Nonresident Students
A nonresident student may maintain an out-of-state registration in lieu of Utah registration if the nonresident student is:
- currently registered full-time at a college, university or other accredited educational institution in Utah
- the institution has granted the student nonresident status, i.e., the student is paying nonresident tuition
A nonresident student may choose to register their vehicle in Utah. All required Utah fees and inspections apply.
Nonresident Student Parking Permits are issued to students by educational institutions for a fee. Contact your school or institution for more information.
Nonresident Military Personnel
Active-duty military personnel stationed in Utah, whose legal residence is in another state are permitted to register their motor vehicles in their state of legal residence.
However, nonresident military personnel who purchase a vehicle in Utah must pay the sales/use tax on the vehicle if they plan to operate the vehicle in Utah; sales tax is due even if they choose to register the vehicle in their home state.
Nonresident military personnel may choose to register their vehicle in Utah. Required Utah registration fees and inspections apply. Nonresident military personnel may qualify for an exemption from Utah property tax/age-based fees when registered in Utah. The following documentation is required:
- Military Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) – to verify resident state
- Military Orders or documentation on military letterhead – to verify assignment location
Other Nonresidents Living and Working in Utah
Utah law requires you to register your vehicle in Utah within 60 days if you:
- have established a permanent home for yourself and your family in this state;
- live in Utah, continuously or non-continuously, for a total of six months, regardless of having a permanent residence in another state;
- engage in a trade, profession or occupation in Utah, or accept other than seasonal work in Utah, and you do not commute into the state;
- declare yourself a resident of Utah to obtain privileges not ordinarily extended to nonresidents, including going to school, enrolling your children in local schools without paying nonresident tuition or fees; or purchasing resident hunting or fishing licenses;
- obtain a Utah driver license.
There are exceptions in the law for full-time nonresident students attending a Utah college or university, for military personnel temporarily stationed in Utah and individuals engaged in public, charitable, educational or religious services.
Nonresidents temporarily in Utah for public, charitable, educational or religious service may choose to register their vehicle in Utah. All required Utah fees and inspections apply.
If a person moves to Utah from another state and establishes residence here, whether temporary or permanent, and is not able to provide the title of the vehicle being registered in Utah to the DMV because the title is held by a lien holder, the vehicle may be registered as a foreign vehicle without surrendering the out-of-state title.
A foreign vehicle registration may also be processed for a vehicle owner required to register their vehicle in more than one state, commonly called a dual registration.
The owner of the foreign vehicle must surrender the vehicle’s current out-of-state registration. A copy of the out-of-state registration is acceptable, especially if the customer wishes to retain registration in both states (dual registration).
Normal plate/title requirements apply, including:
- Property tax/age-based fee clearance from the county assessor;
- Emissions test;
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection.
In addition, company vehicles owned by any individual, partnership, limited liability company, firm, corporation, association or other entity must be registered in Utah if that business:
- maintains a main office, branch office or warehouse facility in Utah and bases and operates a motor vehicle in this state, and,
- operates a motor vehicle in intrastate transportation for other than seasonal work.