Hiring a Business Lawyer in Utah
How to form an LLC in Utah, the state fees and yearly filings, how to check a lawyer's license, and the state bar's fee rules. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Utah: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Utah Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c) (Supreme Court Rules of Professional Practice, Rule 3-1.5), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery; and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly notify the client of expenses owed whether or not the client prevails, and at the end the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the remittance and how it was determined. Rule 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Utah State Bar's Fee Dispute Resolution Program handles fee disputes between clients and attorneys practicing in Utah, by mediation or binding arbitration. Participation is voluntary; the bar cannot force either side into binding arbitration, and both attorney and client must sign the petition. Binding arbitration has a $10.00 filing fee, and the decision is final except on narrow grounds. Disputes under $10,000 are heard by one lawyer, though for amounts between $7,500 and $10,000 the petitioner may choose a three-member panel. Mail the notarized Fee Dispute Petition Form and Agreement Form, marked "personal and confidential," to Utah State Bar Fee Dispute, 645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111; questions: feearbitration@utahbar.org. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Utah State Bar's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection reimburses losses caused by the dishonest conduct of lawyers and licensed paralegal practitioners licensed in Utah, arising from a lawyer-client, LPP-client or fiduciary relationship. Assigned claims, third-party claims and certain Ponzi or pyramid-scheme investment losses are excluded. File within one year after the date of the final order of discipline, the lawyer's death, or the order of disability; procedures and the claim form are in Rule 4-911. |
Utah rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | File a certificate of organization online with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code: log in with a UtahID, choose "Formations" (Domestic), select the business entity type and follow the step-by-step filing flow. The Division's renewal page says processing times are currently 7-10 business days. |
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| LLC filing fee | The Division of Corporations and Commercial Code lists the fee for a limited liability company (LLC) certificate of organization at $59. An optional expedited processing fee is $75 per filing. |
| Annual report | All registered business entities, including LLCs, must file an annual report (also called a renewal) to stay active. The fee for a domestic or foreign LLC is $18 (including a $5 surcharge), and the late renewal fee is $10. Renewals are filed online by logging in with a UtahID and choosing "Renewals." An expired LLC can be reinstated for $54, plus $18 for each year the renewal was missed. The annual due date was not stated on the pages reviewed. |
| Closing an LLC | A domestic LLC files a dissolution or termination online ("File On An Existing Business"); the fee schedule lists domestic entity voluntary dissolution/termination as No Charge. A foreign entity withdrawal is also No Charge. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Utah State Bar's Get Legal Help page points the public to LicensedLawyer, to learn about licensed Utah lawyers in good standing, and to the Utah State Bar's Modest Means Lawyer Referral Program for reduced-rate help (income qualification required). Source: Utah State Bar, Get Legal Help |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | Utah's Office of Professional Conduct points the public to the Utah State Bar's Licensed Lawyer website (licensedlawyer.org) to look up Utah lawyers; its online complaint form also includes a Search Attorney Database tool. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Utah Office of Professional Conduct (OPC), charged by the Utah Supreme Court with investigating possible grounds for discipline of lawyers and licensed paralegal practitioners, is no longer part of the Utah State Bar. File a complaint with the OPC's online form, or print the fillable form and mail it. An OPC attorney reviews it and investigates if it suggests rule violations; typical timelines for cases not dismissed are about 150 days for initial investigation, 120 days for follow-up, and 90 days for the screening panel. The information you provide is shared with the lawyer; anonymous complaints and complaints against a whole firm are not accepted, and a filed complaint cannot be withdrawn. The process does not provide reimbursement. Public discipline can be searched in the OPC's Attorney Public Discipline list. Public discipline: https://www.opcutah.org/lawyer-public-discipline/ |
All legal help in Utah · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.