Amends existing law to require a person to apply for a driver's license, register vehicles, and obtain a certificate of vehicle title within 30 days of becoming an Idaho resident.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 553 BY TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENSE COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; AMENDING SECTION 49-119, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE2 A DEFINITION; AMENDING SECTION 49-301, IDAHO CODE, TO REQUIRE A PERSON3 TO APPLY FOR AN IDAHO DRIVER'S LICENSE WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF BECOMING AN4 IDAHO RESIDENT; AMENDING SECTION 49-401A, IDAHO CODE, TO REQUIRE A PER-5 SON TO REGISTER VEHICLES WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF BECOMING AN IDAHO RESI-6 DENT; AMENDING SECTION 49-502, IDAHO CODE, TO REQUIRE A PERSON TO OBTAIN7 A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF BECOMING AN IDAHO RESIDENT;8 AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.9

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:10

SECTION 1. That Section 49-119, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby11 amended to read as follows:12 49-119. DEFINITIONS -- R. (1) "Racing" means the use of one (1) or more13 vehicles in an attempt to outgain, outdistance, or prevent another vehicle14 from passing, to arrive at a given destination ahead of another vehicle,15 or to test the physical stamina or endurance of drivers over long-distance16 driving routes.17 (2) "Radio operator, amateur" means any person licensed by the Federal18 Communications Commission to engage in private and experimental two-way ra-19 dio operation and holding a conditional class license or higher.20 (3) "Railroad" means a carrier of persons or property upon cars oper-21 ated upon stationary rails.22 (4) "Railroad train" means a steam engine, electric or other motor,23 with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails.24 (5) "Railroad sign" or "signal" means any sign, signal or device25 erected by authority of a public body or official or by a railroad and in-26 tended to give notice of the presence of railroad tracks or the approach of a27 railroad train.28 (6) "Recreational vehicle" means a motor home, travel trailer,29 fifth-wheel trailer, park model recreational vehicle, truck camper or30 folding camping trailer, with or without motive power, designed for recre-31 ational or emergency occupancy. It does not include pickup hoods, shells, or32 canopies designed, created or modified for occupational usage. School buses33 or van type vehicles which are converted to recreational use, are defined as34 recreational vehicles.35 (7) "Registered maximum gross weight" means the maximum gross weight36 established on the registration document as declared by the owner at the time37 of registration or renewal of registration.38 (8) "Registered owner" means any person required to register a vehicle,39 whether or not a lienholder appears on the title in the records of the depart-40 ment.41

2 (9) "Registration" means the registration certificate or certificates1 and license plate or plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to2 the registration of vehicles.3 (10) "Rental utility trailer" means a utility trailer offered for hire4 to the general public for private or commercial use.5 (11) "Rescission of sale." (See section 28-2-608, Idaho Code)6 (12) "Resident" means for purposes of vehicle registration, titling, a7 driver's license or an identification card, a person whose domicile has been8 within Idaho continuously for a period of at least thirty (30) days a person9 who establishes domicile in Idaho, excluding a full-time student who is a10 resident of another state. However, any driver's license or identification11 card issued to a person who has been domiciled in Idaho for less than thirty12 (30) days may not be used for identification for the purpose of voting.13 The department may title or register a vehicle to a person who has an Idaho14 driver's license or identification card and has been domiciled in Idaho15 for less than thirty (30) days. Establishment of residency shall include a16 spouse and dependent children who reside with that person in the domicile. A17 domicile shall not be a person's workplace, vacation or part-time residence.18 (13) "Residential district." (See "District," section 49-105, Idaho19 Code)20 (14) "Residential neighborhood" for purposes of this chapter, is an21 area abutting a highway which is used primarily for nontransient human habi-22 tation, parks and churches.23 (15) "Revocation of driver's license" means the termination by formal24 action of the department or as otherwise provided in this title of a per-25 son's driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the high-26 ways, which terminated driver's license or privilege shall not be subject to27 renewal or restoration except that an application for a new driver's license28 may be presented and acted upon by the department after the expiration of the29 applicable period of time prescribed in this title.30 (16) "Revocation of vehicle registration" means the termination by for-31 mal action of the department or as otherwise provided in this title of a per-32 son's vehicle registration or, in the case of fleets of vehicles, all vehi-33 cle registrations in each fleet operated by a company. Upon revocation, the34 privileges of operating the vehicles on Idaho highways is terminated until35 the difficulty that caused the revocation is corrected and an application36 for new registration is presented and acted upon.37 (17) "Ridesharing arrangement" means the nonprofit transportation in a38 passenger motor vehicle with a seating capacity not exceeding fifteen (15)39 people including the driver, which is not otherwise used for commercial pur-40 poses or as a public conveyance, whereby a fixed group, not exceeding fifteen41 (15) people including passengers and driver, is transported between their42 residences or nearby termini, and their places of employment or educational43 or other institutions or termini near those places, in a single daily round44 trip where the driver is also on the way to or from his place of employment or45 education or other institution.46 (18) "Right-of-way" means the right of one (1) vehicle or pedestrian to47 proceed in a lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian ap-48 proaching under circumstances of direction, speed and proximity as to give49 rise to danger of collision unless one grants precedence to the other. The50

3 term shall not be interpreted to mean that a highway user is relieved from the1 duty to exercise reasonable care at all times and from doing everything to2 prevent an accident. Failure to yield right-of-way shall not be construed as3 negligence per se or as prima facie evidence of negligence.4 (19) "Roadway" means that portion of a highway improved, designed or5 ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of sidewalks, shoulders,6 berms and rights-of-way.7

SECTION 2. That Section 49-301, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby8 amended to read as follows:9 49-301. DRIVERS TO BE LICENSED. (1) No person, except those expressly10 exempted by the provisions of this chapter, shall drive any motor vehicle11 upon a highway unless the person has a current and valid Idaho driver's li-12 cense. Provided however, that those persons holding a restricted school at-13 tendance driving permit may drive upon a highway pursuant to the restric-14 tions set forth in section 49-307A, Idaho Code.15 (2) No person shall operate a motorcycle upon a highway unless he has16 a motorcycle endorsement on his valid driver's license. The provisions of17 this subsection shall not apply to persons operating autocycles.18 (3) No person shall operate a motor vehicle in violation of any valid19 restriction identified on, or attached to, his valid driver's license.20 (4) Any Idaho resident operating with a noncommercial driver's license21 issued by a jurisdiction other than Idaho shall apply for an Idaho-issued22 class D driver's license or other Idaho credential within thirty (30) days23 of becoming a resident as that term is defined in section 49-119(12), Idaho24 Code. It is an infraction for any Idaho resident driver to fail to apply for25 an Idaho-issued driver's license within the time period provided for in this26 subsection.27 (4) (5) No person shall receive a class D driver's license unless and28 until he surrenders to the department all driver's licenses in his posses-29 sion issued to him by Idaho or any other jurisdiction for use within the30 United States, or any identification cards issued by any other jurisdiction31 within the United States, or until he executes an affidavit that he does not32 possess a driver's license or any identification cards.33 (5) (6) No person shall be permitted to have more than one (1) driver's34 license issued for use within the United States at any time.35 (6) (7) No person shall operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined in36 section 49-123, Idaho Code, upon a highway:37 (a) Without obtaining a commercial driver's license.38 (b) Without having the appropriate class A, B or C commercial driver's39 license in the operator's possession.40 (c) Without the proper license class of commercial driver's license or41 endorsements for the specific vehicle group being operated or for the42 passengers or type of cargo being transported.43 (d) Unless the operator has a seasonal or class A, B or C driver's li-44 cense with required endorsements in his possession.45 (e) Without having a current and valid medical examiner's certificate46 on file with the department while operating in a "non-excepted" status47 as required by the federal motor carrier safety administration. Med-48 ical examiner's certificates submitted for filing must be legible and49

4 shall be submitted in a manner acceptable to the department. If the1 federal motor carrier safety administration has issued a medical ex-2 emption letter or skill performance evaluation certificate, the driver3 must have the current and valid documentation in physical possession4 and available upon request to a duly authorized federal, state or local5 enforcement official.6 (7) (8) Any holder of a class A, B or C commercial driver's license is-7 sued by a jurisdiction other than Idaho shall apply for an Idaho-issued com-8 mercial driver's license within thirty (30) days of establishing a domicile9 in Idaho. In accordance with the federal motor carrier safety regulations,10 no person shall receive a class A, B or C driver's license unless and until he11 surrenders to the department all driver's licenses in his possession issued12 to him by Idaho or any other jurisdiction.13 (8) (9) A person operating a vehicle that requires a class A, B or C14 license without a current and valid license required to drive such vehicle15 is guilty of a misdemeanor. Except as provided in sections 18-8001(1) and16 49-304, Idaho Code, operating a vehicle without a current and valid class D17 driver's license in violation of this section is an infraction punishable by18 a fine of one hundred fifty dollars ($150). A second conviction for operat-19 ing a vehicle without a current and valid class D driver's license within a20 period of five (5) years of the first conviction is an infraction punishable21 by a fine of three hundred dollars ($300). A third and any subsequent con-22 viction for operating a vehicle without a current and valid class D driver's23 license within a period of five (5) years of the first conviction shall24 be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars25 ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six (6) months,26 or both.27

SECTION 3. That Section 49-401A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby28 amended to read as follows:29 49-401A. OWNER TO SECURE REGISTRATION FROM A COUNTY ASSESSOR OR THE30 DEPARTMENT. (1) Every owner of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer who31 intends to operate the vehicle upon any highway in this state shall, before32 the same is so operated, apply to a county assessor or to the department or33 an agent of the department and obtain registration for vehicles pursuant to34 sections 49-402(1) through (3), 49-402A, 49-402B and 49-422, Idaho Code,35 within thirty (30) days of becoming a resident as that term is defined in36 section 49-119(12), Idaho Code. All others shall be obtained from the de-37 partment except as provided in subsection (2) of this section. Owners of38 vehicles specified in section 49-426, Idaho Code, are exempt from the pro-39 visions of this section. Owners of vehicles operating on a temporary basis40 as provided in sections 49-431(3), 49-432 and 49-433, Idaho Code, are exempt41 from the provisions of this section to the extent that the temporary permits42 in use are unexpired.43 (2) Commercial vehicles in excess of twenty-six thousand (26,000)44 pounds gross weight, farm and noncommercial vehicles in excess of sixty45 thousand (60,000) pounds gross weight and all vehicles registered under46 section 49-435, Idaho Code, shall be registered by the department. All other47 commercial, farm and noncommercial vehicles and the vehicles in paragraphs48

5 (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection shall be registered by the county asses-1 sor or by the department or an agent of the department.2 (a) Motor vehicles equipped primarily to haul passengers on a commer-3 cial basis, doing strictly an intrastate business, and having gross4 weights of twenty-six thousand (26,000) pounds or less.5 (b) Any farm vehicle or combination of vehicles where each vehicle or6 combination of vehicles shall not exceed a gross weight of sixty thou-7 sand (60,000) pounds.8 (c) Nonresident vehicles or combination of vehicles owned by transient9 labor used in hauling unprocessed agricultural products for hire and10 not exceeding sixty thousand (60,000) pounds gross weight shall regis-11 ter their vehicle for the appropriate gross weight scale for the annual12 fee if registered on or before June 30 and for one-half (1/2) the annual13 fee if not registered until on or after July 1 of any year, with the as-14 sessor of the county in which the owner resides.15 (3) Commercial, farm and noncommercial vehicles of any weight doing16 strictly an intrastate business may be registered by the county assessor or17 by the department or an agent of the department by mutual agreement between18 the department and the county.19

SECTION 4. That Section 49-502, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby20 amended to read as follows:21 49-502. DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATE OF TITLE UPON SALE OR DISPOSITION --22 REASSIGNMENT BY DEALERS. (1) No person shall sell or otherwise dispose of a23 vehicle without delivery to the purchaser or transferee a certificate of ti-24 tle with an assignment as necessary to show title in the purchaser or trans-25 feree except as provided for in subsection (2) of this section.26 (2) The owner shown on the records of the department of any vehicle27 that has a 2010 or older model year or has a model year at least twenty (20)28 years old when transferred after January 1, 2031, or is over sixteen thousand29 (16,000) pounds gross vehicle weight or has no odometer device, or the owner30 of any vessel that has a certificate of title that has become lost, mutilated31 or illegible, may dispose of such vehicle or vessel by delivering to the pur-32 chaser or transferee a completed application for duplicate title, together33 with an assignment as necessary to show title in the purchaser or transferee.34 To obtain a certificate of title, the purchaser or transferee shall pay the35 fees pursuant to section 49-202(2)(b), Idaho Code.36 (3) No resident person shall purchase or otherwise acquire or bring37 into the state a vehicle except for temporary use as provided by section38 49-432, Idaho Code, unless he shall obtain a certificate of title in his name39 in accordance with the provisions of this chapter within thirty (30) days of40 becoming a resident as defined in section 49-119(12), Idaho Code, in accor-41 dance with the provisions of this chapter. A person who fails to timely ob-42 tain a certificate of title in accordance with the provisions of this subsec-43 tion shall be subject to a penalty pursuant to section 49-504A, Idaho Code.44 (4) Any dealer holding a current Idaho dealer license may, in lieu of45 having a certificate of title issued in his name, reassign either any exist-46 ing certificate of title issued in this state or any application of duplicate47 certificate of title completed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.48

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SECTION 5. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby1 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after2 July 1, 2026.3