How to become a dealer in Utah.

Form your LLC and register the name with the Utah Division of Corporations — file a DBA if you’ll operate under a different name. Get a free EIN from the IRS, then open a Utah sales-tax account at tax.utah.gov. MVED requires the sales-tax license in your application.

Take this one from me: they read every line. Two details that slow people down: different forms want different addresses — know where your home address goes and where the lot’s goes — and how your DBA is owned matters, whether it’s under the LLC or under you personally. Get both consistent across the packet before you file.

Call the city planning office before you sign anything — vehicle sales are only allowed in certain zones, and I don’t want you paying rent on a lot you can’t use. Many cities also require a Conditional Use Permit, sometimes with a hearing. On top of that, the state has its own physical standards:

Once CUP conditions are met, pull the city business license and sign permit. You can’t sell from home or any unlicensed location.

You’ll keep a $75,000 surety bond on file the whole time you operate. Don’t panic at the number — you pay a yearly premium to a bond agent, not the full amount. While you’re at it, get a garage liability quote; you’ll need it for your dealer plates.

Heads up: everyone who signs on the bond also has to take the 8-hour course.

This is where I come in. The state requires an MVED-approved 8-hour orientation before you apply — licensing law, forms and records, advertising rules, and the federal side (IRS 8300, Buyers Guide, OFAC). My course walks you through all of it, and your certificate is issued the moment you finish.

Now you put it all together. The Bonded Motor Vehicle Business Application (Form TC-301) goes to MVED with the complete packet:

An MVED officer then inspects your lot within 5–10 working days. There’s no license until it passes, so have the sign up and hours posted before they arrive — a quick fix now beats a second visit later.

Pull your dealer plates — they’re how you legally drive your inventory, and new dealers start with a limited number. If you plan to buy salvage at Copart or IAA like me, add the Salvage Buyer license (TC-305, $203/yr); it can only be issued after your dealer license exists. Then open your auction accounts and go buy your first car — and run it all on DealerPronto — my team and I built it to run the whole store, not just the paperwork. Every graduate gets 30 days of Pro free.

This is the rhythm every dealer lives by, month after month — I cover all of it in the course, and DealerPronto keeps the paperwork on schedule — and runs the rest of the store too: