Renewal, Phone Laws and the Point System

Key points

1. You may renew your license up to 6 months before it expires.

   Source: Handbook p. 18

   “You may renew your driver license up to six months before the expiration of the license.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 18

2. You must notify the division of a new address within 10 days of moving.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “you are required by law to notify the division of the new address within 10 DAYS of moving.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 19

3. While moving, you may not use a handheld device to write, send or read a written communication such as a text.

   Source: Handbook p. 58

   “A person may not use an HWC device while operating a moving motor vehicle on a highway in this state to manually write, send, or read a written communication”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 58

4. Drivers over 18 may talk on a phone only if voice commands are used to connect the call.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Utah law allows drivers over 18 years of age to talk on an HWC device while driving as long as voice commands are used to connect to a call.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 59

5. Drivers under 18 may use a phone only for a medical emergency, safety hazard, crime report or to reach a parent.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Drivers under the age of 18 may only use an HWC device while operating a motor vehicle during a medical emergency, reporting a safety hazard, reporting criminal activity, or communicating with a parent or legal guardian.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 59

6. Over 21, collecting 200 or more points in 3 years means a hearing; under 21, 70 points.

   Source: Handbook p. 72

   “OVER 21 YEARS OF AGE if you acquire 200 or more points within a three year period, you will be asked to appear for a hearing. • UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE if you acquire 70 points or more within a three year period”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 72

7. Driving 1 full year without a moving violation conviction removes half your points; 2 years removes all.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “half of the total points on your record will be removed when you drive one full year without being convicted of a moving traffic violation. • If you drive two successive years without a conviction, all points will be removed from your record.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 73

8. Driving while denied, suspended or revoked can bring 90 days in jail and a fine.

   Source: Handbook p. 70

   “If you drive while your driver license is denied, suspended, or revoked, you may be sentenced to jail for 90 days and be required to pay a fine.”
   Utah Driver Handbook, Handbook p. 70

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Utah practice test

1. 1. A 30-year-old Utah driver wants to connect a phone call while driving. What method does the handbook allow?

   1. Typing the number on the phone keypad
   2. Selecting digits manually if traffic is light
   3. Entering the number while holding the phone below the window
   4. Using voice commands to connect the call
   Show answer

   Using voice commands to connect the call. For drivers over 18, Utah permits talking on a handheld wireless communication device while driving when voice commands connect the call. Manually typing a number is not made acceptable by light traffic. The important distinction is how the call is connected, not how low the phone is held. Set up voice operation before the trip so placing a call does not require looking down and entering digits while the vehicle is moving.

2. 2. What does Utah law allow a driver over 18 to do with a handheld wireless communication device while driving?

   1. Send a text at a red light
   2. Talk on it, as long as voice commands are used and it is not manipulated
   3. View a video while stopped in traffic
   4. Enter a phone number by hand while moving
   Show answer

   Talk on it, as long as voice commands are used and it is not manipulated. Utah's distracted driving law bars using a handheld wireless communication device while driving to write, send or read a text, instant message or email, dial a number, access the internet, view or record a video, take a photograph or enter data. Drivers over 18 may talk on the device while driving as long as they use voice commands and do not manipulate it by hand. Texting at a light, dialing by hand and watching video are all prohibited.

3. 3. How early may a regular Utah driver license be renewed before its expiration date?

   1. Up to twelve months early
   2. Up to six months early
   3. Only during the final thirty days
   4. Only after the expiration date
   Show answer

   Up to six months early. A regular Utah license may be renewed up to six months before it expires. Waiting until the final thirty days is not required, and the twelve-month choice opens the renewal window too early. Check the expiration date on the credential when planning an appointment, especially if travel or work will make the final weeks inconvenient. The handbook directs drivers to schedule a renewal appointment through the division website and complete any required tests and fee payment.

Source: the Utah Driver Handbook, Sections 4, 11 and 13: License Rules, Phones and Points. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.