Utah · DUI

Utah DUI laws and penalties

Utah's legal BAC limit is 0.05%. For a first offense, Utah's statute provides jail of 2 days to 6 months, a fine of $700 to $1,000, and a license suspension of 120 days. The license hearing, the ignition interlock rule and the statute behind every figure are below.

Figures read from official pages on Oct 26, 2026.

Legal BAC limit: 0.05%; Lowest in the US
Enhanced penalty BAC: 0.16%; Where the penalties step up
Zero tolerance (under 21): 0.00%; Any trace may result in DUI
Lookback period: 10 years; Prior DUI offenses that count

License hearing: ask within 10 days

Within 10 calendar days after the officer gives you notice, ask the Driver License Division for a hearing. Count the days with the license-hearing window calculator.

Ignition interlock required after a first conviction

Higher BAC level. "Extreme DUI" at 0.16 or higher raises the first-offense minimum jail from two days to five and requires treatment and an interlock.

Ignition interlock. The court must order one for a probationer unless it states on the record that one is not necessary.

Utah's per se limit is .05. A first violation is a class B misdemeanor; it becomes class A with one prior conviction within 10 years, a passenger under 16 (under 18 if the driver is 21 or older), or certain other violations, and a third degree felony with two priors within 10 years. 'Extreme DUI' (.16 or higher) raises the first-offense minimum jail to five days.

01Penalties

Utah DUI penalties

Statutory ranges for standard DUI convictions (no accident, no minor in vehicle).

Utah statutory DUI penalties, first and second offense
Penalty	1st offense	2nd offense
Jail (minimum)	2 days	10 days
Jail (maximum)	6 months	364 days
Fine (minimum)	$700	$800
Fine (maximum)	$1,000	$2,500
License suspension	120 days	2 years

Statutory ranges only. Actual outcomes vary by county, judge, and attorney. Does not include court fees, surcharges, or program costs.

02Compare

How Utah compares

Utah's BAC limit of 0.05% is the lowest in the country: the other 48 states with a confirmed limit use 0.08%.

On this site's reading of the statutes, of the 49 states with a confirmed rule, 21 require an ignition interlock after every first conviction, 18 in some cases and 8 leave it to the judge; 2 do not require one. Utah requires one after every first conviction.

The 40 states with a fixed deadline give from 6 to 90 days to ask for a license hearing (the middle one is 10); Utah gives 10.

Utah and the states that border it, first-offense figures side by side
State	BAC limit	Hearing request	Interlock, first offense	Jail, first offense	Fine, first offense	License, first offense
Arizona	0.08%	30 days	Required	10 days to 6 months	$250 to $2,500	90 days
Colorado	0.08%	7 days	In some cases	5 days to 1 year	$600 to $1,000	9 months
Idaho	0.08%	7 days	Required	Up to 6 months	Up to $1,000	30 days absolute suspension, then 60 to 150 more days
Nevada	0.08%	No fixed deadline	Required	2 days to 6 months	$400 to $1,000	185 days
Utah (this page)	0.05%	10 days	Required	2 days to 6 months	$700 to $1,000	120 days
Wyoming	0.08%	20 days	In some cases	Up to 6 months	Up to $750	90 days

Every figure is the statute's own, read from the same kind of page. See DUI laws and penalties for all 50 states.

03The process

How a DUI case moves through the system in Utah

The typical sequence, in general terms. Timing and details differ by county and by case.

Arrest and booking
Police arrest a driver on suspicion of DUI and take the person to the local jail, where booking records the arrest, the charge and the times.
Release
A person is released after posting bail, on their own recognizance, or after a hold. Amounts and timing differ by county.
License action
Within 10 calendar days after the officer gives you notice, ask the Driver License Division for a hearing.
Arraignment
The first court appearance, where the charge is read and a plea (guilty, not guilty or no contest) is entered.
Pretrial resolution
A case can end in a plea to a reduced charge, in a diversion or deferred program where the state has one, in a trial, or in a dismissal, depending on the state and the facts.
Sentencing or trial
For a first offense, Utah's statute provides jail of 2 days to 6 months, a fine of $700 to $1,000, and a license suspension of 120 days. See the penalties table above.

04Sources

Where Utah's figures come from

Each figure was read on the official page linked here on Oct 26, 2026, and the quoted words were checked against the page the day it was read. The exact words are below so you can check them. Found a mistake? Write to hello@duiarrested.com with the state and the figure.

Utah Code § 41-6a-502(1) (le.utah.gov)Main statute · BAC limit, age 21 and over · Lookback period
Utah Code § 41-6a-501(1)(f)(i) ('extreme DUI') (le.utah.gov)Higher BAC level
Utah Code § 53-3-231(2)(a) (le.utah.gov)BAC limit under 21
Utah Code § 53-3-223(6)(a)(ii) (le.utah.gov)License hearing request
Utah Code § 41-6a-518(2)(a) (le.utah.gov)Ignition interlock, first offense
Utah Code § 41-6a-505(3)(a)(i)(A) (le.utah.gov)First offense: jail, minimum · First offense: fine, minimum · Second offense: jail, minimum · Second offense: fine, minimum
Utah Code § 76-3-204(2) (class B misdemeanor) (le.utah.gov)First offense: jail, maximum · Second offense: jail, maximum
Utah Code § 76-3-301(1)(d) (class B misdemeanor) (le.utah.gov)First offense: fine, maximum · Second offense: fine, maximum
Utah Code § 41-6a-509(1)(a)(i) (le.utah.gov)First offense: license · Second offense: license

Show the exact words behind each figure

Main statute

Utah Code § 41-6a-502

Utah Code § 41-6a-502(1)

An actor commits driving under the influence if the actor operates or is in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state if the actor:

BAC limit, age 21 and over

0.05%

Utah Code § 41-6a-502(1)(c)

has a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .05 grams or greater at the time of operation or actual physical control

Higher BAC level

0.16%

Utah Code § 41-6a-501(1)(f)(i) ('extreme DUI')

had a blood or breath alcohol level of .16 or higher

BAC limit under 21

0.00%

Utah Code § 53-3-231(2)(a)

An individual younger than 21 years old may not operate or be in actual physical control of a vehicle or motorboat with any measurable blood, breath, or urine alcohol concentration in the individual's body as shown by a chemical test.

Lookback period

10 years

Utah Code § 41-6a-502(2)(b)(iv)

has one prior conviction within 10 years of:

License hearing request

10 days

Utah Code § 53-3-223(6)(a)(ii)

The individual shall submit a request to be heard within 10 calendar days after the day on which the peace officer provides notice

Ignition interlock, first offense

Required after a first conviction

Utah Code § 41-6a-518(2)(a)

(2) (a) In addition to any other penalties imposed under Sections 41-6a-502 and 41-6a-505 ... unless the court determines and states on the record that an ignition interlock system is not necessary for the safety of the community and in the best interest of justice, the court shall require that any person who is convicted of violating Section 41-6a-502 and who is granted probation may not operate a motor vehicle during the period of probation unless that motor vehicle is equipped with a functioning, certified ignition interlock system

First offense: jail, minimum

2 days

Utah Code § 41-6a-505(3)(a)(i)(A)

impose a jail sentence of not less than two days; or

First offense: jail, maximum

6 months

Utah Code § 76-3-204(2) (class B misdemeanor)

In the case of a class B misdemeanor, for a term not exceeding six months.

First offense: fine, minimum

$700

Utah Code § 41-6a-505(3)(a)(v)

impose a fine of not less than $700;

First offense: fine, maximum

$1,000

Utah Code § 76-3-301(1)(d) (class B misdemeanor)

$1,000 for a class B misdemeanor conviction;

First offense: license

120 days

Utah Code § 41-6a-509(1)(a)(i)

suspend for a period of 120 days the operator's license of a person convicted for the first time under Section

Second offense: jail, minimum

10 days

Utah Code § 41-6a-505(7)(a)(i)(A)

impose a jail sentence of not less than 10 days; or

Second offense: jail, maximum

364 days

Utah Code § 76-3-204(1)(a) (class A misdemeanor)

in the case of a class A misdemeanor, for a term not exceeding 364 days

Second offense: fine, minimum

$800

Utah Code § 41-6a-505(7)(a)(v)

impose a fine of not less than $800;

Second offense: fine, maximum

$2,500

Utah Code § 76-3-301(1)(c) (class A misdemeanor)

$2,500 for a class A misdemeanor conviction;

Second offense: license

2 years

Utah Code § 41-6a-509(1)(a)(ii)

revoke for a period of two years the license of a person if

05Related

MapUS DUI Arrest Rate MapEvery state as one tile, colored by DUI arrests per 100,000 residents.
CalculatorDUI License-Hearing WindowThe hearing request window listed for each state, counted from a date you enter.

Note: This page summarizes state statutes and published figures. It is general information, not legal advice, and it may be out of date or incomplete. Penalty ranges are statutory ranges; actual outcomes depend on the case. See the Disclaimer.

Utah DUI laws at a glance