Full text of Utah Utah Code § 8a-302 — Definitions., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 8a-302. Definitions.
Effective 10/14/2025 9-8a-302.
Definitions. As used in this part and Part 4, Historic Sites:
(1)
"Agency" means a department, division, office, bureau, board, commission, or other administrative unit of the state.
(2)
"Ancient human remains" means all or part of the following that are historic or prehistoric:
(a)
a physical individual; and
(b)
any object on or attached to the physical individual that is placed on or attached to the physical individual as part of the death rite or ceremony of a culture.
(3)
"Antiquities Section" means the Antiquities Section of the office created in Section 9-8a-304.
(4)
"Archaeological resources" means all material remains and their associations, recoverable or discoverable through excavation or survey, that provide information pertaining to the historic or prehistoric peoples of the state.
(5)
"Collection" means a specimen and the associated records documenting the specimen and the specimen's recovery.
(6)
"Curation" means management and care of collections according to standard professional museum practice, which may include inventorying, accessioning, labeling, cataloging, identifying, evaluating, documenting, storing, maintaining, periodically inspecting, cleaning, stabilizing, conserving, exhibiting, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of original collections or reproductions, and providing access to and facilities for studying collections.
(7)
"Curation facility" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53H-4-211.
(8)
"Excavate" means the recovery of archaeological resources.
(9)
"Historic property" means any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or specimen included in, or eligible for inclusion in, the National Register of Historic Places or the State Register.
(10)
"Indian tribe" means a tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.
(11)
"Museum" means the Utah Museum of Natural History.
(12)
(a)
"Nonfederal land" means land in the state that is not owned, controlled, or held in trust by the federal government.
(b)
"Nonfederal land" includes:
(i)
land owned or controlled by:
(A)
the state;
(B)
a county, city, or town;
(C)
an Indian tribe, if the land is not held in trust by the United States for the Indian tribe or the Indian tribe's members; or
(D)
a person other than the federal government; or
(ii)
school and institutional trust lands.
(13)
"Principal investigator" means the individual with overall administrative responsibility for the survey or excavation project authorized by the permit.
(14)
"Repository" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53H-4-211.
(15)
"School and institutional trust lands" are those properties defined in Section 53C-1-103.
(16)
"Site" means any petroglyphs, pictographs, structural remains, or geographic location that is the source of archaeological resources or specimens.
(17)
"Specimen" means all man-made artifacts and remains of an archaeological or anthropological nature found on or below the surface of the earth, excluding structural remains.
(18)
(a)
"State land" means land owned by the state including the state's:
(i)
legislative and judicial branches;
(ii)
departments, divisions, agencies, boards, commissions, councils, and committees; and
(iii)
institutions of higher education as defined under Section 53H-1-101.
(b)
"State land" does not include:
(i)
land owned by a political subdivision of the state;
(ii)
land owned by a school district;
(iii)
private land; or
(iv)
school and institutional trust lands.
(19)
"Survey" means a surface investigation for archaeological resources that may include:
(a)
insubstantial surface collection of archaeological resources; and
(b)
limited subsurface testing that disturbs no more of a site than is necessary to determine the nature and extent of the archaeological resources or whether the site is a historic property.
Section 8a-302 ("Definitions.") is part of the Utah Code, the codified statutory law of Utah. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Utah § 8a-302?
A common citation format is "Utah Code § 8a-302" (Utah). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Utah law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Utah official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Utah attorney.
How does Utah § 8a-302 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Utah can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
