2028.

Updated the database verification process for peace officers to explicitly include the Utah Criminal Justice Information System alongside the Driver License Division database.

Added new penalty requirements establishing a minimum fine of $350 for specific violations of the section.

Adjusted the bill's internal versioning from '4th Sub.' to '5th Sub.' and updated the amendment date to March 5, 2026.

The definition of 'road rage' was expanded to include any criminal offense committed by a driver with the intent to endanger or intimidate another individual in a different vehicle.

Police officers are now required to query the Utah Criminal Justice Information System to verify a driver's credentials before seizing a vehicle, rather than relying solely on the Driver License Division database.

The bill clarifies that a vehicle seized for lack of credentials may be released to the registered owner if the owner is not the arrested individual and is immediately available at the scene.

Administrative impound fees increased from $425 to $600, and administrative testing fees increased from $30 to $60, with adjusted allocations to various state funds.

The deadline for law enforcement agencies to ensure portable biometric capture devices are available was moved from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028.

Minor technical corrections were made to the text, including updating the effective date for certain sections to July 1, 2026, and clarifying repeal dates.

Police must now query a criminal justice database to verify a driver's credentials before seizing a vehicle for lack of a license, but they are exempt from this requirement for minors or if it creates a safety concern.

Police are now required to take a 'quick fingerprint' of any driver stopped without a license or ID to verify their identity, unless specific exceptions apply.

Vehicle rental companies must now verify the driver's signature on their license in person or via an electronic system before renting the vehicle.

Law enforcement agencies must ensure their officers have access to portable biometric capture devices by January 1, 2028.

A new point system was established to assign points to traffic violations based on their severity, with specific rules for speeding offenses.

The administrative fee for impounding a vehicle due to driving without a license increased from $425 to $600, and the associated testing fee increased from $30 to $60.

The effective date for the impound fee changes and related reporting requirements was accelerated to July 1, 2026, instead of the previous January 1, 2027.

The definition of 'criminal offense' was expanded to include local ordinances that are substantially similar to state misdemeanors.

Drivers convicted of operating a motorcycle without an endorsement now face a minimum fine of $350, which can be waived if they obtain the endorsement within 30 days.