About Road Usage Charge

Utah's Leadership in Road Usage Charge

Utah is committed to using transportation funding sources that meet future demands to keep Utah moving.

Today, most road funding comes from fuel taxes. As vehicles become more fuel‑efficient, and electric vehicles (EVs) use no fuel at all, fuel tax revenue continues to decline. In 2020, Utah was one of the first states to address these evolving transportation needs by implementing a road usage charge.

The Utah Road Usage Charge Program provides a way for all drivers to contribute to operating and maintaining Utah’s roads. The program gives Utah EV drivers the option to pay a per-mile fee instead of the flat alternative fuel vehicle fee they pay when registering their vehicle.

To learn more about the history of the program, visit Utah’s Road Usage Charge Program History page.

The Utah Road Usage Charge Program launched in 2020, making Utah the second state to adopt a road usage charge program. The program has evolved over time, including an update in May 2024 to reduce administrative costs and improve customer experience.

Today, EV owners pay an alternative fuel vehicle fee to contribute to roadway operations and maintenance. The Utah Road Usage Charge Program gives EV owners the option to either:

Continue paying the $180 alternative fuel vehicle fee, or
Enroll in the Utah Road Usage Charge Program and pay for road usage based on the number of miles they drive, up to $180.

Road Usage Charge Program Enrollment

Chart illustrating that Utah Road Usage Charge Program vehicle enrollment has increased over time.

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Read the Utah Road Usage Charge Program Fact Sheet

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Learn About Utah's Road Usage Charge Program History

Utah is a pioneer in road usage charge. Utah provides leadership to RUC America, a consortium of nearly 20 states exploring road usage charging, conducting research, or monitoring related transportation trends. Being part of RUC America connects Utah to the latest road usage charge findings, technology, and resources. This allows Utah to provide a future-ready road usage charge program for Utahns.

Learn more about RUC America.

As EV adoption grows and vehicles become more fuel‑efficient, Utah collects less revenue from the fuel taxes that fund the state’s transportation system. This rapid growth accelerates the shift away from fuel tax contributions, making it harder to maintain and preserve the roads that help Utahns travel safely and reliably.

To address this, the state offers EV owners the option to enroll in the Utah Road Usage Charge Program. Offering drivers an alternative to the annual alternative fuel vehicle fee, the per‑mile road usage charge more closely reflects how much drivers use the roads.

Number of Vehicles in Utah by Vehicle Type (2020-2026)

Chart showing that alternative fuel vehicle fee types have steadily increased in Utah from 2020 to 2026.

Utah’s road usage charge research has focused on advancing the exploration of road usage charging and optimizing customer experience. Funded by federal grants, this research has produced actionable findings to help improve the Utah Road Usage Charge Program for current and potential customers.

Enhancing Customer Experience (2022-2023)

This research focused on understanding and improving the experience of Utah Road Usage Charge Program customers. Using feedback from current customers, the study focused on identifying ways to make the program more intuitive and easier to use. Findings from the research have informed program improvements, including the development of this Utah Road Usage Charge Program website.

Studying Potential Road Usage Charge Synergies (2022-2023)

This study explored how the program could support additional transportation needs in Utah. The project examined whether road usage charging could work with the existing Express Lanes tolling system and whether local governments could use a per-mile fee to fund local road improvements.

Launching Utah’s Road Usage Charge Program (2019-2022)

Using funding provided by a federal grant, this study focused on the development, implementation, and operation of the Utah Road Usage Charge Program. The study identified lessons learned to inform UDOT's ongoing efforts to design a road usage charge system that minimizes administrative costs, provides a seamless user experience, and protects customer privacy.