How to Start a Corporation in Utah

You can form a Utah corporation relatively easily. 

After picking a suitable business name and finding a registered agent, you will need to file the Articles of Incorporation with the Utah Division of Corporations & Commercial Code. This is the document that registers your corporation with the State of Utah.

Next, you will need to hold an organizational meeting in order to appoint your corporation’s directors and draft its bylaws.

We’ll show you how to start a corporation in Utah yourself.

Or simply use a professional service:

Northwest ($29 + state fee)

It's Easy to Incorporate in Utah

Step 1: Name Your Utah Corporation
Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent
Step 3: Hold an Organizational Meeting
Step 4: File the Articles of Incorporation
Step 5: Get an EIN

For a look at corporation formation in every state, check out our other How to Start a Corporation guides.

Not sure if a corporation is right for you? Check out our LLC vs. Corporation guide to help you make your decision.

Step 1: Name Your Utah Corporation

Choosing a business name is the first step in starting a corporation. 

1. Utah naming guidelines:

• Needs to contain the word “Corporation,” “Incorporated,” “Company,” or a suitable abbreviation (e.g., Corp, Inc, Co, etc.) in order to be accepted. 
• Cannot include restricted words without receiving prior approval from the relative state agency. Examples of restricted words include “university,” “institution,” and “bank.”  
• Must include the word “Professional Corporation” or “P.C” in order to be accepted if you are registering a professional corporation. 
• Must be distinguishable from all other business names on record, including those that relate to foreign corporations that are authorized to conduct business in Utah. 
• Cannot include words or phrases that suggest that the corporation is an agency of the state — or any of its political subdivisions — without prior authorization.

Read the Utah state statute regarding corporation naming guidelines for more information.

 2. Is my corporation name available in Utah ?

Your Utah corporation name must be unique and distinguishable from other business names in Utah . Use the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code website to determine if your desired business name is available.

3. Is the URL available?

Before registering your Utah corporation, you’ll need to check if a good URL is available for your business name. It’s important to secure your URL right away.

Step 2: Choose a Utah Registered Agent

You must appoint a Utah registered agent when registering your corporation with the Utah Division of Corporations & Commercial Code. 

A registered agent is an individual or entity appointed to receive service of process, government correspondence, and compliance documents on behalf of a business.

Your registered agent can be an individual, business entity, or professional registered agent service. Any member of the corporation or individual can serve as your Utah registered agent as long as the person:

• is 18 years or older
• has a physical address in the state where business activity is conducted
• is available (in person) during normal business hours

Recommended: Northwest offers one year of free registered agent services with their corporation formation package ($29 + State Fees).

Step 3: Hold an Organizational Meeting

Before you officially file the Articles of Incorporation in Step 4, you will need to hold an organizational meeting to complete the following tasks:

• Fill out and execute the Articles of Incorporation
• Create and approve bylaws
• Select your initial director(s)
• Determine your share structure
• Execute an Incorporator’s Statement

Create and Approve Corporate Bylaws

Bylaws are the rules that determine how your organization will be governed and run. For detailed instructions on creating your bylaws, read our corporate bylaws guide.

Appoint Initial Directors

You must appoint at least one director who will oversee your Utah corporation until the first shareholder meeting.

A corporate director is in charge of the adoption, amendment, and repeal of operational bylaws as well as the election, supervision, and removal of officers.

After forming the corporation, the incorporator(s) — or initial director(s), if named on the formation documents — should call an organizational meeting. During this initial meeting, either the incorporator(s) will elect the board of directors or the initial director(s) will appoint the officers. 

Choose a Share Structure and Strategy

A share of stock is the unit of ownership of a corporation. Each share of stock represents a percentage of ownership of the company. For example, if a corporation issues one share of stock the shareholder (stock owner) would then own 100% of the corporation. 

Shares can be structured into classes. Each class, termed a share class, holds different rights and privileges. You can have multiple classes and each class can hold any number of shares.

Authorized Shares: the number of shares the corporation is allowed to issue.
Issued Shares: the total number of shares actually issued to shareholders.
Share Class: a group of shares that has a unique set of rights and privileges.

In Utah, the Articles of Incorporation form allows you to indicate if the corporation will issue more than one authorized share class or series. You must indicate if the share classes are common or preferred.

Common stock gives its shareholder voting rights whereas preferred stock does not. When it comes to company assets, preferred stockholders are paid before common stockholders.

Create and Execute an Incorporator’s Statement

The incorporator(s) should sign an Incorporator’s Statement with complete names and addresses of each initial director and store it in the corporate records book. 

This document names the initial director(s) that will serve until the board of directors is elected during the first shareholder meeting. It should be stored with the rest of your corporate records.

Step 4: File the Utah Articles of Incorporation

You will need to file the Utah Articles of Incorporation to set up a corporation in Utah. You may file it by mail, by fax, in person, or online with the Utah Department of Commerce. The filing cost is $54. 

This document will cover the basics of your corporation, including:

• Corporate name, principal address, and statement of purpose
• Corporate registered agent name and street address
• The number and type of authorized shares the corporation is allowed to issue
• Corporate officers’ and directors’ names and addresses
• Incorporator(s) name(s) and address(es)

In Utah, the Articles of Incorporation form allows you to indicate if the corporation will issue more than one authorized share class or series. You must indicate if the share classes are common or preferred.

Common stock gives its shareholder voting rights whereas preferred stock does not. When it comes to company assets, preferred stockholders are paid before common stockholders.

File the Utah Articles of Incorporation

Option 1: File Online With Utah OneStop Business Registration

- OR -

Option 2: File the Articles of Incorporation by Mail, by Fax, or In Person

Filing Cost: $54

Mailing Address:
Utah Division of Corporations & Commercial Code
P.O. Box 146705
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6705

Office Address:
Heber M. Wells Building
160 E. 300 St., 1st Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

Fax: (801) 530-6438

Step 5: Get an EIN for Your Utah Corporation

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is used by the federal government to identify a business entity. It is essentially a Social Security number for the company. An EIN is needed:

• To open a bank account for the company
• For federal and state tax purposes
• To hire employees

Get an EIN

Option 1: Request an EIN from the IRS

Apply Online

- OR -

Option 2: Apply for an EIN by Mail or Fax

Download Form

Mail to:
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: EIN Operation
Cincinnati, OH 45999

Fax: (855) 641-6935

Fee: Free

Running Your Corporation

It is very important to adhere to the formalities of running a corporation. Read our How to Run a Corporation guide to learn more.

Taxes, Annual Reports, & Licensing

Utah State Corporation Tax Requirements

Depending on the nature of your business, you may be required to register for one or more forms of state tax:

Utah Sales Tax

If you’re selling a product, you’ll typically need to register for a seller's permit through Utah's OneStop website. This allows a business to collect sales tax.

Utah Employer Taxes

If you hire employees, you will need to register for Utah employer taxes through Utah's One Stop website. This includes Employee Withholding Tax, Unemployment Insurance Tax, and Disability Insurance.

Utah Corporation Licenses and Permits

To operate your corporation in Utah, you must comply with federal, state, and local government regulations. For example, restaurants likely need health permits, building permits, signage permits, etc.

Learn more in our Utah Business License guide.

File the Utah Corporate Annual Report/Renewal Form

You must file an Annual Report/Renewal Form with the Department of Commerce each year by the end of your corporation’s registration month. You can submit this filing online. The filing fee is $18.

Corporate Dissolution & Utah Good Standing

How to Get a Utah Certificate of Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing, known in Utah as a Certificate of Existence, verifies that your Utah corporation was legally formed and has been properly maintained.

You may order a Certificate of Existence in Utah by mail, by fax, in person, or online. The fee for these order methods is $12 for a short-form certificate and $20 for a long-form certificate. You will need to provide the following information when making your request:

• Name of corporation
• Whether you want to order a short-form certificate or a long-form certificate
• Name of the person or business requesting the information
• Mailing address 
• Phone number

To file online, search for your corporation, click “Details,” and then click “Purchase Certificate of Existence.” The fee is $12.

Request a Certificate of Existence

Option 1: Request a Certificate Online From the State of Utah

- OR -

Option 2: Request a Certificate by Mail, by Fax, or In Person

Fee: $12 for online orders and short-form orders made by mail, fax, or in person; $20 for long-form orders made by mail, fax or in person

Mailing Address:
160 East 300 South
Box 146705
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6705

Office Address:
160 East 300 South
2nd Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

Fax: (801) 530-6438

How to Dissolve a Corporation in Utah

If at any point you would like to permanently stop doing business, or close your business, it is important to officially dissolve your corporation. Failure to do so in a timely fashion can result in tax liabilities, penalties, or even legal trouble.

There are five main steps to close your Utah corporation:

• Stop doing business
• Hold a board meeting, vote on dissolution, and record the meeting in the corporation minutes
• File the Articles of Dissolution with the Utah Department of Commerce
• Close your federal and state business tax accounts with the IRS and Utah State Tax Commission
• Close your business bank accounts

File Dissolution Documents

Utah corporations have two options for filing dissolution documents: the Application of Dissolution Prior to the Issuance of Shares or the Articles of Dissolution After the issuance of shares.

Application of Dissolution (Prior to the Issuance of Shares)
If your corporation has yet to issue shares, you may file the Application of Dissolution (Prior to the Issuance of Shares). You may file it by mail or fax, and there’s no filing fee.

Articles of Dissolution (After Issuance of Shares)
If your corporation already issued shares, you must file the Articles of Dissolution (After Issuance of Shares). You may file it by mail or fax, and there’s no filing fee.

Is a Corporation Right For You?

An LLC provides limited liability protection without corporate complexity.
Find out if an LLC is the right structure for you.

LLC vs. Corporation | Form an LLC

Steps After Forming a Corporation

After forming a corporation, you’ll want to protect your personal and business assets and build credit.

Taking these steps will set your business up for success:

• Open a Business Bank Account
• Open a Business Credit Card
• Establish and Build Business Credit
• Get Insurance
• Protect Your Corporate Veil

Utah Corporation FAQ

Utah Corporation Quick Links

• Utah Corporation Information
• Utah One Stop Online Business Registration
• Utah Business Name Information
• Utah Corporation Statutes