AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.

H.B. 136 changes how Utah law handles drivers caught operating a vehicle without a valid license, driving privilege card, or learner permit. Under the bill, officers are generally required to impound the vehicle of an unlicensed driver — but must first check the state's Driver License Division database to confirm the driver lacks a credential, and are given discretion to skip impoundment in specific situations, such as when the driver has only an expired credential, when impounding would create a public safety risk, when another licensed person in the vehicle can drive it away, or when the driver is under 18. The bill also requires unlicensed drivers stopped by police to present another form of government-issued ID, and allows officers to take a quick, temporary fingerprint scan (not stored in any database) to verify identity when no valid ID is available. Penalties for driving without a license are upgraded so that a repeat offense becomes a class B misdemeanor rather than just an infraction, and the administrative impound fee rises from $425 to $600. Impound yards are prohibited from releasing a vehicle unless a licensed driver is present to take it. Drivers caught without a license — particularly those who are repeat offenders or cannot produce any identification — face significantly higher fines, potential misdemeanor charges, and steeper impound costs to recover their vehicle.