The filing
To form an LLC in Utah, file the Certificate of Organization with the Utah Secretary of State and pay the $59 state fee[2]. A registered agent in Utah is named on the filing.
To have it handled in Utah, Mainstay Filing charges $199 a year plus the $59 state fee at cost[1].
- State filing fee
- $59
- Form
- Certificate of Organization
- Filed with
- Utah Secretary of State
- Registered Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Yearly, $18
- Other states’ fees
- 11 lower, 38 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
01How the filing works in Utah
The order below is the order most filers follow. The state filing is the only step with a Utah fee attached.
- Search the register. Before filing, look the name up on the Utah Secretary of State site[3]. A name too close to an existing Utah entity will be rejected.
- Name a registered agent. Under Utah Code § 16-17-203, the registered agent can be A commercial registered agent listed with the state, a noncommercial agent (an individual or entity), or the holder of a named position in the company.[4] An owner who lives in Utah can serve personally, as an individual, if the address and hours rules are met. The company itself cannot be its own registered agent.
- File the Certificate of Organization. Submit it to the Utah Secretary of State with the $59 fee[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Banks and payroll providers ask for it. The application is made to the IRS, separately from the Utah filing, and the IRS charges nothing.
- Calendar the first Annual Report/Renewal. It is filed every year with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for $18[5]. It is due last day of the entity's anniversary month each year[6].
02The form and where it goes
Utah calls its formation filing the Certificate of Organization. The Utah Secretary of State accepts it[2].
The governing text:
One or more persons may act as organizers to form a limited liability company by delivering to the division for filing a certificate of organization.
Utah Code § 48-3a-201 (Utah Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act)[2].
Acceptance puts the company on the Utah register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the registered agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
03How many new businesses Utah sees
The Census Bureau counted 72,787 applications for new employer ID numbers tied to Utah business addresses in 2025, the 25th most of any state. That count is up 46.5% from 49,669 in 2019.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than Utah LLC formations.
04Two ways to file
Mainstay Filing prepares and submits the Certificate of Organization for $199 a year plus the $59 state fee, which it passes through at cost[1]. The same yearly price covers its service as registered agent, the EIN application and the Annual Report/Renewal each time it is due, and it does not rise at renewal.
Owners can submit the Utah filing themselves at corporations.utah.gov. The fee is $59 whoever files.
05Utah formation costs
Utah's $59 filing fee is below the 50-state median of $100: 11 states charge less and 38 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $59 | [2] le.utah.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report/Renewal | $18 every year | [5] corporations.utah.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $249 first year elsewhere | 5 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $50 | None |
| Colorado | $50 | $25 yearly |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 yearly |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 yearly |
| New Mexico | $50 | None |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
06Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Utah?
The state fee is $59 for the Certificate of Organization[2]. After that, the Annual Report/Renewal costs $18 every year.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in Utah?
Yes. The formation filing names one. An owner who lives in Utah can serve personally, as an individual, if the address and hours rules are met. The company itself cannot be its own registered agent.
Can someone else handle the Utah filing?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Utah LLCs for $199 a year plus the $59 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Report/Renewal, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Utah?
The Utah Secretary of State. Its website: corporations.utah.gov/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Utah Code § 48-3a-201 (Utah Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act); fee set administratively per FY2026 Division fee schedule ($59). le.utah.gov/xcode/Title48/Chapter3a/C48-3a-S201_1800010118000101.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Utah Secretary of State. corporations.utah.gov/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Utah Code § 16-17-203 (Model Registered Agents Act); address rule § 16-17-202. le.utah.gov/xcode/Title16/Chapter17/C16-17_1800010118000101.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code: Annual Report/Renewal rules and fee. corporations.utah.gov/renewal-process/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Utah Code Ann. § 48-3a-212 (annual report for division — Revised Uniform LLC Act); registered-agent contents per § 16-17-203. le.utah.gov/xcode/Title48/Chapter3A/48-3a-S212.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.