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Start a Free LLC in Utah

Forming an LLC in Utah means filing a Certificate of Organization with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. Use our basic LLC filing service to form your Utah LLC for free, where we prepare and file that Certificate of Organization on your behalf. You only pay the $59 state fee. Pick one of our premium packages to add a registered agent, an operating agreement, EIN filing, and other Utah LLC services.

Utah LLC Formation Packages

Start your LLC at $0 + state fees

How to Form a Utah LLC in 5 Steps

Start an LLC in Utah by choosing a business name that meets Utah's naming rules. Next, you appoint a Utah registered agent to accept legal mail on your LLC's behalf. Then you file your Certificate of Organization with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code and pay the state fee. Utah skips the publication requirement and the state-level business license that slow down formation in other states, keeping the process simple.

Swyft Filings handles this paperwork in all 50 states, and once your Utah documents are filed, you can pull them up anytime through your online dashboard. Once your LLC is approved, you'll want an operating agreement in place and an EIN on file. Here's how each step works.

Step 1: Pick a Name for Your Utah LLC

Picking your Utah LLC name is the first real decision to start your LLC in Utah, since it carries over to your Certificate of Organization, your operating agreement, your bank account, and pretty much every form of your business files after that.

Not sure where to start? Run a few options through our free business name generator and shortlist two or three, so you're not stuck if your first pick is already taken.

Utah LLC Naming Rules (48-3a-107)

Legal designator: Your name must include "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C." You can shorten "Limited" to "Ltd."
Restricted and prohibited words: Your name can't imply a purpose, license, or government affiliation your LLC doesn't actually have. Words tied to banking or insurance need extra approval before the state will accept them.

Before you get attached to a name, run your name through Business Entity Record Search and Name Availability Search. The former shows whether there is an existing business with the same name you have chosen, and the latter shows whether a name is available in Utah.

Availability in a quick search is a good sign, not a guarantee, since the Division of Corporations has the final say once you file. Read our Utah Business Entity Search guide to learn more about this.

Yes. If you're not ready to file your LLC yet, you can hold your name for 120 days by filing an Application for Reservation of Business Name with the Utah Division of Corporations for a $22 fee. You can renew the hold for another 120 days by submitting a new application and paying the $22 fee again before your current reservation expires.

To submit it online:

Go to the Utah state site and create an account to get your UtahID.
Once logged in, go to your dashboard.
In the menu on the left, click "Other."
Select the name reservation type for Domestic LLC.
Complete the form and pay the $22 fee.

You'd only need to file for a DBA (Utah calls it an assumed business name) if you want to operate under something other than the name on your Certificate of Organization. The fee is $22, and once approved, the registration is valid for 3 years before you must renew it for $27.

Filing online:

Go to Utah's OneStop Business Registration site or the Division of Corporations portal and log in with your UtahID (create one if you don't have it yet).
Search the Business Search tool first to confirm your assumed name isn't already taken.
Select the DBA/Business Name Registration filing option.
Fill in your business details, including your LLC's legal name, entity number, and the assumed name you want to register.
Submit the form and pay the $22 fee online.

Online filings are typically processed within about one business day.

Filing by paper:

Download and complete the Business Name Registration/DBA Application form.
Mail it, along with a check or money order for $22 made out to the State of Utah, to: Utah Division of Corporations & Commercial Code, P.O. Box 146705, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6705.
Alternatively, you can hand-deliver or fax the form to the Division at the Heber M. Wells Building, 160 E 300 S, 1st Floor, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.

Paper, mail, and fax filings generally take about 6 to 7 business days to process, plus mail transit time.

Buy the domain name when your filing is approved. If you get the domain first and then the state rejects your name, you will be stuck with a domain tied to a name you can't use. In that case, you might have to change your business name and apply for a new domain name.

Not required by the state but worth considering. Your Certificate of Organization only registers your business name with the state of Utah. It doesn't create trademark rights, and it doesn't stop another business, in Utah or anywhere else, from using a similar or identical name for their goods or services.

If your business only operates locally in Utah with no plans to expand, a state trademark (or no trademark at all beyond your LLC name) may be enough. But if you plan to sell online, ship products across state lines, or grow beyond Utah, a federal trademark is the stronger, more defensible option, since state registration and even a federal registration filed later can still be challenged by someone who registered the same or a similar mark with the USPTO first.

Step 2: Appoint a Utah Registered Agent

Utah won't approve your Certificate of Organization without a registered agent listed. A registered agent is the official point of contact with the state. They accept lawsuits, state notices, and other legal mail so nothing important slips past you.

Utah has a few ground rules here. Whoever you appoint needs a real Utah street address (P.O. boxes are out) and has to be reachable during normal business hours to sign for documents. Utah doesn't allow your LLC serving as its own agent, so you'll need to name yourself, a partner, or a professional registered agent service instead.

Before you put anyone's name down, get their sign-off. Utah requires that consent, but it stays in your own files. You don't submit it to the state.

Read our Utah Registered Agent guide to learn more about the appointment process.

Yes, as long as you have a real Utah street address and can actually be there during business hours to accept documents. Keep in mind that address becomes part of the public record once your Certificate of Organization is approved, which is exactly why plenty of owners hire a professional service instead.

If the Division of Corporations finds your LLC has no registered agent, it mails written notice first. You then have a 60-day cure period to fix the issue, typically by updating your registered agent information. If you don't resolve it within that time, the Division will administratively dissolve your LLC, limiting it to wind-up activities only. Reinstating costs $54, plus any other fees or penalties owed. Separately, missing state mail sent to your agent's address can also cause you to miss lawsuit notices, potentially leading to a default judgment against your LLC.

File the update through the Utah business registration system with your UtahID login as soon as your agent's name or address changes. Waiting only increases the odds that something important gets sent to an address that's no longer good. Swyft Filings can prepare and file the change of registered agent papers with the state on your behalf.

Step 3: File Your Utah Certificate of Organization

The Certificate of Organization is the document that makes your Utah LLC official, and filing it with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code costs a flat $59.

You've got more than one way to get this filed:

Online: File through the Utah business registration system with a UtahID login. This is the quickest route.
Mail: Download and complete the Certificate of Organization form, then send it with payment to the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, P.O. Box 146705, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6705.
In person: Drop off your completed form at 160 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
Fax: Send your completed form and credit card payment details to (801) 530-6438.

What Information You Need to File

LLC name with a legal designator
Principal office street address, plus a mailing address if it's different
Registered agent's name and Utah street address
Name and signature of the organizer submitting the form
Names and addresses of members or managers, if you'd like to include them (this is optional at filing)
Duration of the LLC, perpetual by default unless you set an end date
A brief statement of business purpose, or you can use a general purpose clause, or skip this line entirely

Utah doesn't make you name your members or managers on the Certificate of Organization at all. That information only shows up the first time you file your annual report, so your ownership details stay off the public record for at least that first year. If you make any spelling error on your filing, a Statement of Correction can fix it.

Filing online is by far the faster option, since most online submissions are processed within about 1 business day, sometimes within minutes. Mailing in your paperwork takes longer, generally 3 to 10 business days, since a staff member has to manually open, review, and process each paper filing.

Utah offers expedited processing for an additional $75 fee, bringing your total to $134. This drops turnaround to about 1 to 2 business days. It's worth noting that expedited processing mainly benefits mail filers, since online filings are already approved quickly on their own, meaning there's often little to gain by paying extra if you're filing online anyway.

Already have an LLC formed somewhere else and want to operate in Utah too? You'd file a Foreign Registration Statement rather than starting a brand new LLC. If you'd rather move your LLC's legal home entirely to Utah, Articles of Domestication lets you do that while keeping your company's original formation date and history intact.

Not many states offer this, but Utah does. A Series LLC allows a single parent LLC hold several separate series, each with its own liability shield and treated as a separate business. If you're running multiple ventures and don't want to form a separate LLC for each, this structure is worth a look. You'd file it as a Certificate of Organization (Series Limited Liability Company) for the same standard fee.

Step 4: Create a Utah LLC Operating Agreement

Your operating agreement is where you set the rules for your Utah LLC before anyone can argue about them later. Lay out who manages what, how profits and losses get divided, how votes get decided on major calls, and what happens if someone wants out.

You don't have to start from a blank page. Use our free operating agreement template as a starting point, or skip the drafting altogether and let Swyft Filings create a custom operating agreement around your business through a short questionnaire.

For the full walkthrough, including sample clauses for management structure and ownership, check our Utah Operating Agreement guide.

If you're the sole owner, a brief agreement that documents your ownership and separates your business from your personal finances usually covers it. Bring on a second member, and the document has to do more work. It needs to spell out each person's ownership share, how votes get decided, how profits and losses are split, whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, and what happens if someone wants to sell their stake or walk away.

This one's entirely on you and your co-members, since the state never sees your operating agreement in the first place. Check what your original agreement says about amendments, whether that means a simple majority or everyone has to sign off, then get the update in writing and signed by every member so there's no confusion later about which version applies.

Step 5: Get an EIN

Think of an EIN as your LLC's Social Security number. The IRS issues this nine-digit federal ID, and banks, licensing agencies, and the IRS itself all use it to identify your business from here on out.

You can apply for an EIN directly on the IRS website and get it for free in minutes. If you purchase one of our paid Utah LLC formation packages, we prepare and submit the EIN application for you, so you don't have to handle the IRS process yourself.

You'll need an EIN to open a business bank account, hire employees, file federal taxes, and register with the Utah State Tax Commission if your LLC sells taxable goods or services.

Each series in a Utah Series LLC carries its own liability protection and is treated as a separate business; the IRS typically expects each series to apply for its own EIN if it will open bank accounts or file taxes independently.

What Are the Post-Formation Requirements for an LLC in Utah?

File Your Utah LLC Annual Report

Utah requires an annual report from every active LLC, due on the anniversary of your Certificate of Organization's approval, for an $18 fee. Miss that date and a late fee kicks in. Let it slide long enough, and your LLC drops into delinquent, then expired status, at which point getting back to good standing means filing for reinstatement.

Open a Business Bank Account for Your Utah LLC

Keep your Utah LLC's money separate from your own the moment you're approved. Bring your EIN, your approved Certificate of Organization, and your operating agreement to open a business bank account, since most Utah banks will want to see all three before they'll open it.

Apply for a Business License in Utah

There's no general state-level business license in Utah, but that doesn't mean you're automatically clear to operate. Depending on your city or county and what your business actually does, a local license or permit might still apply. Our business license guide walks through what to check for your Utah LLC.

How Much Does an LLC Cost in Utah?

Utah runs cheaper than most states when it comes to forming an LLC. The only expense you can't avoid is the $59 state filing fee, and Swyft Filings covers the paperwork itself for free under our basic package. Everything else on this list, from name reservation and a DBA to registered agent service, only applies if you actually choose to use it.

Filing	Cost
Certificate of Organization	$59
Name reservation (120 days)	$22
DBA / assumed business name registration	$22
Annual report (renewal)	$18
Amendment or Statement of Correction	$17
Expedited processing	$75

DIY vs Swyft Filings: Utah LLC Formation Difference

You can form a Utah LLC on your own, but that means you're the one handling the filing, keeping up with registered agent coverage, staying on top of compliance deadlines, and catching your own mistakes before the state does.

Item	DIY	Swyft Filings
Utah LLC Operating Agreement	You draft your own from scratch or use a free template	A custom LLC operating agreement is included.
Utah Registered Agent	You handle it on your own	Professional RA service is available
Attorney access	You'd need to hire one separately	Personalized guidance from a business attorney is available
Domain Name + Website	You build and host it yourself	Done-for-you website + domain included, through partner UENI
Utah Business license Research	You do yourself	Available as an add-on
Utah DBA filing	You handle yourself	Available as an add-on
Document Vault	Not available. You manage your own files	Secure online portal, 24/7 document access
Utah Compliance management	You track deadlines yourself	Compliance support is available through ComplianceGuard
Tax consultation	Not included. You'd book this separately	Free 30-minute tax consultation included, through partner 1-800Accountant
Support	None	Lifetime customer support

Let Swyft Filings Handle Your LLC Paperwork

Since 2015, Swyft Filings has helped over 600,000+ owners with business formation and compliance management. Our business formation specialists manually review your application for accuracy. Take the first step toward building your LLC with confidence. Skip the guesswork and let Swyft Filings handle your paperwork!

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Swyft Filings Utah Resources

*Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about forming an LLC in Utah and is not a substitute for legal, tax, or financial advice.*

Check LLC Formation Guides for Other States

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How to Form Utah LLC

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Pick Swyft Filings' basic Utah LLC formation package. We prepare and file your Certificate of Organization with the Division of Corporations at no charge, so the only thing you're on the hook for is Utah's $59 state filing fee.

Our basic package covers document preparation and filing only, which works fine if you're comfortable handling your own registered agent duties, operating agreement, and EIN application. A premium package makes more sense if you'd rather have a registered agent, a custom operating agreement, and EIN filing handled for you from day one.

File the Certificate of Organization yourself, directly with the Division of Corporations, and you'll only pay the $59 state fee. Or use Swyft Filings' basic package, which prepares and files that same paperwork for free, so you're still only out the state fee either way.

When Swyft offers expedited service, that refers to how fast Swyft prepares and submits your paperwork to the state, not how quickly the state itself reviews and approves it. Actual approval speed is determined entirely by the Utah Division of Corporations' processing queue and workload, regardless of whether the state's own expedited fee is paid.