Utah law · sources checked October 26, 2026

Why are Utah car dealerships closed on Sunday (or Saturday)?

Short answer: Utah law says a licensed dealer or salesperson may not sell or lease vehicles on both Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend. Each dealer has to stop selling on one of the two days. Most pick Sunday. The rule is Utah Code 41-3-210(11) (le.utah.gov, checked 2026-10-26).

The exact rule

"Except as provided in Subsection (11)(c), or in cases of undue hardship or emergency as provided by rule by the division, a dealer or salesperson licensed under this chapter may not, on consecutive days of Saturday and Sunday, sell, offer for sale, lease, or offer for lease a motor vehicle." (41-3-210(11)(a), checked 2026-10-26)

What that means in practice:

• The law does not name a day. It does not say "Sunday." It says not both Saturday and Sunday. A dealer that sells on Saturday must not sell on the next day, Sunday.
• Each day and each vehicle is a separate offense (41-3-210(11)(b)).
• Penalty. Selling "on consecutive days of Saturday and Sunday" is a Level II civil violation: $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later offense within 12 months (41-3-702, checked 2026-10-26).

Exceptions

1. Trade shows. The rule does not apply to a dealer at a trade show or exhibition if five or more dealers take part and it is held somewhere other than one participating dealer's own principal place of business (41-3-210(11)(c)).
2. Undue hardship or emergency, "as provided by rule by the division." We read the current Motor Vehicle Enforcement rules, R877-23V (effective 2025-09-15), and found no section defining this exception (adminrules.utah.gov, checked 2026-10-26). Open question: whether MVED defines it anywhere else.

Are service departments covered?

The statute's words cover selling, offering for sale, leasing or offering for lease a motor vehicle. It does not mention service, repairs, parts or car washes. Some dealers open service and parts on the day their showroom is closed. Open question: we found no MVED guidance or ruling that says so directly. This reading comes from the statute's text.

Everroad lists sales, service and parts hours separately.

Where the law came from

The rule was added by S.B. 163, "Sale of Motor Vehicle," 2000 General Session, sponsored by Sen. Paula F. Julander. It amended 41-3-210 and the penalty section, 41-3-702 (S.B. 163 enrolled copy, checked 2026-10-26). Today's wording of subsection (11) is the same as the 2000 enrolled text. Section 41-3-210 was most recently amended by Laws of Utah 2026, Chapter 295, effective May 6, 2026, and subsection (11) remains in force (le.utah.gov).

Attempts to repeal it

• 2025: S.B. 136, "Motor Vehicle Business Regulation Amendments." Sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, with Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher listed as floor sponsor. Its stated purpose: "repeals the prohibition on a licensed dealer or salesperson selling, offering for sale, leasing, or offering for lease a motor vehicle on consecutive days of Saturday and Sunday." Its history:
  • introduced January 21, 2025, and sent to the Senate Rules Committee;
  • no further action recorded;
  • filed as not passed on March 7, 2025.

  (S.B. 136 (2025) status, checked 2026-10-26)

  A news report said the sponsor decided not to pursue it (Utah News Dispatch, Jan. 29, 2025).

• 2026 General Session. We found no 2026 bill to repeal or change the weekend rule. We searched the official summaries of all 1,016 numbered 2026 bills on le.utah.gov for "Saturday" and "Sunday" (checked 2026-10-26). The 2026 bill numbered S.B. 136 is unrelated; it concerns law enforcement. Open question: this search covered bill summaries, not full bill texts.
• 2015 H.B. 295 also proposed repeal (introduced text). Open question: final status.

Common questions

• Can I buy online on Sunday? Dealers may sell remotely, but a contract "is not executed until the contract is countersigned by the licensed dealer at one of the dealer's licensed places of business" (41-3-210(14)). Open question: how MVED applies the weekend rule to online offers.

This is information, not legal advice. Sources were checked on 2026-10-26.