How to Start an LLC in Utah (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan To start an LLC in Utah, you file a Certificate of Organization online with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, and the fee is $59.

Maya Do I have to download a form?

Dan No. The form is built into the state's online system.

Maya This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, Utah for 2026: six steps with every fee, and the three best ways to have it filed for you. What's first?

0:29 Step 1: Choose a name

Dan Your name needs limited liability company, limited company, or an abbreviation like LLC or LC.

Maya What's off limits?

Dan Words like corporation, incorporated, and partnership aren't allowed in an LLC name.

Maya And it has to be unique?

Dan It has to be distinguishable from names on record. The Division has a free name availability tool.

Maya Can I reserve one?

Dan For $22, you can hold it for 120 days.

0:57 Step 2: Name a registered agent

Maya Who can be our registered agent in Utah?

Dan A commercial registered agent, or a person or business with a street address in Utah.

Maya Does the agent have to agree to it?

Dan Yes. Naming them confirms they've agreed to serve.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Thanks, Maya. The agent's details are public, which is why many owners use a commercial agent.

Maya What if I need to change agents?

Dan A change costs $17.

1:27 Step 3: File the Certificate of Organization

Maya How do I actually file?

Dan Through the state's Business Registration System. You sign in with a UtahID, and the form is right there.

Maya What does it ask for?

Dan The name, the principal office, and the registered agent. The fee is $59.

Maya How long until it's approved?

Dan Most online filings are processed right away. Ones that need manual review take longer.

Maya Can I pay to speed it up?

Dan Expedited processing is $75.

1:57 Step 4: Write an operating agreement

Maya Does the Division collect an operating agreement?

Dan No. It isn't filed, and there's no state fee.

Maya So can I skip it?

Dan Utah law counts even an oral or implied agreement. That's a good reason to write yours down.

Maya What should be in it?

Dan Who owns what, how profits are split, who makes decisions, and what happens if a member leaves.

2:19 Step 5: Get a free EIN

Maya Next is the federal number.

Dan An EIN. Apply free with the IRS at IRS.gov, once the state files your Certificate.

Maya What do I need handy?

Dan The Social Security number or ITIN of the person in charge. If the online application is approved, the number is issued right away.

Maya And the ownership report?

Dan Skip it. FinCEN no longer requires one from U.S. companies.

2:47 Step 6: File the annual renewal

Maya What does Utah want every year?

Dan An annual report, which Utah calls a renewal. It's due by the last day of your anniversary month.

Maya What's the cost?

Dan $18. If you're late, add $10.

Maya And if I ignore it?

Dan At 60 days late, the Division can start an administrative dissolution.

Maya How do I come back from that?

Dan Reinstatement is $54, plus $18 for each missed year and a $10 delinquency fee.

3:18 What it costs

Maya What's the do-it-yourself total?

Dan $59 to form the LLC. Then $18 a year for the renewal. The EIN is free.

Maya So the first two years?

Dan $77. That's the Certificate and your first renewal.

Maya And the extras?

Dan A name reservation is $22, an agent change is $17, and expedited processing is $75.

3:45 What a missed renewal costs

Maya The renewal is only $18. Is it really worth worrying about?

Dan The renewal, no. The mistake, yes. Let's price one missed year.

Maya Go ahead.

Dan Reinstatement is $54, plus $18 for the missed year, plus the $10 delinquency fee. That's $82.

Maya Compared with $18 on time.

Dan Right. And before it gets that far, being late adds a $10 fee.

Maya So the renewal is cheap, and the mistake isn't.

Dan Exactly. Put the date on your calendar the day you form.

4:22 Expedited processing and manual review

Maya Let me ask about speed again. When would I pay the $75?

Dan When you can't wait. Most online filings are processed right away, but one that needs manual review takes longer.

Maya Does the expedite fee replace the $59?

Dan No, it's on top. Expedited processing is $75 per filing.

Maya So a rushed filing costs $134.

Dan Yes, $59 plus $75. Most people skip it, because the standard online route is usually immediate.

4:55 What the Certificate puts on the record

Maya What does my Certificate show the public?

Dan The name, the principal office, and the registered agent.

Maya Not the owners?

Dan Those are the three items we've covered. Your operating agreement stays with you and isn't filed.

Maya So the agent's details matter.

Dan They do, because they're public. That's one more reason a commercial agent is popular.

5:18 The agent question in Utah

Maya Back to the agent. Can I be my own?

Dan If you're a person with a street address in Utah, you can be a noncommercial agent.

Maya What's the trade-off?

Dan Your details are public. Anyone can look up where the agent is.

Maya And a commercial agent?

Dan They're set up for the job, and the address on file is theirs.

Maya What about changing later?

Dan That's $17.

5:40 Your first-year checklist

Maya Order of operations?

Dan Search the name. Choose your agent and confirm they agree. File the Certificate for $59.

Maya Then?

Dan Write your operating agreement, get your EIN, and put the last day of your anniversary month in your calendar for the $18 renewal.

5:59 The 3 best ways to file in Utah

Maya What if I want someone else to file for me?

Dan Here are the three best ways to file in Utah. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $59 state fee, checkout comes to $258.

Maya What do you get?

Dan Your Certificate of Organization filed, your EIN application, and your registered agent every year. It renews at $199.

Maya And the renewal?

Dan Mainstay files it by the end of your anniversary month. You pay only the $18 state fee.

Maya Number two?

Dan UT Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Certificate for $199 plus the state fee, also $258 at checkout. The first year of agent service is free, then $99 a year.

Maya And three?

Dan Utah Registered Agent.co. Same offer. $199 plus the state fee, first year of agent service free, then $99 a year.

Maya How should I choose?

Dan If you'll file your own renewal each year, numbers two and three cost less from year two, at $99 a year for the agent alone. The $18 state fee is the same either way.

7:21 Three years of service fees

Maya What's the three-year picture?

Dan Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597. Number two or three is $199 in year one, then $99 a year for two more, so $397.

Maya A $200 difference.

Dan Yes. With Mainstay, that gap covers your renewal being filed for you.

7:47 Recap

Maya Recap it for me.

Dan Choose a name with LLC in it, name a registered agent with a Utah street address, file the Certificate of Organization online for $59, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and file your $18 renewal every year.

Maya The links to all three services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new Utah LLC.