In Utah, business names are registered with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, part of the Department of Commerce, rather than a Secretary of State. Its Business Entity Search lets you look up existing businesses and check name availability, and the Division also runs a separate Business Name Availability tool.
Utah’s business entity laws were reorganized on October 1, 2026, including new DBA rules. A name reservation costs $22 for 120 days, and a DBA costs $22, now lasts three years, and requires a Utah registered agent.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Utah (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming your LLC once your name is clear in Utah, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Utah registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | UT Registered Agent.org | Utah registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Utah Registered Agent.co | Utah registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Utah. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. UT Registered Agent.org
UT Registered Agent.org is a Utah registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Utah Registered Agent.co
Utah Registered Agent.co is a Utah registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Utah business name search at a glance
| Item | Utah details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code |
| Search tools | Business Entity Search and Business Name Availability |
| LLC Certificate of Organization | $59 |
| Name reservation | $22; 120 days |
| DBA (assumed name) | $22 with the Division; three-year term; $18 renewal |
| Annual renewal (LLC) | $18, due by the last day of the anniversary month; $10 late fee |
| Amendment (name change) | $17 |
Fees are from the Division’s fiscal year 2026 fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025). Renewal fees include a $5 surcharge for the state’s single sign-on portal. Mainstay Filing’s Utah LLC cost guide shows the total cost of forming an LLC.
How to search Utah business names
The Division’s searches page lists several tools. For a name check, two matter most.
Business Entity Search
Open the Business Entity Search in the Business Registration System. Enter the main words of your name without LLC or Inc. and review existing corporations, LLCs, partnerships and DBAs. Older links to secure.utah.gov/bes now forward here.
Business Name Availability
The Business Name Availability tool gives a quick read on whether a specific name can be registered. Run each variation you’re considering.
Apply Utah’s distinguishability test
A new name needs at least one different word, letter or numeral compared with names on record. Changing only the designator, adding “the,” “and,” “a” or “plus,” or altering punctuation, spacing, capitalization, abbreviations or singular and plural forms doesn’t count.
Know when a person reviews the name
Most online filings process immediately, but the Division says filings needing a name conflict evaluation can take 5 to 7 business days. The Registered Principal Search ($3) and principal lookups ($1) cost extra if you need them, but you won’t need either just to check whether a name is free. For fresh ideas, try Namechk’s business name generator.
Utah business name rules (updated October 1, 2026)
Utah’s naming rules now sit in Utah Code Title 16, Chapter 1a, Part 3, part of the recodified Title 16 Business Entities.
- LLC: include “limited liability company,” “limited company,” or L.L.C., LLC, L.C. or LC; Ltd. and Co. are accepted abbreviations. An LLC name can’t contain “association,” “corporation,” “incorporated,” “partnership,” “limited partnership” or “L.P.”
- Corporation: include corporation, incorporated or company, or Corp., Inc. or Co.
- Banned or restricted: “Olympic,” “Olympiad” and “Citius Altius Fortius” need U.S. Olympic Committee consent; the “911” sequence is barred; financial-institution words need Department of Financial Institutions consent; and names can’t imply a state agency.
- Consent: an indistinguishable name may be allowed with the other owner’s written consent if the name includes an entity designator.
How to reserve a business name in Utah
- Where: through the Division of Corporations’ business entity filings.
- Fee: $22.
- Term: 120 calendar days (Utah Code § 16-1a-304).
- Transfer: a reservation can be transferred to another person.
With LLC formation at only $59, many Utah founders skip the reservation and form the company as soon as the name checks out. A reservation holds the name only on the Division’s records; it doesn’t create trademark rights, and it doesn’t stop someone from registering a matching domain or social handle.
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
The Business Entity Search doesn’t show federal trademarks. Search the USPTO trademark database and Utah’s own trademark search. Utah registers state trademarks for $50 for the first class and $25 for each additional class.
Then check availability online. Namechk checks domain names and social media usernames in one search, and the domain name generator suggests alternatives.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to register a DBA in Utah
Utah rewrote its assumed name law (Title 42, Chapter 2) effective October 1, 2026. A DBA is now a D.B.A. certificate filed with the Division of Corporations, not a county office.
- Deadline: file within 30 days after you start doing business under the name.
- Fee: $22; renewal is $18, and cancellation or transfer is free.
- Term: three years. Renewal opens 60 days before expiration, with a 30-day grace period after notice.
- New requirement: the DBA owner must designate and maintain a Utah registered agent.
- Name rules: a DBA can’t include LLC or Inc.-type terms unless the owner is that kind of entity, and it must be distinguishable under the same test as entity names.
An LLC that trades only under its exact registered name doesn’t need a D.B.A. certificate. Sole proprietors and partnerships that already hold a Utah DBA should plan for the new registered agent requirement before their next renewal comes due.
After the search: forming your Utah business
Once your name is clear, our Utah LLC guide walks through formation.
- File a Certificate of Organization online in the Business Registration System. The fee is $59.
- Appoint a registered agent: an individual 18 or older with a physical Utah address, or a business authorized in Utah. The LLC can’t name itself. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (Utah costs); our Utah registered agent guide explains the rules.
- Get an EIN from the IRS (free).
- Renew every year. The $18 annual renewal is due by the last day of your anniversary month and can be filed up to 60 days early (§ 16-1a-212). Our Utah start-a-business guide covers tax registration and licenses.
FAQs
Who handles business name searches in Utah?
The Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, part of the Department of Commerce. Utah has no Secretary of State business registry. Its Business Entity Search at businessregistration.utah.gov lets you search existing businesses and check name availability, and a separate Business Name Availability tool is linked from the Division’s searches page.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Utah?
Reserving a business name in Utah costs $22 under the Division of Corporations’ fiscal year 2026 fee schedule. The reservation lasts 120 calendar days under Utah Code § 16-1a-304 and can be transferred to another person. Because forming an LLC costs only $59, many owners simply file the LLC instead.
What changed for Utah DBAs in 2026?
Effective October 1, 2026, Utah rewrote its assumed name law. A D.B.A. certificate must be filed with the Division within 30 days of starting business, lasts three years, and the owner must designate and keep a Utah registered agent. Filing costs $22 and renewal costs $18.
What makes a Utah business name distinguishable?
Under Utah Code § 16-1a-302, a name must differ from existing names by at least one word, letter or numeral. Differences in entity designators, articles like the or a, punctuation, spacing, capitalization, abbreviations, or singular and plural forms don’t count. Written consent can allow an indistinguishable name that includes a designator.
How much does an LLC cost in Utah?
Forming a Utah LLC costs $59 for the Certificate of Organization. Each year after that, the LLC files an $18 annual renewal by the last day of its anniversary month, with a $10 late fee if it’s filed late. Utah’s fees are among the lowest in the country.
How do I change my LLC’s name in Utah?
File an amendment with the Utah Division of Corporations through the Business Registration System. The fee schedule lists $17 for an amendment to a domestic or foreign entity, or $25 if you want it precleared. Check the new name with the Business Name Availability tool first and keep an LLC designator in it.
Does a Utah business entity search include trademarks?
No. The Business Entity Search covers businesses registered with the Division of Corporations. Utah trademarks have their own search, and federal trademarks are only in the USPTO database. Check both, and confirm your domain and social handles are available before you settle on a name.
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