diff --git a/Externals.cfg b/Externals.cfg
index 6ecac4c8bf..8c72da2a2b 100644
--- a/Externals.cfg
+++ b/Externals.cfg
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ protocol = git
 required = True
 
 [UFS_UTILS]
-tag = ufs_utils_1_4_0
+tag = ufs_utils_1_6_0
 local_path = sorc/ufs_utils.fd
 repo_url = https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/UFS_UTILS.git
 protocol = git
diff --git a/sorc/checkout.sh b/sorc/checkout.sh
index dbdcd97d84..02533d4ea1 100755
--- a/sorc/checkout.sh
+++ b/sorc/checkout.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ if [[ ! -d ufs_utils.fd ]] ; then
     rm -f ${topdir}/checkout-ufs_utils.log
     git clone --recursive https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/UFS_UTILS.git ufs_utils.fd >> ${topdir}/checkout-ufs_utils.fd.log 2>&1
     cd ufs_utils.fd
-    git checkout ufs_utils_1_4_0
+    git checkout ufs_utils_1_6_0
     cd ${topdir}
 else
     echo 'Skip.  Directory ufs_utils.fd already exists.'