Utah Code » Title 41, Chapter 12a — Financial Responsibility of Motor Vehicle Owners and Operators Act; part 41-12a-1 — General Provisions
Utah Code

Utah Code § 41-12a-103 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026
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As used in this chapter:

"Department" means the Department of Public Safety.
"Judgment" means any judgment that is final by:
expiration without appeal of the time within which an appeal might have been perfected; or
final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a cause of action for damages:
arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle, including damages for care and loss of services because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or because of injury to or destruction of property including the loss of use of the property; or
on a settlement agreement.
"License" or "license certificate" have the same meanings as under Section 53-3-102.
"Motor vehicle" means every self-propelled vehicle that is designed for use upon a highway, including trailers and semitrailers designed for use with other motorized vehicles.
"Motor vehicle" does not include traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, tractor cranes, power shovels, and well drillers, and every vehicle that is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails.
"Motorboat" means the same as that term is defined in Section 73-18c-102.
"Nonresident" means every person who is not a resident of Utah.
"Nonresident's operating privilege" means the privilege conferred upon a person who is not a resident of Utah by the laws of Utah pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him, in Utah.
"Operator" means every person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
"Owner" means:
a person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle;
a lessee in possession;
a conditional vendee or lessee if a motor vehicle is the subject of a conditional sale or lease with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession in the conditional vendee or lessee; or
a mortgagor if a motor vehicle is the subject of a mortgage with the mortgagor entitled to possession.
"Owner's or operator's security," "owner's security," or "operator's security" means any of the following:
an insurance policy or combination of policies conforming to Section 31A-22-302, which is issued by an insurer authorized to do business in Utah;
an insurance policy or combination of policies issued or renewed prior to January 1, 2009 that:
conformed to the minimum coverage limits of Section 31A-22-304 prior to January 1, 2009; and
conform to the current requirements other than the minimum coverage limits of policies issued in accordance with Section 31A-22-302;
a surety bond issued by an insurer authorized to do a surety business in Utah in which the surety is subject to the minimum coverage limits and other requirements of policies conforming to Section 31A-22-302, which names the department as a creditor under the bond for the use of persons entitled to the proceeds of the bond;
a deposit with the state treasurer of cash or securities complying with Section 41-12a-406;
maintaining a certificate of self-funded coverage under Section 41-12a-407; or
a policy conforming to Section 31A-22-302 issued by the Risk Management Fund created in Section 63A-4-201.
"Registration" means the issuance of the certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of Utah pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.
"Self-insurance" has the same meaning as provided in Section 31A-1-301.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1989–2022 · leading case: Arredondo v. Avis Rent a Car Sys., Inc., 2001 UT 29 (Utah 2001).
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Arredondo v. Avis Rent a Car Sys., Inc., 2001 UT 29 (Utah 2001). · cites it 2× “Section 41-12a-103(9) states, "`Owner's or operator's security,' `owner's security,' or `operator's security' means any of the following: (a) an insurance policy or combination of policies conforming to Section 31A-22-302 .”
Cullum v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 857 P.2d 922 (Utah 1993). · cites it 4× “Rather, one would have to find section 41-12a-103(9)(a) or (b), which defines "owner's security" as, inter alia, an insurance policy or surety bond "conforming to Section 31A-22-302.”
Design Acad. Inc. v. Albiston, 2018 UT App 102 (Utah Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 3× “The district court denied the motion, explaining that to trigger the license and registration suspensions, the Act requires a judgment arising from the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle and that the "suspension of a license on an unsatisfied judgment applies only…”
Neel v. State, 854 P.2d 581 (Utah Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 4× “Section 41-12a-103(9). 1 Each of *583 these methods must provide the following “personal injury protection” coverages and benefits (“PIP benefits”): (1) reasonable medical expenses; (2) lost income resulting from an inability to work; (3) work the injured person would have…”
Calhoun v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2004 UT 56 (Utah 2004). “§ 41-12a-103(9)(a). 2 Section 31A-22-302 provides that “[ejvery policy of insurance or combination of policies purchased to satisfy the owner’s or operator’s security requirement of Section 41-12a-301 shall include .”
Li v. Enter. Rent-A-Car Co. of Utah, 2006 UT 80 (Utah 2006). “§ 41-12a-103(9)(d) (defining "[olwner's or operator's security" to include "maintaining a certificate of self-funded coverage under Section 41-12a-407").”
Beiwei Li v. Shuyu Zhang, 2005 UT App 246 (Utah Ct. App. 2005). “§ 41-12a-103(9) (1998). 13 In July 2000, Beizhong Li rented a vehicle from Enterprise in Utah.”
United States Fid. & Guar. Co. v. United States, 728 F. Supp. 651 (D. Utah 1989). · cites it 2× “41-12a-301(4) (1953 as amended), (emphasis added) § 41-12a-103(9) (1953, as amended) defines owner’s or operator’s security: 9) “owner’s or operator’s security,” “owner’s security,” or “operator's security” means any of the following: (a) an insurance policy or combination of…”
Wagenman v. State Farm Ins., 726 F. Supp. 1239 (D. Utah 1989). “§ 41-12a-103 (1988). 19 . “Getting into” has also been used in an insurance policy and was interpreted by one court more narrowly than "entering into.”
Farm Bureau Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Sparks (D. Utah 2022). · cites it 4× “6 Utah Code § 41-12a-103(4)(a) and (8) defines an “owner” of a vehicle “designed for use upon a highway” as “a person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle,” “a lessee in possession,” “a conditional vendee or lessee if a motor vehicle is the subject of a conditional sale or…”
Sandoval v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (D. Utah 2022). · cites it 2× “At the time of the accident, the Motor Vehicle Part defined “motor vehicle” to “mean the same as that term is defined in Section 41-12a-103(4).” Utah Code Ann. § 31A-22-301(1) (2017).”
Snedeker v. Rolfe, 176 P.3d 444 (Utah Ct. App. 2007). “However, there is at least one exception: “A person that has in effect owner’s security on a Utah-registered motor vehicle or its equivalent that covers the operation, by the person, of the motor vehicle in question is exempt from [criminal sanctions].”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(2) — 1 case
Design Acad. Inc. v. Albiston, 2018 UT App 102 (Utah Ct. App. 2018). “The district court denied the motion, explaining that to trigger the license and registration suspensions, the Act requires a judgment arising from the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle and that the "suspension of a license on an unsatisfied judgment applies only…”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(2)(b) — 1 case
Design Acad. Inc. v. Albiston, 2018 UT App 102 (Utah Ct. App. 2018). “The district court denied the motion, explaining that to trigger the license and registration suspensions, the Act requires a judgment arising from the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle and that the "suspension of a license on an unsatisfied judgment applies only…”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(4) — 1 case
Sandoval v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (D. Utah 2022). “At the time of the accident, the Motor Vehicle Part defined “motor vehicle” to “mean the same as that term is defined in Section 41-12a-103(4).” Utah Code Ann. § 31A-22-301(1) (2017).”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(4)(a) — 1 case
Farm Bureau Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Sparks (D. Utah 2022). “6 Utah Code § 41-12a-103(4)(a) and (8) defines an “owner” of a vehicle “designed for use upon a highway” as “a person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle,” “a lessee in possession,” “a conditional vendee or lessee if a motor vehicle is the subject of a conditional sale or…”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(8) — 1 case
Farm Bureau Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Sparks (D. Utah 2022). “6 Utah Code § 41-12a-103(4)(a) and (8) defines an “owner” of a vehicle “designed for use upon a highway” as “a person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle,” “a lessee in possession,” “a conditional vendee or lessee if a motor vehicle is the subject of a conditional sale or…”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(9) — 5 cases
Arredondo v. Avis Rent a Car Sys., Inc., 2001 UT 29 (Utah 2001). “Section 41-12a-103(9) states, "`Owner's or operator's security,' `owner's security,' or `operator's security' means any of the following: (a) an insurance policy or combination of policies conforming to Section 31A-22-302 .”
Neel v. State, 854 P.2d 581 (Utah Ct. App. 1993). “Section 41-12a-103(9). 1 Each of *583 these methods must provide the following “personal injury protection” coverages and benefits (“PIP benefits”): (1) reasonable medical expenses; (2) lost income resulting from an inability to work; (3) work the injured person would have…”
Beiwei Li v. Shuyu Zhang, 2005 UT App 246 (Utah Ct. App. 2005). “§ 41-12a-103(9) (1998). 13 In July 2000, Beizhong Li rented a vehicle from Enterprise in Utah.”
United States Fid. & Guar. Co. v. United States, 728 F. Supp. 651 (D. Utah 1989). “41-12a-301(4) (1953 as amended), (emphasis added) § 41-12a-103(9) (1953, as amended) defines owner’s or operator’s security: 9) “owner’s or operator’s security,” “owner’s security,” or “operator's security” means any of the following: (a) an insurance policy or combination of…”
Snedeker v. Rolfe, 176 P.3d 444 (Utah Ct. App. 2007). “However, there is at least one exception: “A person that has in effect owner’s security on a Utah-registered motor vehicle or its equivalent that covers the operation, by the person, of the motor vehicle in question is exempt from [criminal sanctions].”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(9)(a) — 2 cases
Cullum v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 857 P.2d 922 (Utah 1993). “Rather, one would have to find section 41-12a-103(9)(a) or (b), which defines "owner's security" as, inter alia, an insurance policy or surety bond "conforming to Section 31A-22-302.”
Calhoun v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2004 UT 56 (Utah 2004). “§ 41-12a-103(9)(a). 2 Section 31A-22-302 provides that “[ejvery policy of insurance or combination of policies purchased to satisfy the owner’s or operator’s security requirement of Section 41-12a-301 shall include .”
— Utah Code § 41-12a-103(9)(d) — 1 case
Li v. Enter. Rent-A-Car Co. of Utah, 2006 UT 80 (Utah 2006). “§ 41-12a-103(9)(d) (defining "[olwner's or operator's security" to include "maintaining a certificate of self-funded coverage under Section 41-12a-407").”
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