• The DMV will impound a vehicle driven by someone under the influence.luxury car - model toy car image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
  
  Utah state law provides many penalties for drivers who drive under the influence of controlled substances. State law on driving under the influence also applies to substances such as alcohol, over-the-counter medicines and paint thinner. The Department of Motor Vehicles will impound the vehicle a person under the influence was driving at the time of the arrest.
  
  

Impounded Vehicles

• People caught in Utah driving under the influence of a controlled substance will have their vehicle impounded by the DMV. Only the registered owner of the vehicle will be able to get the vehicle out of the impound lot. The owner must pay a fee of $330 (as of 2010) as well as show photo identification to get the vehicle back. If the vehicle is not registered, the owner must register the vehicle and pay any outstanding taxes or fees he owes on the vehicle.
  
  

Impound Fee Refund

• If the owner of the vehicle was not the one driving the vehicle under the influence, he will still have to pay the impound fee to get the vehicle back. A vehicle's owner can apply for a refund of the fee based on a few scenarios. If the vehicle's owner filed a police report stating the vehicle was stolen and turns in a copy of the stolen vehicle report to the DMV, the owner will qualify for a refund. If the owner of the vehicle was the one driving the vehicle under the influence, he can send a letter to the DMV stating that his license will not be revoked or suspended.
  
  

Underage Drivers

• The state of Utah has put in place a zero-tolerance policy for underage driving under the influence. Drivers under the age of 21 who are caught with a controlled substance, including alcohol, in their body will lose their drivers license for a minimum of 90 days. The DMV will also still impound the vehicle whether the teen is the owner of the vehicle or not.