Crash With an Out-of-State Driver in Utah

Short answer: A driver from another state who causes a crash in Utah can be held responsible here, and Utah law requires visiting drivers to carry insurance. The harder questions are practical: how much coverage the visitor’s policy carries, how to reach a driver who has gone home, and how your own Utah coverage fills the gaps.

Utah sees a steady stream of visiting drivers, from tourists headed to the national parks and ski resorts to people passing through on I-15 and I-80. When one of them hits you, the claim follows the same basic rules as any Utah crash, with a few extra steps.

Utah Courts Can Hear the Case

A driver does not escape a Utah claim by living somewhere else. Under Utah’s Nonresident Jurisdiction Act, a person who causes an injury within Utah is subject to the jurisdiction of Utah courts for claims arising out of that injury, whether or not they are a Utah resident (Utah Code 78B-3-205(3)).

Getting the lawsuit papers to someone who lives out of state is also provided for. A nonresident who drives on Utah highways is treated as having appointed Utah’s Division of Corporations and Commercial Code as their agent for service of process in lawsuits arising from that driving (Utah Code 41-12a-505). When that route is used, the injured person must send notice and an affidavit of compliance to the driver by registered mail within 10 days after service. Papers can also be served on the driver where they live, under the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure (Utah Code 78B-3-206).

In most cases, a lawsuit is not where things start. The claim usually begins with the visiting driver’s insurer, and many are resolved without one.

What Insurance a Visiting Driver Must Carry

Utah requires insurance from nonresident owners too, but the amount depends on how long the vehicle has been here. An out-of-state owner whose vehicle has been in Utah for 90 or fewer days during the preceding year must carry the type and amount of coverage required by their home state. After more than 90 days, the owner must carry coverage that meets Utah’s requirements (Utah Code 41-12a-301(2)(b)).

Utah’s own minimums, for policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, are $30,000 for injury to one person, $65,000 for injuries to two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage (Utah Code 31A-22-304(2)). Other states set their own minimums, and some are lower. Some policies also contain a clause that adjusts coverage when the insured drives in another state, so the visitor’s actual policy language matters. Ask the insurer, in writing, for the policy limits.

When the Visitor’s Coverage Is Lower Than Utah’s

This is where your own Utah policy becomes important. Utah defines an “uninsured motor vehicle” to include a vehicle covered with lower liability limits than Utah’s minimums, and treats it as uninsured to the extent of the shortfall (Utah Code 31A-22-305(2)(a)(ii)). In other words, your uninsured motorist coverage can fill the gap between the visitor’s lower limits and the Utah minimum.

If the visitor’s policy meets the minimums but still is not enough, your underinsured motorist coverage is added on top of the at-fault driver’s liability coverage rather than reduced by it (Utah Code 31A-22-305.3(3)(k)(ii)). Our guide to underinsured motorist claims in Utah explains how that claim works.

Your PIP Pays First, No Matter Where the Other Driver Lives

If you are insured in Utah, your personal injury protection pays your early medical bills and part of your lost income regardless of fault: at least $3,000 in medical expenses and 85% of lost gross income up to $250 a week, for up to 52 weeks (Utah Code 31A-22-307). To bring a claim for general damages such as pain and suffering against the other driver, you generally need to meet Utah’s injury threshold, such as more than $3,000 in medical expenses, a broken bone or a permanent injury (Utah Code 31A-22-309(1)). More on that in is Utah a no-fault state.

Tourists, Rental Cars and Commercial Drivers

Many visiting drivers are not in their own cars. Rental cars are common, and a federal law generally protects rental companies from liability just for owning the car, which pushes the claim toward the renter’s own insurance and other coverage. Utah requires rental companies to maintain insurance that applies when there is no other valid coverage meeting the state minimums (Utah Code 31A-22-314).

Crashes with out-of-state trucks and other commercial vehicles raise their own questions about the employer and federal rules. Our guide to truck accident claims in Utah covers those.

If You Are the Visitor

Out-of-state residents get hurt in Utah too. If a Utah driver injured you while you were visiting, you can bring your claim in Utah, where the crash happened. A claim in a Utah court is subject to Utah’s filing deadline, which for most injury claims is four years (Utah Code 78B-2-307(4)). Your own home-state policy may also provide benefits, depending on its terms.

What to Do After a Crash With an Out-of-State Driver

• Photograph the other driver’s license, registration, license plate and insurance card, including the name of the insurer and the policy number.
• Get the driver’s home address and a phone number that will work after they leave Utah.
• Make sure police respond and write a report. Our guide to getting a Utah police crash report explains how to request a copy.
• Report the crash to your own insurer promptly, since your PIP and possibly your UM coverage may be involved.

Most Utah injury claims can be filed within four years, but a visiting driver’s memory and contact details fade fast. Our Utah personal injury statute of limitations guide covers the deadlines in more detail.

Talk to a Utah Car Accident Attorney

A crash with an out-of-state driver can involve two states’ insurance rules and a driver who is hard to reach. A free case review can help you sort out whose coverage applies.

Hurt in Utah? Call (801) 921-5134 or send us your case for a free consultation. No attorney fees unless we win. Hablamos Español.