Utah drivers can now test for a license in 13 more languages

Photo: Unsplash // Ben Mullins

UTAH — Utah residents can now test for a driver’s license in 13 additional languages following recent updates from the Utah Driver License Division.

Test-takers can now choose between English, Arabic, Swahili, Dari, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tongan, Ukraine, Korean, French, Tagolog and Somali.

At the beginning of this year, the DLD began offering the option to test for a license in Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese and Tongan, which were selected in 2022 by the DLD, Utah Office of Multicultural Affairs and Health Department as the most common languages spoken in Utah, other than English.

Additional languages were added following the passage of H.B. 141 during the 2023 Utah legislative session, which allows the DLD to begin administering certain exams in languages other than English.

This law also allows individuals to request testing in their preferred language, subject to availability, and permits a translator in certain circumstances if testing is not available in an individual’s preferred language.

Christopher Caras, director of the Utah DLD,  said at a Sept. 18 Transportation Interim Committee meeting that the state has administered approximately 22,000 foreign language tests since January.

According to Caras, the pass/fail rates for driver’s license tests are similar across all languages.