Search Garfield County DUI Records
Garfield County DUI records are created each time law enforcement makes a DUI arrest in this rural southern Utah county. The Garfield County Sheriff and Utah Highway Patrol both handle DUI enforcement across the county's vast territory, which includes the Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante areas. DUI cases go through the 6th District Court in Panguitch. State agencies track every arrest. This page explains how to find DUI records, who keeps them, and what the records contain for Garfield County.
Garfield County Quick Facts
Garfield County DUI Records Overview
DUI records in Garfield County begin at the point of arrest. When an officer stops a driver for suspected impairment, the encounter creates several documents. The arrest report, chemical test results, and booking record all become part of the official file. These records move through the criminal justice system and end up at multiple state agencies.
Garfield County is one of Utah's largest counties by area but one of its smallest by population. With roughly 5,100 residents, the county spans a wide stretch of red-rock plateau and canyon country in southern Utah. Tourism brings many visitors through the area each year, particularly around Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Seasonal tourist traffic affects DUI enforcement patterns in Garfield County, with law enforcement handling out-of-state drivers as well as locals. DUI records for all arrests made in Garfield County are submitted to state tracking systems regardless of where the arrested person lives.
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office in Panguitch handles bookings and maintains local arrest records. These records feed into the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification system within days of an arrest.
Where to Search Garfield County DUI Records
Several state systems hold DUI records from Garfield County. The Utah Driver License Division tracks license actions tied to DUI arrests. The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification holds criminal history records. The Utah Courts system provides access to case filings and court outcomes.
The Utah Driver License Division DUI page is the starting point for license-related records. The DLD records every suspension, revocation, and ignition interlock device requirement tied to a DUI in Garfield County. DUI citations reach the DLD within five workdays of an arrest. If you need to know whether a license was suspended after a Garfield County DUI arrest, the DLD is where that information lives.
The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification at 3888 W 5400 S, Taylorsville, UT 84129, phone (801) 965-4445, provides name-based criminal history checks for $15. This search covers DUI convictions from Garfield County along with records from all other Utah counties. The BCI report shows arrest dates, charges, and dispositions.
For court records from the 6th District Court, the primary tool is Utah Courts XChange. XChange gives access to case filings, hearing dates, and case outcomes. A subscription costs $30 per month or $240 per year, with per-search fees of $0.15 to $0.35 and document fees of $0.50 to $1.00 per page. The Utah State Law Library also provides free public XChange access if you prefer not to subscribe.
The DLD's online system at dld.utah.gov/dui is updated regularly and reflects current license status for anyone arrested on a DUI charge in Garfield County.
DUI Arrests in Garfield County
The Garfield County Sheriff handles DUI enforcement across the county. Panguitch serves as the seat of county government and the location of the sheriff's office. Arrests in Garfield County are booked at the county jail, and booking records become public documents under Utah's GRAMA law.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers also patrol state highways through Garfield County, including routes that connect to Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Highway-related DUI arrests by the Utah Highway Patrol follow the same records process as sheriff arrests: booking records go to the county, and citation data goes to the DLD and BCI. Statewide, Utah recorded 10,923 DUI arrests in FY2025, roughly 31.1 per 10,000 residents. Garfield County's rural nature means it sees fewer total arrests than urban counties, but enforcement is consistent year-round with spikes during peak tourist seasons.
Chemical test refusal is treated seriously in Garfield County just as everywhere else in Utah. Refusing a breath or blood test triggers an 18-month license suspension for a first offense and 36 months for subsequent refusals, separate from any criminal penalties.
Garfield County Court Records for DUI Cases
DUI cases in Garfield County are heard in the 6th District Court. The court is located in Panguitch. Case filings include the charging document, any motions filed by attorneys, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and any appeal records. All of these become part of the public court record unless sealed by a judge.
Utah Courts XChange is the main tool for searching 6th District Court records from Garfield County. You can search by the defendant's name or by case number. Results show the case status, hearing dates, and charges filed. To view actual documents, you pay the per-document fee. Case parties can use the free MyCase portal to view their own case records. Questions about MyCase can be directed to selfhelp@utcourts.gov or by texting 801-742-1898.
More information about traffic and DUI cases in Utah courts is available at the Utah State Courts traffic page. This resource explains how DUI cases move through district courts like the 6th District that serves Garfield County.
Utah DUI Laws in Garfield County
Utah's DUI laws apply uniformly across all 29 counties, including Garfield County. The legal blood alcohol limit is .05 BAC under Utah Code section 41-6a-502. Utah was the first state in the country to lower the limit to .05, making it the strictest BAC threshold in the nation.
Utah also enforces a metabolite DUI law under Utah Code section 41-6a-517. This law makes it illegal to drive with any measurable amount of a controlled substance in your system. The metabolite law means a driver can be charged with DUI in Garfield County even if they show no visible signs of impairment, as long as testing detects any controlled substance. This is a strict liability offense in Utah.
Implied consent under Utah Code section 41-6a-520 means that driving on Utah roads is treated as consent to chemical testing. Any driver arrested for DUI in Garfield County is subject to this law. Refusing to test does not prevent a DUI charge and results in its own license suspension.
Utah DUI data is shared with all other states and Canadian provinces. A DUI conviction in Garfield County follows the driver's record across state lines.
License Penalties and IID in Garfield County
A DUI arrest in Garfield County triggers two separate processes: a criminal case in district court and a license action by the Utah Driver License Division. These are independent of each other. A person can lose their license even if the criminal case is dismissed.
For a first DUI conviction, Utah law under Utah Code section 41-6a-505 requires a minimum $700 fine, jail time or home confinement, and an ignition interlock device for 18 months. Drivers under 21 at the time of the offense face a 3-year IID requirement. A second DUI conviction requires an IID for 3 years. A felony DUI triggers a 6-year IID requirement. Auto homicide while impaired results in a 10-year IID requirement.
IID providers approved by the state are listed at dld.utah.gov/iid. Garfield County residents must use a state-approved provider. The device records every start attempt and transmits data to the DLD. Violations during the IID period can extend the requirement.
The Utah Highway Safety Office publishes data on DUI enforcement statewide, including information relevant to rural counties like Garfield.
Requesting Garfield County DUI Records via GRAMA
Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act gives the public the right to request government records, including DUI-related documents held by county agencies. The full GRAMA statute is available at the Utah Legislature website. GRAMA requests can be submitted to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office in Panguitch or to the Garfield County Clerk at Panguitch, UT 84759.
A GRAMA request should describe the records you are seeking with enough detail for the agency to locate them. For DUI records, that typically means the full name of the subject, the date of the arrest or incident, and the type of document you want. Agencies have 10 business days to respond to a GRAMA request. They can approve it, deny it, or ask for more time.
Booking records and arrest logs from the Garfield County Sheriff are generally public under GRAMA. Court records from the 6th District Court are governed by the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure and court access rules rather than GRAMA, but the result is similar: most DUI case records are publicly accessible. Some records related to minors or sealed cases may be withheld.
The annual DUI report required by Utah Code section 41-6a-511 is published by the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. This report covers statewide DUI data and is a public record.
Cities in Garfield County
Garfield County includes several small communities spread across its large geographic area. DUI cases for residents of all Garfield County communities are handled through the 6th District Court in Panguitch.
Panguitch is the county seat of Garfield County and home to the sheriff's office and district court. All other communities in the county fall under the same court jurisdiction for DUI matters.
Nearby Counties
Garfield County borders several other Utah counties. DUI records from each county are maintained separately through that county's court and sheriff, but all feed into the same state-level systems.