Utah Teen Driver Penalties: Points, Phone Ban and Alcohol Rules

How do points work for a Utah driver under 21?

The Driver License Division (DLD) adds points for each moving violation conviction. At 70 points or more within three years, a driver under 21 must appear for a hearing. The DLD may then place the driver on probation, ask for a defensive driving course, or deny or suspend the driving privilege for one month to one year. The limit for drivers 21 and older is 200 points.
Before a denial or suspension, the DLD must give you notice and a chance for a hearing in your county. Serious violations, such as driving under the influence (DUI), are outside the points system and bring a mandatory suspension or revocation.

How fast a driver under 21 can reach 70 points

One speeding ticket at 21 mph or more over the limit (75 points) already passes 70. A red light plus a failure to yield adds up to 110 points. The court can grade a violation: the points are then 10% lower for a minimum grade and 10% higher for a maximum grade. For speeding up to 10 mph over, the law asks the DLD to consider no points, except in school zones. The question about the point system for drivers under 21 shows how the lower limit works.

How to get points off your Utah record

• Drive one full year without a moving violation conviction, and half of your points leave the record. Drive two years in a row without a conviction, and all points leave.
• Points for each conviction also leave automatically three years after the date of the violation.
• An approved defensive driving course can remove at most 50 points. You can use it only once every three years.

What is the Utah phone ban for drivers under 18?

Utah Code 41-8-4 says a driver younger than 18 may not use a phone to communicate with another person while driving. The law gives a defense for a medical emergency, a report of a safety hazard or a crime, and a call with a parent or legal guardian. A violation is an infraction with a fine of at most $25, and the DLD may not add points for it. The rule also covers a hands-free call with a friend, as the question about a 17-year-old driver and a phone call shows.

What are the Utah texting penalties for all drivers?

The texting law (Utah Code 41-6a-1716) applies to every driver. While the vehicle moves, you may not use a phone by hand to text, read messages, dial, go online, or take or watch video or photos. Voice calls, hands-free technology and navigation are allowed under this law, but drivers under 18 must still follow the call ban above. A texting conviction is a class C misdemeanor with a fine of at most $100, or a class B misdemeanor if you caused serious bodily injury or have a prior conviction within three years. The DLD table lists 50 points for a texting conviction.

What are the Utah alcohol penalties for drivers under 21?

• Not-a-Drop rule: a person younger than 21 may not drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle with any measurable alcohol in blood, breath or urine. The question about a 19-year-old with a 0.02 breath test tests it.
• First offense: the license is denied for at least six months, starting on the 60th day after the arrest. A second offense within 10 years of a prior denial or suspension means a suspension until age 21 or for two years, whichever is longer. These periods also apply to a teen who has no license yet.
• Test refusal: if you are under 21 and refuse a chemical test after an arrest, the license is revoked for two years or until you are 21, whichever is longer, for a first refusal.
• Court conviction: from age 13 to 20, a conviction for possessing or drinking alcohol, or for being in a bar, brings a court-ordered suspension of one year for a first offense and two years for a later offense.

Penalties for breaking the Utah night and passenger limits

A driver younger than 17 may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with a few exceptions such as work, farm work, an emergency or a licensed driver 21 or older in the next seat. For six months after the license is issued, or until age 18 if that comes first, a new driver may carry only immediate family, with similar exceptions.
Each violation is an infraction. Police can enforce the passenger limit only after a stop for another offense. See the Utah provisional license rules for all the exceptions.

What can a parent do if a teen drives unsafely?

The parent or guardian who signed a minor's application can send the DLD a verified written request to cancel the permit or license. The DLD then cancels it, and the signer is relieved of liability for later driving. Until then, the signer is liable with the minor for civil damages from the minor's driving, limited to the minimum policy limits, unless the required insurance is in effect.

Utah teen driver penalties: common questions