Find DUI Cases in Sanpete County
Sanpete County DUI records are public documents that cover arrests, court proceedings, and license actions in this rural central Utah county. Founded in 1849, Sanpete County has a population of roughly 30,000 and a county seat in Manti. The 6th District Court, also located in Manti, handles all DUI criminal cases for the county. Towns like Ephraim, Mount Pleasant, Gunnison, and Spring City are spread across the county's long valley. This page explains where Sanpete County DUI records are kept and how to access them through online tools and public records requests.
Sanpete County Quick Facts
Sanpete County DUI Records
Sanpete County sits in the Sanpitch River valley of central Utah. The county's rural highways connect farming communities and draw through traffic from travelers headed to recreation areas in the region. DUI arrests in Sanpete County happen on these highways as well as within the county's small towns. Each arrest produces records that are held by different agencies depending on what stage the case has reached.
When a law enforcement officer in Sanpete County makes a DUI arrest, the officer files a report with their agency. Within five workdays, that report must reach the Utah Driver License Division. The DLD then opens an Administrative Per Se file and may initiate a license suspension. The 6th District Court in Manti opens a criminal case file when formal charges are filed. Court records, DLD records, and arrest records are three distinct types, each held by a different agency.
Utah recorded 10,923 DUI arrests statewide in fiscal year 2025. Sanpete County contributes to that total through its sheriff, Ephraim City, and other local agencies. The Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice publishes county-level DUI data in its annual reports.
Note: Sanpete County court hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to noon. Walk-ins are not accepted within one hour of closing.
Searching Sanpete County DUI Records Online
The primary tool for online DUI records searches in Sanpete County is Utah Courts XChange. XChange provides access to criminal case records filed in the 6th District Court, including DUI charges, hearing dates, plea entries, and case dispositions. A monthly subscription costs $30. Each search costs $0.15 to $0.35. Document copies run $0.50 to $1.00 per page. You can search by defendant name or by case number.
Case parties in a Sanpete County DUI case can use the free MyCase portal to view their own case documents. MyCase requires that you be listed as a party to the case. For general public lookups, XChange is the correct tool. The Utah Courts self-help team can assist by email at selfhelp@utcourts.gov or by text at 801-742-1898. More criminal justice and traffic records information is available at the Utah State Courts self-help page.
The Sanpete County Recorder, Talisha Johnson, is located at 160 North Main, Suite 204, Manti, reachable at (435) 835-2181 Ext. 3. The recorder's office at sanpetecountyutah.gov/recorder.html handles property records. The recorder also offers a free Fraud Notify Service that sends email alerts when any document is recorded against your name. This service does not provide DUI records but may be relevant in cases involving property tied to DUI-related judgments.
Sanpete County Law Enforcement and DUI Arrests
The Sanpete County Sheriff is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of the county. The sheriff patrols US-89 and other state routes that run through the Sanpitch Valley. DUI arrests on county roads and outside city limits fall under the sheriff's jurisdiction. The Utah Highway Patrol also operates in Sanpete County on state and federal highways.
City police departments in Ephraim, Manti, Gunnison, and Mount Pleasant handle DUI enforcement within their city limits. When any of these agencies makes a DUI arrest, the agency files a report and sends it to the Utah DLD within five workdays. The case then proceeds through the 6th District Court. All arrest records become part of the public court record once charges are filed.
The image below is sourced from sanpetecountyutah.gov/clerk.html.
The Sanpete County Clerk and 6th District Court share the building at 160 North Main in Manti, where DUI case records are filed.
The Utah Highway Safety Office coordinates enforcement campaigns that cover central Utah counties including Sanpete. Arrest records from these campaigns are processed through the same court and DLD system as any other DUI arrest in Sanpete County.
Sanpete County Court Records for DUI
All Sanpete County DUI criminal cases go through the 6th District Court at 160 North Main, Suite 202, Manti, UT 84642, phone (435) 835-2131. Court hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. The court is closed on weekends and holidays. DUI court records include the criminal complaint, bail conditions, plea entries, sentencing orders, and probation terms. These documents become public records once filed.
The Sanpete County Clerk, Linda Christiansen, is located at the same address, 160 North Main, Suite 202, reachable at (435) 835-2131 Ext. 5 or clerk@sanpetecountyutah.gov. For court-specific DUI case records, the district court clerk is the right contact. For general county records and GRAMA requests, contact the county clerk. More information is available at sanpetecountyutah.gov/clerk.html.
To search court records without visiting Manti, use Utah Courts XChange. Search by the defendant's name or case number to find Sanpete County DUI cases filed in the 6th District Court.
Note: No walk-ins are accepted within one hour of closing at the Sanpete County courthouse. Plan your visit accordingly to avoid being turned away at the door.
Utah DUI Laws in Sanpete County
Utah's DUI laws apply in full to every driver on Sanpete County roads. The blood alcohol limit is .05 under Utah Code section 41-6a-502. This is the lowest legal limit in the country. A driver who would be legal in other states at .07 could face a DUI charge in Sanpete County. This distinction matters especially for visitors passing through on US-89.
Utah Code section 41-6a-517 creates liability for metabolite DUI. This means a driver in Sanpete County can be charged with DUI if they have any measurable amount of a controlled substance metabolite in their body, even without showing impairment and even if the substance was consumed days before. This law applies to both illegal drugs and certain prescription medications.
Implied consent is established by Utah Code section 41-6a-520. All drivers in Sanpete County, by the act of driving, agree to chemical testing when arrested for DUI. Refusing a test triggers an automatic 18-month license suspension on a first refusal and a 36-month suspension on any subsequent refusal. DUI is a strict liability offense in Utah. A guilty or no-contest plea immediately becomes part of the record. The minimum first-offense penalties under Utah Code section 41-6a-505 include a $700 fine, jail time, and an ignition interlock device. Utah shares DUI conviction data across state lines with all other U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
License Actions and IID Requirements
A DUI arrest in Sanpete County sets off two separate tracks. The criminal case moves through the 6th District Court. The administrative license action moves through the Utah DLD. Both run at the same time and can result in separate penalties.
The DLD receives DUI reports from Sanpete County law enforcement within five workdays of an arrest. The DLD then decides whether to initiate an Administrative Per Se license suspension. A driver who fails a chemical test faces a suspension under this process. A driver who refuses faces a longer suspension: 18 months on a first refusal and 36 months on any subsequent refusal. Drivers can request a hearing within a short window of the arrest date to challenge the DLD action.
Utah's ignition interlock device schedule applies in Sanpete County just as it does statewide. A first DUI conviction requires an IID for 18 months. Drivers under 21 on a first offense face three years. A second conviction requires a three-year IID. A felony DUI requires six years. Auto homicide involving DUI requires 10 years. Approved providers are listed at dld.utah.gov/iid. Drivers must use an approved provider to satisfy the requirement.
Note: Completing the IID requirement is necessary before returning to unrestricted driving. Driving without the device after a conviction is a separate offense with its own penalties.
GRAMA Requests for Sanpete County DUI Records
Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act covers records held by Sanpete County agencies, including DUI arrest reports and related documents. GRAMA is codified in Utah Code Title 63G, Chapter 2. The Sanpete County Clerk at sanpetecountyutah.gov/clerk.html handles public records requests. You can also reach the clerk by phone at (435) 835-2131 Ext. 5 or by email at clerk@sanpetecountyutah.gov. For court records, contact the 6th District Court clerk directly.
The standard GRAMA response time is 10 business days. Copy fees are typically $0.25 per page. Research beyond 15 minutes may be billed at $20 per hour. When submitting a request for DUI records, include the full name of the subject, date of birth if known, approximate arrest date or date range, and any case numbers you have. Specific requests receive faster responses than broad ones.
For a statewide criminal history that includes Sanpete County DUI arrests, contact the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification at 3888 W 5400 S, Taylorsville, UT 84129, phone (801) 965-4445. A name-based search costs $15. BCI records include arrests reported by all Utah agencies, including those in Sanpete County.
The image below is sourced from dld.utah.gov/dui.
The Utah Driver License Division receives DUI reports from Sanpete County law enforcement and uses them to administer license suspensions through the Administrative Per Se process.
Note: Some arrest records may be withheld during an active investigation. Once a case is filed in court, those records generally become accessible under GRAMA.
Cities in Sanpete County
Sanpete County includes several communities in the Sanpitch Valley. All DUI cases for residents of these cities are filed with the 6th District Court in Manti.
Ephraim is home to Snow College and is one of the more active communities in Sanpete County. Most Sanpete cities are small towns not covered in the standard city lookup, but their DUI court records are searchable through XChange.
Nearby Counties
Sanpete County borders several other Utah counties. DUI records for residents of neighboring counties are filed with their respective county courts.