SB 191: Tow Yard Amendments - Utah

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates impound lot standards and adds a mandatory waiting period for towing companies removed from official rotations. It clarifies which roads require opaque fencing, adds rules for license plate removal before vehicle sales, and establishes a three-year ban for owners of tow companies removed from rotations in major counties. The bill also includes a coordination clause to ensure these new rules override conflicting provisions from a previous bill.

Scope change

The bill expands the definition of roads requiring specific fencing to include Class A, B, and C roads, and adds new requirements for impound lot operators regarding license plate management and towing rotation appeals.

REQUIREMENT

Fencing requirements for impound lots were updated to mandate opaque fencing on any side facing Class A, B, or C roads, replacing the previous general 'highway' requirement.

New requirements mandate that impound lot operators remove license plates before selling a vehicle and submit them to the Division.

New rules require tow entities to have an appeals process for decisions suspending or removing tow companies from rotations.

ELIGIBILITY

A new three-year waiting period was created for owners of tow truck motor carriers removed from a towing rotation in first or second class counties before they can rejoin.

TECHNICAL

A coordination clause was added to state that if both this bill and S.B. 120 pass, the changes in this bill will override those in S.B. 120.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the bill was changed from July 1, 2026, to June 1, 2026.

Amended 2/12/2026 10:02:918 → Substitute #1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill codifies rules for state impound lot standards and introduces a mandatory three-year waiting period for tow truck operators removed from a rotation in first or second-class counties. It also requires carriers to be certified for three consecutive years before being added back to a rotation. The changes aim to standardize impound operations and prevent repeat offenders from immediately regaining access to public towing contracts.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of impound lot regulations to include specific requirements for central office facilities and clarifies the criteria for seizing vehicles involved in road rage events. It also adds a new eligibility barrier for tow truck carriers in first and second-class counties.

ELIGIBILITY

Establishes a mandatory three-year waiting period for a person with ownership in a tow truck motor carrier removed from a towing rotation in a first or second-class county before they can rejoin.

REQUIREMENT

Requires a tow truck motor carrier to be certified by the department for a minimum of three consecutive years before being added to a towing rotation in a first or second-class county.

Updates impound lot standards to allow multiple storage areas managed by a central office facility if within a 10-mile radius, requiring staff to appear at a storage area within 60 minutes of notification.

DEFINITION

Defines 'road rage event' as a criminal offense committed by a vehicle operator in response to an incident on a roadway with intent to endanger or intimidate another individual.

ENFORCEMENT

Mandates that peace officers seizing vehicles involved in road rage events must arrest the operator to take possession of the vehicle.

TECHNICAL

Reorganizes the structure of Section 41-1a-1101, renumbering subsections and merging related provisions regarding impound lot signage, fencing, and vehicle seizure procedures.

TIMELINE

Changes the bill's effective date from February 12, 2026, to July 1, 2026.

Amended Excerpts 2/12/2026 10:02:918 → Amended 2/12/2026 10:02:918 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's impound lot regulations and towing rotation rules. It clarifies definitions, mandates that impound lots remove license plates before selling vehicles, and introduces a three-year waiting period for tow companies removed from official towing rotations in major counties to return. It also adds a mandatory waiting period for these companies to regain certification before rejoining the rotation.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of impound lot standards to explicitly include 'impound yards' in certain contexts and adds new requirements for operators in first and second-class counties regarding towing rotations.

REQUIREMENT

Requires impound lot operators to remove license plates from vehicles before sale and submit them to the Motor Vehicle Division.

Establishes a three-year ban on adding tow truck carriers to towing rotations in first or second-class counties if they were previously removed due to violations.

Requires tow truck carriers seeking to join a towing rotation in major counties to hold valid certification for a minimum of three consecutive years.

DEFINITION

Refines definitions for 'road rage event' and clarifies the scope of 'impound lot' to include impound yards in specific sections.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarifies that individuals operating stored vehicles without the owner's written permission commit a class C misdemeanor.

Enrolled → Amended Excerpts 2/12/2026 10:02:918 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This amendment renumbered several sections of the bill to fix numbering errors caused by previous deletions. It also simplified the rules for impound lot fencing by removing specific requirements for opaque fencing on certain road classes and deleting a provision allowing impound lots to be operated by crushers or salvage dealers. Finally, it changed the legal definition of who can be punished for unauthorized vehicle operation from a generic 'person' to a specific 'individual'.

Scope change

The bill's scope was slightly narrowed by removing the requirement that crushers, dismantlers, or salvage dealers meet impound lot standards, and the enforcement scope was clarified by specifying that only 'individuals' (not all persons) can be charged with unauthorized vehicle operation.

TECHNICAL

Renumbered sections throughout the bill to correct gaps and misalignments caused by earlier deletions.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the requirement that crushers, dismantlers, or salvage dealers must meet impound lot standards to operate as such.

Removed the mandate for impound lots to have opaque fencing on sides facing Class A, B, or C roads.

DEFINITION

Changed the violation clause to specify that an 'individual' (rather than a generic 'person') is guilty of a misdemeanor for unauthorized vehicle operation.

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's towing laws by clarifying impound lot signage requirements, changing the waiting period for banned tow companies from five to three years, and adding a new certification requirement for companies returning to a towing rotation. It also coordinates these changes with a companion bill to ensure consistent rules take effect on June 1, 2026.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on impound lot standards and towing rotation rules, but the applicability of the waiting period for banned tow companies is reduced from five years to three years.

REQUIREMENT

Impound lot signage requirements were modified to specify that opaque fencing must be on sides facing paved roads classified as class A, B, or C, and the storage area surface material options were expanded to include 'other aggregate material'.

A new requirement mandates that a tow truck motor carrier must be certified by the department for a minimum of three consecutive years before being added to a towing rotation.

ELIGIBILITY

The mandatory waiting period for a tow truck motor carrier removed from a towing rotation was reduced from five years to three years.

TIMELINE

A coordination clause was added to state that if both this bill and S.B. 120 pass, the amendments in this bill supersede those in S.B. 120.

The effective date of the bill was changed from May 6, 2026, to June 1, 2026.

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