How to Get Utah Personalized Plates


A clock with the words fast service on it.

Utah personalized plates are a great way to promote your business, support your favorite sports team or show your school solidarity. Utah offers two types of regular plates for personalization along with dozens of special interest plates for passenger vehicles and motorcycles. The process for application is straightforward. As long as you abide by the rules for what messages can and can’t be used, your creativity is the only limitation you’ll face.

Standard Utah Personalized License Plates

The two standard style choices reflect Utah’s tourism slogan, “Life Elevated.†One features a skier in action with the phrase, “Greatest Snow on Earth.†The other portrays Delicate Arch in vivid colors. Cost for personalized plates is currently $58 plus an additional $10 each year upon renewal. To apply, use the TC-817 form, found on the Utah DMV website. You can mail the form in with a check or apply online at the MVP vehicle portal. This same procedure is also used for requesting special interest or disability plates.

Special Interest License Plates

In addition to the standard selections, almost 50 types of specialty group license plates are available. Most can be personalized or selected with a standard license number. Military veteran licenses are available for all branches of the armed forces, as well as for Purple Heart recipients, disabled veterans, Pearl Harbor survivors and former prisoners of war. Thirteen collegiate choices are available, representing various Utah colleges and universities. Utah Housing Opportunity plates are available for Realtors, and the Amateur Radio Operator choice is perfect for ham operators. You can support cancer research, autism awareness, children’s issues, public education, search and rescue, humanitarian service and clean air. The cost for special interest licenses varies depending on the cause.

What You Can’t Have on Your Utah Vanity Plates

Like most states, Utah checks all personalized license plate applications for prohibited references. Your message can’t be vulgar or obscene and it can’t refer to any illicit substances or criminal acts. It also cannot portray any type of contempt or ridicule of gender, race, religion, ethnic heritage or political beliefs. Finally, plates cannot make reference to general welfare threats or public harm. Standard vanity plates limit characters to seven, with a maximum of four characters for motorcycle plates and five for special interests. Your personalization can’t be the same combination of characters as any other plate currently issued or in use.

In Sandy and Salt Lake City, Emission Time provides vehicle emissions testing and on-the-spot vehicle registration renewal, in addition to a full range of automotive repair services including oil changes and brake service. If you’re stuck for ideas for your Utah personalized plates, how about “CLEAN O2?â€