Report a theft in Utah to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Utah Code § 76-6-404, theft becomes a felony at $1,500. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Utah at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $1,500. Theft of property worth $1,500 or more is a third degree felony in Utah, and theft of $5,000 or more is a second degree felony. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Utah Code § 76-6-404 |
| Grading | Under $500: class B misdemeanor. $500 to under $1,500: class A misdemeanor. $1,500 to under $5,000: third degree felony. $5,000 or more: second degree felony. Theft of a firearm or an operable motor vehicle, or theft from another person, is a second degree felony regardless of value. Prior theft convictions and certain retail trespass-notice situations can raise the grade. |
| Vehicle theft | Utah charges theft of an operable motor vehicle as a second degree felony regardless of the vehicle's value under Utah Code § 76-6-404. |
| State police | Utah Highway Patrol (Utah Department of Public Safety) |
| Motor vehicles | Utah Division of Motor Vehicles (Utah State Tax Commission) |
| Consumer protection | Utah Division of Consumer Protection (Department of Commerce) |
| Online police reports | The Salt Lake City Police Department accepts online reports for some thefts inside city limits, including thefts from buildings and yards, bike thefts, car prowls and fraud, but not stolen vehicles, stolen license plates or lost or stolen firearms. Other departments set their own rules. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Utah has no statewide requirement for owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group. |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | Utah Code § 13-32a-109 requires pawn and secondhand businesses to hold purchased property for 15 calendar days after reporting it to the state's central database, and a law enforcement hold runs 90 days, extendable. |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Utah. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on le.utah.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
Utah by the numbers
| Measure | Utah | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 5,224 reports, 157 per 100,000 residents; ranked 32 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 30,185 reports, 906 per 100,000 residents | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 1,289 a year on average, 39.4 per 100,000 residents (2019 to 2023) | ATF National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment |
These figures count reports made to federal agencies, so they measure what was reported, not every theft. National context is on the theft statistics page.
Reporting a theft in Utah
Report a theft to the police agency where it happened. Inside Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake City Police Department online reporting system accepts several property crimes, including theft from buildings and yards, bike thefts, catalytic converter thefts, car prowls (break-ins to vehicles) and fraud such as credit card fraud and identity theft. The department states limits: the incident must be in Salt Lake City and not on a state highway, losses over $25,000 or fraud over $100,000 are not accepted online, and stolen vehicles, stolen license plates and lost or stolen firearms must be reported by phone or in person. Thefts on state freeways go to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Elsewhere in Utah, online reporting varies by department. Whichever agency takes the report, ask for the case number. Insurers, banks and the DMV will ask for it. Our stolen property guide lists what to gather before you call.
Utah theft law and the felony threshold
Utah treats theft as one offense and grades it mainly by value under Utah Code § 76-6-404. The penalty tiers were moved into this section when the Legislature recodified the criminal code in 2023; they previously sat in § 76-6-412.
- Under $500: class B misdemeanor.
- $500 to under $1,500: class A misdemeanor.
- $1,500 to under $5,000: third degree felony.
- $5,000 or more: second degree felony.
The felony threshold is therefore $1,500. Some thefts are felonies whatever the value. Taking a firearm, taking an operable motor vehicle and taking property from another person's body are each a second degree felony. Prior theft convictions, and repeat retail theft after a merchant's written trespass notice, can raise a lower-value theft to a higher grade. See our stolen firearm guide for what to do when a gun is taken.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Utah
Because theft of an operable motor vehicle is a second degree felony in Utah regardless of value, a stolen car, truck or motorcycle is a serious felony case from the start. Report it by phone or in person to the local police department or sheriff, since the Salt Lake City online system excludes stolen vehicles and plates. Have the license plate number, the vehicle identification number (the 17-character VIN) and a description ready.
Utah's Division of Motor Vehicles, part of the Utah State Tax Commission, offers a replace-lost-plate-or-decal service; its plate pages do not set out separate steps for stolen plates, so report the plate stolen to police first and then ask the DMV how to replace it. The state does not offer a public stolen vehicle search. Use the national tools in our check if stolen guide, and see stolen vehicles for the full checklist.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
Utah runs a statewide system for pawn and secondhand transactions. Under Utah Code § 13-32a-109, a pawn or secondhand business must send transaction details to a central database and then hold purchased property for 15 calendar days before selling it, with precious metals and numismatic items excluded. If police place a hold on an item, the initial hold lasts 90 days and can be extended, generally up to 180 days without a court order. That system is a good reason to give police serial numbers and photos promptly, because a match in the database can lead an officer to the item.
Identity theft and fraud help in Utah
Consumer fraud complaints in Utah go to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, part of the Department of Commerce. For identity theft, start a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov, then file a police report; Salt Lake City residents can report identity theft and impersonation online. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus and review your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. Our identity theft guide and stolen wallet checklist cover each step in order.
Checklists for what was stolen
Each guide opens with a checklist in the order to act, with a free printable PDF.
- Domain names
- Identity theft
- Vehicles
- Social media and email
- SIM swap and phone numbers
- Stolen phones
- Bicycles and e-bikes
- Packages and mail
- Wallets, cards and checks
- Passports
- Firearms
- Art and collectibles
- Cryptocurrency
This page is general information about Utah, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Utah.
Sources
- Utah Code § 76-6-404 (published copy)
- Utah Legislature, Recodification Changes, Chapter 6
- Utah Code § 13-32a-109 (Justia)
- Salt Lake City Police Department, Online Police Reporting
- Utah Highway Patrol
- Utah Division of Motor Vehicles
- Utah Division of Consumer Protection
- Giffords Law Center, Reporting Lost & Stolen Guns in Utah