2024 Eviction Process in Utah: Laws for Landlords & Property Managers

The Utah eviction process varies from county to county, but they still follow the same general eviction process:

• Send a clear written eviction notice
• Fill out the forms
• Serve the documents
• Attend the trial
• Wait for judgment

Every eviction process is different and dependent on the lease/rental agreement signed by both parties.

This article details a summary for landlords to refer to when evicting a tenant.

Landlords may also ask for legal advice from an attorney, but this may not be free of charge.

Download the Landlord’s Guide to Eviction Laws Whitepaper

Get the quintessential guide to eviction laws on the go from DoorLoop’s “Landlord’s Guide” series. 

‍Click here or on the banner above to download the whitepaper and get all our best tips (by the book).

Now, let’s dive in. 

Eviction Reasons

The first step of every evictions process is giving proper notice. All evictions wherein no notices were given may lead to a failed evictions attempt.

Notices vary depending on the violation committed by the tenant.

There are plenty of free forms online that have all the necessary information to be filled out for use. All that has to be done is filling out the appropriate information on the forms and giving the notice to the tenant.

Notices that contain the wrong information can be used against the landlord.

1. Nonpayment of Rent

Landlords can evict the tenant for failing to pay the rent in Utah state. Paying rent before being evicted usually stops the eviction process.

Rent is usually considered late a day past it is due. A grace period may be available if stated in the lease/rental agreement.

Before they can start the eviction process, landlords must give the tenant an official written 3-Day Notice to Pay.

If the tenant wants to avoid eviction, they have to pay rent. Should they fail to pay the rent due and remain in the property after three days, landlords may continue with the evictions process.

2. Violation of the lease/rental agreement

A tenant can be evicted for violating the terms of the lease.

The rental agreement must be upheld by both tenant and landlord for the entire duration of their stay.

If a tenant violates any terms of the lease, the landlord must issue a 3-Day Notice to Comply.

This notice to comply gives the tenant the chance to reverse the lease violation and remain on the property.

Violations may include:

• Damage to the rental unit
• Subleasing the rental unit
• Smoking in non-smoking areas
• Keeping pets in pet-free properties, etc.

If the tenant remains on the property by the end of the three days and the violation is still present, then the landlord may continue with the eviction.

3. Conducting illegal activity

The law in Utah states that if a tenant has engaged in illegal behavior within the property, landlords must provide an official written eviction notice called a 3-Day Notice to Quit. There are three categories under this reason for the eviction: illegal activity, nuisances, and criminal activity

Examples of illegal activities are, but are not limited to:

• Theft, violence, assault
• Running an illegal business
• Committing a crime within the rental premises

Examples of nuisances are, but are not limited to:

• Prostitution
• Possession and/or firing of an illegal firearm
• Involvement in the creation, distribution, or consumption of a controlled substance

Examples of criminal activity are, but are not limited to:

• Committing a felony
• Engaging in activity involving a criminal gang
• Damaging the property of other tenants and/or the landlord
• Threatening violence against other tenants and the landlord

4. Committing waste

According to Utah law, waste is defined as the harmful destruction of property. In this case, tenants are usually not allowed to renew their lease. The landlord must issue a 3-Day Notice to Quit.

They must leave the premises before the end of the notice period to avoid eviction.

Should the tenant remain on the rental property after three days, the landlord may proceed with the filing for eviction action.

5. Non-renewal of the lease after the rental period ends

In Utah, landlords cannot evict a tenant or force them to vacate the property without probable cause. As long as they don't violate any rules, they can stay until their rental period ends.

But if they stay in the property even a day after their lease ends and have not arranged for renewal, landlords must provide a written notice to move. The most common tenancy is month-to-month.

To download your own Utah lease agreement, visit DoorLoop's Forms Page to quickly download an example lease agreement.

Filing a Complaint

1. How to File a Complaint

The eviction process in Utah provides the landlord with two choices when proceeding with eviction action. The process for each option is explained below:

Option #1: The Complaint is filed to the district court first, then served to the tenant

This option gives the landlord a timeframe of 4 months to serve the Summons and Complaint from the date they file the Complaint to the court

Option #2: The Summons and Complaint is served to the tenant first, then filed to the court

This option gives the landlord a timeframe of 10 days to file the Summons and Complaint to the court once they serve a copy of the documents to the tenant.

2. Timeline

It takes about 3 to 15 days from the issuance of the Notice to Pay/Quit before a landlord can proceed with official eviction action should the landlord choose Option #1.

If the landlord chooses Option #2, then they have a ten-day time period to file the documents to the court.

<table style="width:100%"><tr><th>Lease Agreement / Type of Tenancy</th><th>Eviction Notice to Receive</th></tr><tr><td>At-will</td><td>5-Day Notice to Quit</td></tr><tr><td>Month-to-month</td><td>15-Day Notice to Quit</td></tr></table>

Serving the Tenant

1. How to Serve a Tenant

Utah law states that anyone over the age of 18 and is uninvolved with the case delivers the court order a.k.a. the Summons for the eviction hearing and the Complaint to the tenant. This is the next step in the Utah eviction process.

There are several methods available:

Personal Service: The Summons and Complaint is served to the tenant in person

Substituted Service: If the tenant is unavailable, a copy of the documents may be left to someone residing with them who is of a “suitable” age

Mailing: The server mails the documents, but must request a return receipt

2. After Serving the Summons and Complaint

A tenant must file a written answer in court should they wish to dispute the claims of the eviction hearing. They have to give this answer within 3 days from the date they received the Summons.

If they are unable to give a written answer before the deadline, they can request more time, but approval of this request is not guaranteed.

If they fail to provide a written answer, then the judicial officer will issue a judgment in favor of the landlord without the need for an eviction hearing.

3. Timeline

A landlord who has chosen Option #1 will have about 4 months to serve the documents. The timeline for Option #2 is 3-15 days, depending on the notice period.

Tenants must provide a written answer if they want to dispute the claims and schedule an eviction hearing.

If you want to learn more about Utah's landlord-tenant laws, make sure to visit DoorLoop's Complete Guide to Utah's Landlord-Tenant Laws for more information.

Notice to Comply

Before filing for an eviction with the court, you need to issue the tenant a notice to comply. You can either download the free PDF or Word template, or create your Utah eviction notice from here using a step-by-step wizard that guides you through the entire process to make sure you are submitting the legally correct notice.

Keep in mind, the step-by-step wizard will ask you to pay a small fee at the end - it's a small price to pay to ensure legal compliance and protection. The last thing you want is to go to court only to find out you did the first process incorrect.

Asking for Possession

1. Filing a Motion to Obtain Judgement and get a Judgement for Possession

The landlord has to provide a strong argument and use solid evidence against the defendant. This could include, but is not limited to the following:

• Copy of the deed and lease
• Rent receipts
• Rent ledgers
• Bank statements
• Witnesses
• Photo and video documentation of notices, correspondence, etc.

Should the tenant fail to show up to the hearing, the landlord wins by default.

Either party has 10 days to appeal the judgment, but if the eviction case was due to illegal activity and/or nuisances, they only have 3 days to file for an appeal.

2. Next procedure if the tenant disagreed and replied

In accordance with Utah law, a reply from the tenant is necessary for an occupancy/evidentiary hearing to be scheduled. An occupancy hearing decides if the tenant can remain on the rental property before proceeding to the next step.

An evidentiary hearing has to be held within 10 days after a written answer is filed. In some cases, the court may decide to rule in favor of the landlord, negating the need for a second hearing.

However, if the judicial officer decides that a second hearing is necessary, then it is scheduled within 2 months from the time the landlord first filed the Complaint to the court.

3. Timeline

Eviction hearings are scheduled within 2 months since the landlord filed the Complaint to the court. Either party has 3-10 days to file for an appeal depending on the reason for eviction.

Getting Possession of the Property

1. After the landlord wins the case

Provided that the tenant does not appeal for reconsideration, an Order for Restitution is issued immediately after judgment is passed in favor of the landlord.

The Order for Restitution gives the tenant a maximum of 3 days to vacate the property from the date it is served.

2. Move out process

Before possession of the property is returned to the landlord, Utah eviction law dictates that the tenant has 3 days to move out from the rental unit. However, if the reason for eviction involved illegal activity, the tenant is removed from the property immediately.

Only the sheriff or the appropriate authorities are allowed to evict the tenant by force. Even if the landlord wins the case, they are not free to engage in illegal methods of eviction.

The state of Utah does not specify what to do with a tenant’s belongings. If any belongings are left behind, landlords are advised to contact the tenant and give them a reasonable timeframe to claim them. After the timeframe has passed, the tenant’s property may be sold or disposed of.

3. Timeline

The Order for Restitution is issued immediately after judgment is passed in favor of the landlord.

Tenants have a maximum of 3 days to vacate the property before they are removed by force. However, if the reason for eviction involved illegal activity, they may be removed immediately upon issuance of the Order for Restitution.

Utah Eviction Process Timeline

Below is the average timeline for a complete eviction process. This timeline does not include special cases such as requests for an appeal or continuance.

On average, it would take anywhere between 1 month to 4 months for a complete eviction process. This does not include the extra time it will take when either party files for an appeal, or continuance.

<table style="width:100%"><tr><th>Notice Received by Tenants</th><th>Average Timeline</th><th>Important Things to Remember</th></tr><tr><td>Issuing an Official Notice</td><td>3-15 days</td><td>In this step, give your tenant a written notice prior to the eviction process.</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance and Posting of Summons and Complaint</td><td>10-120 days</td><td>Make sure no mistakes were made in the filing process. All information must be double-checked. This will depend on the option you choose to start the eviction process</td></tr><tr><td>Initial Court Hearing and Judgment (Occupancy/Evidentiary Hearing)</td><td>10 days  </td><td>A Judgment of Possession may be given to you if the judicial officer doesn’t see the need for the second eviction hearing</td></tr><tr><td>Eviction Trial and Judgment</td><td>60 days after Complaint was filed</td><td>If you win this hearing, an Order for Restitution will be given</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance of Order for Restitution</td><td>Immediately</td><td>This gives the tenant a maximum of 3 days to vacate the property; shorter if reason for eviction involved illegal activity</td></tr><tr><td>Return of Rental Unit</td><td>3 days</td><td>You are not allowed to be the one to evict the tenant by force. Leave that job to the authorized officials. </td></tr></table>

Showing Evidence

1. How to keep good records

If the tenant disagrees with the eviction request and they reply to the court, it’s important that you keep extremely good records of everything so you can provide proof to the judge and win your case. This part can make or break your entire eviction request in the event of a dispute.

You can stay organized by:

1. Keeping a physical paper trail - This gets VERY hard to search through, takes up a lot of storage space, and could get lost, damaged, stolen, or burnt in a fire.
2. Scanning documents - Scan every document into your computer. A great scanner is the Brother ADS-1700W for under $200 or the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500 for $400.
3. Backups - Store and backup every file using Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or any other software that make the documents easily and safely accessible.
4. PMS - Use a property management software to save everything from lease agreements, signed documents, violations, emails, notes, invoices, payments, reminders, maintenance requests, pictures, videos, and anything you can imagine. This is used best when you also scan every document into your software.

2. Evidence to show for not paying rent

If the tenant doesn’t pay rent, and they dispute that claim, it’s important that you show the judge the following:

1. Your lease agreement - Showing the terms of the agreement, when rent is due, and any penalties for late payment.
2. All payments - Showing all previous payments, how they were normally made (check, credit card, ACH, etc…), and what date they were normally paid on.
3. Any payment returns - If their check bounced, their bank account had insufficient funds, or they did a chargeback dispute on their credit card, show this to the Judge. Also, show any fees your bank may have charged you, and any penalties you are owed according to your lease agreement.
4. All messages - If you sent your tenant automated or manual payment reminders by text, email, letter, or mail, it’s important to show this. While it’s usually not needed, it is still important to show that the tenant did actually violate the terms expressed in the agreement. This is why it’s always best to have everything in writing instead of any phone calls or face-to-face meetings.

3. Evidence to show for lease violations

If you are evicting the tenant for lease violations, for example, noise complaints, unauthorized pets, or property damages, it’s important to show proof from any of the following methods:

1. Security Cameras - If you have a surveillance system that can show them committing the crime or lease violation, it’s safe to say you will normally win this dispute.
2. Video - If you didn’t catch them in the act, the next best thing is to record a video with your phone of any damages or the lease violation.
3. Pictures - They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, a picture could be worth thousands of dollars! Even if you take a video, it’s important to show the Judge any pictures too as it’s usually easier to see by email or printed.
4. Lease Terms - Once again, show the court which term they violated in their lease agreement. The violation does not necessarily have to be specifically listed in the terms every time. If the violation is bad enough, it might not be needed to have it written. As a good practice though, start adding all of the potential reasons to evict a tenant into your agreement.