Every rider on a Utah public road needs a Class M endorsement. Helmets are required under 21. Lane filtering is legal under narrow conditions and lane splitting is not. And as of January 1, 2026, a set of equipment and maneuver violations that used to be minor now carry endorsement suspensions and impound authority.
Utah motorcycle law covers licensing, equipment, and a handful of traffic rules that apply only to riders. Whether you are working toward a first endorsement, coming back to riding after time away, or just checking that your bike still complies, these are the rules that keep you legal and that shape your position if you are ever in a crash.
Anyone riding a motorcycle on a Utah public road needs a valid driver license carrying a Class M motorcycle endorsement. Riding without one is a traffic offense, and it can complicate your insurance position if you are in a crash. Utah runs a tiered system keyed to engine size, so the bike you take your skills test on determines what you are licensed to ride.
You have to be at least 16 and already hold a valid Class D Utah driver license to apply. There are two routes:
A knowledge test is required either way.
Your endorsement is limited by the displacement of the motorcycle you tested on:
Electric motorcycles and other high-powered electric vehicles raise classification questions that can turn on how the vehicle is defined rather than on displacement, so confirm the endorsement requirement with the Driver License Division before you ride one.
A motorcycle learner permit is valid for six months. During the first two months there are no passengers, no night riding, and no riding on roads posted above 60 miles per hour. Those restrictions lift for months three through six. Riders under 19 hold the permit through the full first two months unless an approved Beginning Rider Course waives the waiting period.
Yes, but only under narrow conditions. Utah Code 41-6a-305 contains what riders call the dead-red provision: an affirmative defense that lets a motorcyclist proceed through a steady red light or red arrow when the signal will not detect the motorcycle.
The provision exists because induction loop sensors at many intersections cannot reliably detect the smaller metal mass of a motorcycle. Where surrounding traffic is absent and the light will not cycle, a rider who followed every step above has a defense to a red light violation.
It is not blanket permission to run a red light. If cross traffic is present, if you have not waited a reasonable time, or if you never tried to trigger the sensor, the defense does not apply. It also has nothing to do with lane filtering or lane splitting, which are governed by separate statutes entirely.
Riders have to meet the traffic laws that apply to every vehicle, plus equipment standards specific to motorcycles. Both hands stay on the handlebars, with nothing carried that obstructs control.
Handlebar height is also regulated, so aftermarket bars can put an otherwise compliant bike out of spec.
H.B. 190, the Motorcycle Amendments bill, introduced strict plate placement rules that catch a lot of riders off guard:
Every motor vehicle, motorcycles included, needs a properly functioning exhaust system that stays within noise limits. Aftermarket exhaust that pushes noise past the legal standard is prohibited.
Utah Code 41-6a-1505 requires riders and passengers under 21 to wear a helmet meeting the federal DOT standard. Riders 21 and older are not required to, though safety organizations recommend it at any age.
Eye protection is a separate requirement and it applies regardless of age unless the motorcycle has a functioning windshield. A full-face helmet with a visor satisfies both at once. Our helmet law page covers the penalties and how helmet use is treated in an injury claim in more depth.
Lane filtering has been legal in Utah since May 2019. Under Utah’s lane filtering law, a rider may move between adjacent lanes traveling in the same direction only when every statutory condition is met: two or more adjacent lanes in the same direction, a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour or less or the rider is on an off-ramp, not on an on-ramp, the vehicle being overtaken in the lane is stopped, the motorcycle is traveling at 15 miles per hour or less, and the movement can be made safely.
Lane splitting, meaning riding between vehicles while traffic is moving, is illegal in Utah. A rider also may not overtake or pass a vehicle within the same lane in moving traffic. Filtering is never legal on a freeway, because the speed limit condition rules it out.
Separately, a motorcycle is entitled to full use of a traffic lane, and motorcycles may use High Occupancy Vehicle lanes regardless of passenger count.
One thing to watch: the lane filtering provision carries a scheduled repeal date of July 1, 2027. Unless the Legislature acts before then, the authorization lapses. Our lane splitting page covers that in detail.
Robert J. DeBry attorney Travis Alkire explains the difference between legal lane filtering and illegal lane splitting in Utah, and how a citation can affect an injured rider’s claim.
Carrying a passenger is permitted only where the bike is equipped for it: a designated passenger seat and footrests that let the passenger sit securely with foot support.
Passengers under 21 wear a DOT-compliant helmet on the same terms as riders, and the eye protection requirement reaches passengers too where the motorcycle has no windscreen.
Utah statute sets no explicit minimum age for a motorcycle passenger, but the rider carries responsibility for making sure the passenger can reach the footrests and meets the safety requirements. Motorcycles on public roads must carry liability insurance, and that coverage has to extend to passengers.
Utah Code 41-6a-606.1, effective January 1, 2026, targets dangerous motorcycle maneuvers on Utah highways.
Performing a wheelie on a highway is an infraction, and the endorsement consequences escalate:
Law enforcement may also impound the motorcycle, which adds towing and storage costs on top of the penalty.
Utah’s blood alcohol limit is 0.05 percent, lower than most states, and it applies to motorcyclists the same as anyone else. These violations feed the point system under Utah Code 53-3-220 and can lead to suspension or revocation on conviction.
H.B. 190 is the most significant motorcycle-specific legislation Utah has passed in years, and it took effect January 1, 2026:
Practical takeaway: check your plate mounting, confirm your endorsement status and its engine size restriction, and keep an eye on the lane filtering sunset date of July 1, 2027.
A traffic violation at the time of a motorcycle crash can meaningfully affect your ability to recover for medical bills and other damages.
Where a rider violates a statute meant to protect public safety, riding without a valid endorsement or displaying an improper plate, for example, that violation can be treated as negligence in itself. It creates a presumption of fault, which makes it easier for the opposing insurer to argue your recovery should be reduced or denied.
Utah follows a modified comparative fault rule. Being partly at fault does not necessarily end a claim, but your recovery is reduced in proportion to your share, and fault can be allocated among riders, drivers, and other parties based on how the crash happened.
Operating without a valid endorsement, or during a suspension, can give an insurer grounds to deny coverage outright. Utah’s minimum liability requirements, effective January 1, 2025, are $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $65,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is included unless it is rejected in writing.
Keeping proof of your endorsement, your rider course completion card, your insurance, and your equipment compliance, including photographs of plate mounting and functioning lights, gives you evidence of compliance that answers a contributory negligence argument before it gets traction. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, documenting your compliance with Utah motorcycle laws is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your rights.
The 2026 changes attached real enforcement consequences, including impoundment and endorsement revocation, to violations most riders would have considered minor. Three things worth doing:
Under limited conditions, yes. Utah Code 41-6a-305 provides an affirmative defense, the dead-red provision, allowing a motorcyclist to proceed through a steady red after coming to a complete stop, attempting to trigger the signal detection device, waiting a reasonable time, yielding to all other traffic and pedestrians, and determining it is safe. It applies where the signal fails to detect the motorcycle.
Yes. Utah requires a Class M motorcycle endorsement added to a valid Class D driver license. You must be at least 16, pass a vision test and a 25-question knowledge test, and either pass an on-motorcycle skills test or complete an approved rider course. Riding without a valid endorsement is a traffic offense.
At least one headlamp, tail lamp, and stop lamp, turn signals, rearview mirrors, a working horn, a properly functioning exhaust, and a license plate mounted horizontally at least 12 inches from the ground in a clearly visible position. Riders under 21 need a DOT-compliant helmet, and eye protection is required at any age unless the bike has a functioning windshield.
Yes, if the motorcycle has a designated passenger seat and footrests. Passengers under 21 must wear a DOT-approved helmet, and the eye protection requirement applies to passengers as well where there is no windscreen. The rider is responsible for making sure the passenger can meet the safety requirements.
Under Utah Code 41-6a-606.1, effective January 1, 2026, performing a wheelie on a highway is an infraction. A first violation carries a 90-day suspension of the motorcycle endorsement, or of the driver license where no endorsement is held. A second carries 180 days. A third or subsequent violation results in revocation. An officer may also impound the motorcycle.
It can. A statutory violation at the time of a crash may be used to argue negligence, meaning fault is presumed from the violation itself. Under Utah’s comparative fault system your recovery is reduced in proportion to your share of fault. Equipment and endorsement violations are particularly awkward, because an insurer can argue you were not operating legally at all.
This is general information, not legal advice. Contacting Robert J. DeBry & Associates or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship.