Utah
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Utah — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Utah
Utah's state courts run a Divorce page covering the process, mediation, forms, and checklists. Start there before anything else.
Utah State Courts — Divorce
The courts' divorce page: process, mediation, forms, and checklists.
utcourts.gov — divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
Utah State Bar — Find a Lawyer
The Bar's directory, pointing to its "Licensed Lawyer" referral service.
utahbar.org — find a lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Utah Legal Services
The nonprofit free civil legal-aid provider statewide (est. 1976), with offices in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and St. George.
utahlegalservices.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-855-323-DCFS (3237) — Utah Child and Family Services, 24/7. Online reporting form available (phone preferred for urgent situations).
dcfs.utah.gov →Utah Housing Corporation — Homeowner Help
Borrowers having trouble with payments can contact the Loan Counselor / Loss Mitigation department: 801-902-8300 or 800-344-0452. (Utah has no state-run foreclosure mediation program; HUD-approved counseling at 800-569-4287 is also free.)
utahhousingcorp.org — homeowner FAQ →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Utah Domestic Violence Coalition
Free confidential 24-hour LINKLine: 1-800-897-LINK (5465).
udvc.org →Unpaid wages in Utah
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Utah.
Where to go
Utah Labor Commission, Wage Claim Unit
Time limit to file
1 year
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Utah
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Utah.
How it works
petition the district court in your county
Typical court fee
$375
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in Utah
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Utah.
Maximum claim
$20,000 (raised effective January 1, 2025)
Filing fee
$60, $100, or $185 depending on claim size
Can you bring one?
yes, allowed ("with or without counsel")
Clearing your criminal record in Utah
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Utah stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement (petition and automatic/Clean Slate)
What qualifies
arrests without conviction; eligible misdemeanors and some nonviolent felonies within conviction-count limits
Waiting period
3–10 years depending on offense class (3 yrs Class C misdemeanor, 4 yrs Class B, 5 yrs Class A/felony drug possession, 7 yrs most felonies, 10 yrs DUI)
Child support in Utah
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Utah.
How it's figured
income shares online child support calculator on the Utah courts/DHS website; guidelines in Utah Code Title 81, chapter 6
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later
Lemon law in Utah
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Utah's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles (New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts of the same defect or 30+ business days out of service within the express warranty term or one year
What you get
replacement or repurchase of the vehicle
Tenant rights in Utah
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Utah.
Notice before eviction
3-business-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment; 15 days to end a month-to-month tenancy
Deposit limits & return
No statutory cap; return within 30 days (or 15 days after forwarding address provided); itemized statement required
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct up to 2 months' rent after written notice under the Fit Premises Act; rent abatement remedy also available
DUI / DWI in Utah
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Utah handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.05; enhanced penalties at 0.16
Typical penalties
48 hours to 6 months in jail (or 48 hours community service), fines $700 and up, 120-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in Utah
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry at 21+; 18–20 may carry with a provisional permit
Carrying openly
Generally allowed at 21+; 18–20 may open carry unloaded without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required on private sales No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes valid concealed carry permits from other states
Filming the police: your rights in Utah
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Utah Code Ann. § 77-23a-4(7)(b))
No buffer-zone law
Utah has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Utah law says recording an officer performing official duties in plain view is not, by itself, interference with a peace officer (Utah Code § 76-8-305(4)). Irizarry v. Yehia, 38 F.4th 1282 (10th Cir. 2022), held the First Amendment right to film police in public is clearly established.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Utah
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Utah
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Utah
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Utah
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Utah
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →