Utah DMV Laws & Licensing — 14 Questions with Answers

New drivers under 18 with a provisional (probationary) license are generally barred from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. The exceptions (such as a supervising adult, work, school or an emergency) and how long the limit lasts vary by state; for example, it lasts for the first year in Colorado and the first nine months in Wisconsin.

The liver breaks down alcohol at a fairly steady pace of about one standard drink, such as a 12-ounce beer, per hour. Coffee, a cold shower, or exercise cannot speed this up; only the passing of time lowers your BAC.

Utah requires drivers to report a change of address to the DMV no later than 10 days after moving. Keeping your address current ensures that renewal notices and other official mail reach you.

Under implied consent, anyone who drives on public roads is treated as having agreed in advance to chemical testing, such as a breath test, after an arrest for suspected DUI. Refusing the test carries its own penalties, including suspension of your license.

Utah does not restrict the hours when a learner permit holder may drive, provided a licensed adult age 21 or older sits beside the learner in the front seat. Night driving is even part of the training: 10 of the 40 required practice hours must be logged after dark.

Alcohol makes it hard to hold a steady lane position and speed, so swerving between lanes, crawling well below the pace of traffic, and stopping suddenly for no clear reason are classic warning signs. Give such a driver plenty of room and report the vehicle to police when you can do so safely.

Under zero-tolerance rules, a driver younger than 21 may not drive with any measurable alcohol in the blood, so even one drink can lead to charges. The 0.08% figure is the usual limit for adult drivers, not for drivers under 21.

Before the drive starts, the examiner makes sure the test vehicle is safe and properly equipped. Equipment that stops the examiner from getting to the brake pedal, or seat belts that are missing, is reason enough to end the test before it begins.

Besides fines, a license suspension and possibly time in jail, a Utah court may order a person convicted of DUI to finish a substance abuse program. The real fines and jail terms are much heavier than a fine of at most $100 or a 12-hour jail term.

Utah law sets 4 months as the shortest suspension for a driver's first DUI conviction. Later offenses lead to considerably longer periods without a license.

If you strike an unattended vehicle and the owner cannot be located, the law requires a written note placed where it will be seen, giving your name, address and phone number so the owner can reach you. Driving away without leaving that information counts as leaving the scene of a crash.

Utah gives you 60 days after establishing residency to get a vehicle with another state's plates registered. Continuing to drive on those old plates after the deadline breaks the law.

Drivers who are 21 or older break the law once their BAC hits 0.08%. Anyone under 21 is held to a zero-tolerance limit far below that, so 0.08% is not their cutoff, and 0.06% is not the standard adult limit.

One standard drink equals either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; each holds about the same amount of alcohol. Choosing beer or wine over liquor does not make you any less impaired.