Utah · Handbook chapter 6 · 3 min read

Chapter 6: Alcohol, drugs and driving

Utah's 0.05 BAC limit, the Not-a-Drop Act for drivers under 21, DUI suspensions, implied consent, alcohol-restricted and ignition interlock drivers, impound and interdicted licenses.

Why this chapter matters

In December 2018 Utah became the first state to set a 0.05 blood alcohol limit. Alcohol and impairing drugs are involved in about 40 percent of fatal crashes, and every test asks about them.

How alcohol and drugs affect you

They reduce judgment, vision, color distinction and reaction time. Vision is affected at 0.02 BAC for all drivers. Impairment starts with the first drink. Illegal, over-the-counter and prescribed drugs can all impair you, and mixing drugs with alcohol is unpredictable.

The limits

You can also be convicted below the limit if you are too impaired to drive safely. Extreme DUI includes a BAC of 0.16 or more.

Drivers under 21

• Not-a-Drop: first offense, privileges denied for six months; a second within 10 years, two years or until 21, whichever is longer. Reinstatement needs a substance abuse assessment.
• Possession or drinking by anyone 13 to 20: license suspended one year (two years for a repeat), as the court orders.

DUI penalties (21 and older)

• First DUI: 120-day suspension; second or later: two years. The division's suspension can begin on the 45th to 60th day after arrest.
• Ignition interlock: 18 months after a first DUI, two years after a second DUI or a test refusal, three years for felony DUI, 10 years for automobile homicide. The device is checked at least every 60 days.
• Alcohol-restricted status follows for 2, 3, 5 or 10 years, or life. Driving with any alcohol during it brings a one-year revocation.
• The officer may have your vehicle impounded.

Implied consent

By driving a vehicle or motorboat in Utah, you agree to a chemical test of breath, blood, urine or oral fluid when a peace officer asks. Refusal means revocation for 18 months (first) or 36 months (later), or for drivers under 21, two years or until 21 (first) and 36 months or until 21 (later). Boating under the influence follows the same laws.

Interdicted licenses

A court can order, or a person can request, an interdicted license or ID that shows the holder may not buy alcohol in Utah.