Utah handyman license rules: what your B100, R100, R101 or specialty license lets you do, and where a handyman must stop

Published November 3, 2026 · Law checked November 3, 2026

• Free to read, nothing to download. The "can I take this job?" table below is the tool.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and where it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. Every rule here links to the statute or rule it comes from. Ask DOPL or a Utah attorney before you bet a job on my reading.

Utah has no handyman license. Without a DOPL contractor license, a job is legal only if its whole value (labor, materials and every change order) stays under $7,000 and it touches no plumbing, wiring, gas or HVAC.¹ Your license takes you past that line, and your classification sets how far. A B100 can build any building at any size. An R100 covers houses up to four units and small commercial buildings. An R101 covers non-structural remodeling and repair up to $50,000 a project, and each S license covers its own trade.^3,5 None of them lets you wire or plumb with your own hands. That takes a licensed electrician or plumber.

A lot of what's online about this is out of date. On the day I wrote this, Google's AI answer for "utah handyman license" said a full license is mandatory over $3,000 and that the insurance minimum is $100,000 per incident. The line moved to $7,000 with H.B. 483 in 2024,¹ and the insurance minimum went to $1 million per incident in March 2026.³ Kaysville City's handyman handout still quotes a $1,000 line.²³ Below is what the statute and DOPL's rule say today, what your classification lets you take, and what crossing the line costs. One more thing to know: on January 1, 2027 most of Utah's contractor law gets new section numbers, so I give both. The paperwork side (your license number and the lien notice in every contract) is its own article: the Utah contract template.

Utah contractor license classifications: what B100, R100, R101 and the S licenses cover

Utah licenses every builder, remodeler and trade under one law, the Construction Trades Licensing Act (Utah Code Title 58, Chapter 55), and DOPL's rule R156-55a draws the scope of each classification. Most classifications have no dollar cap. The letters and number on your license set what you may do, and for an R101 they set the size too.

The 10% rule for specialty licenses

A specialty contractor may do work in another trade only if it's "incidental" to its own.⁵ DOPL defines incidental as work that arises from and directly relates to your licensed trade, can be done safely by you, "does not exceed 10% of the overall contract," and "does not include performance of any electrical or plumbing work."³ So an S220 hanging a new door can patch and paint the drywall around it. An S220 who sells a whole basement finish, drywall and paint included, has gone past 10%.

R101: watch the $50,000 and the walls

The R101 limit is per project, and it counts "related series of projects" together, materials and labor included.³ A kitchen sold as phase one and phase two is one project. A $46,000 bathroom that grows by $5,000 in change orders is over the line. And no bearing walls, footings or foundations, whatever the price.

One sentence in the R101 rule deserves a careful read before your first remodel: "An R101 licensee providing services under this Chapter may not subcontract or hire any person to perform work on a project outside the scope defined" for R101. Plumbing and electrical work are outside that scope. The B100 rule has an explicit exception letting a B100 subcontract to licensed plumbing, electrical and HVAC contractors. The R101 rule has none, and most S licenses carry the same sentence (S280's has a narrow electrical exception).³ Read literally, that means you can't put the plumber and electrician under your contract at all. I didn't find DOPL guidance on how it applies this. Ask DOPL in writing before you sign a remodel that includes trade work. The arrangement that clearly stays inside the text is the homeowner signing directly with the licensed plumber and electrician.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC: what you sub out

Utah licenses the trades twice. The business needs a contractor classification (E200 general or E201 residential electrical, P200 general or P201 residential plumbing, H100 HVAC), and the person doing the work needs an individual license: apprentice, journeyman, residential journeyman, master or residential master.^3,5 Your B100, R100 or R101 is neither.

Here is how the general licenses handle trade work:

• B100 and R100 on a house of up to four units: you can employ licensed journeyman or master electricians and plumbers to do the work, or sub it to an electrical or plumbing contractor.^3,5 On bigger or commercial buildings, it goes to the licensed contractor.
• "Maintenance" doesn't get around it. DOPL's definition of maintenance excludes "any electrical work" and plumbing work unless "the individual performing such work holds a journeyman ... or master" trade license.³
• The minor plumbing exemption is narrower than it was. Anyone may do "minor plumbing work" without a license: repair of a fixture or appliance with no change to the water, waste or vent piping or to anything gas. It never covers "installation or replacement of a water heater" or a first-time install.^1,6 Until January 14, 2026 the rule said "repair or replacement" of fixtures. The version in force since January 15, 2026 says "repair" only.⁶ Fixing the faucet that's there is exempt. Swapping in a new one, on my reading, no longer is.
• The minor electrical exemption covers only the wiring for HVAC equipment, appliances or machinery, run no more than ten feet from an existing outlet or disconnect meant for that equipment. It excludes "modification or repair of Premises Wiring" and installing an outlet or disconnect.⁷ A light fixture, a switch or a receptacle is premises wiring.
• Gas: anyone who installs, repairs or replaces a gas appliance or combustion system, licensed or exempt, needs DOPL's natural gas certification first.⁸

HVAC and the H100

In 2026 the H100 classification replaced the S350 for HVAC contractors. Anyone with an active S350 license as of January 1, 2026 is treated as holding an H100 through November 30, 2027.³ The B100 and R100 four-unit exception is where it gets murky. Until December 31, 2026, the statute says a general or residential contractor building houses of up to four units "may perform the mechanical work," and the B100 rule repeats that for HVAC.^5,3 From January 1, 2027, the re-enacted definitions cover that mechanical work only "when the mechanical work is performed by" a licensed plumber or electrician you employ.⁵ I'd sub furnace, AC and heat pump work to an H100 unless DOPL tells you in writing that your situation fits the exception.

Whoever you sub to, look them up on DOPL's license lookup first and check the classification, not only that the license is active.²² Hiring someone who isn't licensed, unless they're your wage employee and don't need a license, is unlawful conduct in its own right.⁹

The Utah handyman exemption: the $7,000 line, counted Utah's way

If you're licensed, this section is about the people around you: helpers, the guy who wants to sub drywall for you, and the handyman who underbids you on small jobs. It's also the line you crossed when you got licensed, and you should know exactly where it sits.

• Under $7,000, not at it. The exemption covers a building job "with a contracted or agreed value of less than $7,000."¹ $6,999 is exempt. $7,000 needs a license.
• Labor and materials together, "including all changes or additions to the contracted or agreed upon work."¹ A $6,500 job that grows to $7,200 is a $7,200 job. From 2027 the test is a project with "a total cost of less than $7,000 including labor, material, and changes,"² which reads as counting materials whoever buys them.
• Per project. DOPL's rule counts "an individual project or series of related projects."³ Three $4,000 invoices for one basement are one $12,000 project.
• No yearly cap. I found no limit on the number of small jobs a year, no duty to tell the customer you're unlicensed, and no permit condition in the statute.¹
• Over $3,000, paperwork. The handyman files a one-time Affirmation of Exemption with DOPL showing liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 in total, with DOPL as certificate holder, plus workers' comp or a Labor Commission waiver. It's reaffirmed by November 30 of each odd-numbered year.^3,4 From 2027 they must also register with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code.²
• Trade work is out at any price. On an exempt job, work on an electrical or plumbing system goes to a licensed contractor, and a component "such as a faucet, toilet, fixture, device, outlet, or electrical switch" to a licensed journeyman or contractor. Gas needs certification, HVAC "must be performed by an HVAC contractor licensed by the division," and radon, fire sprinklers and alarms have their own licenses.¹ From 2027 the exemption simply doesn't apply to a job that involves any of these.²
• No "contractor" in the name. Using "contractor" or "builder," or otherwise leading people to think you are one, counts as engaging in a construction trade.⁵ DOPL's form says an affirmation with "contractor, builder, plumber, electrician" or similar words in the name "will be denied."⁴
• No subbing on your big job. The exemption looks at the project, and your $40,000 remodel isn't a $3,000 project because their piece is small. Hiring them is the unlawful-conduct problem above.⁹

A short list of work needs no contractor license at any price. DOPL's rule names, among others, "carpet, vinyl sheet tile, or vinyl plank floor installation," window coverings, wallpaper, interior decorating, door locks and cabinet hardware, mirrors, weather-stripping, seismic strapping for water heaters, and sheds or gazebos that sit unattached to a building or foundation.³ A $9,000 vinyl plank job is fine for a handyman. A $9,000 vinyl plank job with new baseboards, a vanity and a toilet isn't.

Lead paint and asbestos: Utah runs its own programs

Lead paint

Utah is one of the states EPA has authorized to run its own lead renovation program, so the certificates you need come from Utah's Division of Air Quality, part of the Department of Environmental Quality.¹⁹ The rules mirror EPA's. Any renovation for pay in housing built before 1978 is covered, and it has to be done by a firm certified by Utah, using renovators certified by Utah. Minor repair is exempt: "6 square feet or less of painted surface per room for interior activities or 20 square feet or less" outside. Window replacement never counts as minor, and jobs "in the same room within the same 30 days must be considered the same job."¹⁹ A certified renovator's test kit or lab result showing no lead-based paint on the components takes the job out of the rule.

One remodeler's post shows how this starts: "I'm a one man remodeling business. I recently got caught scraping and painting a small area on pre 1978 house. They want to meet with me and go over all the jobs I've done in pre 1978 houses last year" (r/Contractor). In Utah, the law behind the lead rules allows a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day for each violation.²⁰ DOPL's rule leaves lead and asbestos work to DEQ, so your contractor license neither covers nor replaces those certifications.³

Asbestos

Utah puts the asbestos inspection on you, not the homeowner. The rule says "Contractors are required to have an asbestos inspection performed by a Utah certified asbestos inspector working for a Utah certified asbestos company," while owners working on their own homes of up to four units aren't.²¹ For a house built between 1981 and 1991, the inspection only has to look for listed materials: popcorn and other sprayed-on ceilings, cement siding and roofing, vinyl flooring and its mastic, duct and furnace insulation, and vermiculite. Before 1981 it's a full inspection. Since the 2026 rule change, homes of four units or fewer built on or after January 1, 1992 need no inspection before a renovation.²¹ If the inspection finds asbestos in what you'll disturb, a Utah-certified abatement company takes it out first. Removing load-bearing members still needs a demolition notification to DAQ, whatever the house's age.²¹

Can I take this job? A table for Utah license holders

The verdicts assume a house of up to four units, a license in good standing and a price inside your classification's limits. The permit column is the 2021 International Residential Code as Utah adopted it, with Utah's own deck and retaining wall amendments.¹⁸ Your city's building department has the last word, so call when in doubt.

Sources for the table: classifications and the incidental rule,^3,5 minor plumbing and electrical,^6,7 gas,⁸ permits (IRC R105 with Utah's amendments),¹⁸ lead,¹⁹ asbestos.²¹

What happens if you cross the line

No license: a handyman at $7,000, or trade work without a trade license

• It's a crime. Contracting without being "appropriately licensed or exempted" is a class A misdemeanor,^9,10 which carries up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.¹¹
• DOPL can cite you without going to court: a fine of up to $1,000 for a first offense, up to $2,000 for a second, and up to $2,000 for each day the offense continues after that, plus a cease and desist order.¹⁰
• You can't sue to get paid. No contractor may "commence or maintain any action in any court of the state for collection of compensation" for licensed work without "proving that the licensed contractor ... was appropriately licensed when the contract sued upon was entered into, and when the alleged cause of action arose."¹² Utah's lien statute doesn't mention licensing,¹³ but you enforce a lien in court, so I wouldn't count on one. I didn't research the case law.
• The homeowner loses a protection. Utah shields an owner-occupied home from liens by your subs and suppliers only when the owner had a written contract with a contractor "licensed or exempt" and paid in full.¹³ An unlicensed contractor leaves the customer's house exposed to their unpaid bills.
• An unlicensed bidder "may not be awarded and may not accept a contract for the performance of the work."¹⁰
• The customer can sue under consumer law. Claiming a "license ... the supplier does not have" is a deceptive act, and a consumer who loses money can recover actual damages plus court costs.¹⁴

Licensed, but outside your classification

Think of an R101 on a $60,000 kitchen, or an S220 wiring the bathroom it's remodeling. "Acting in a construction trade ... beyond the scope of the license held" is unlawful conduct, the same class A misdemeanor and the same citation fines.^9,10 A citation is also grounds for immediate suspension of your license.¹⁰ Getting paid is the other problem. The collection statute asks whether you were "appropriately licensed," and from 2027 whether you "held the required license."¹² On a job outside your classification, expect a customer's lawyer to ask it. Don't be the test case.

Unlicensed subs, lending your license, skipped permits

Each is a class A misdemeanor on the same list: hiring an unlicensed person who isn't your employee, getting a permit "for the benefit of or on behalf of" someone who needs a license and doesn't have one, "allowing one's license to be used by another," and "failing to obtain a building permit when required."^9,10 Someone will ask you to pull a permit for a job you're not running. The best answer came from a GC on Reddit: "Never attach your name to anything in a legal way that you don't have control over... Just a recipe for disaster" (r/GeneralContractor).

Insurance

DOPL makes you carry general liability of at least $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 in total, with DOPL as certificate holder, on a policy "that provides coverage for the scope of work performed."³ (Handyman filers need $3,000,000 in total.) Losing that coverage without telling DOPL is a ground for suspension.¹⁰ I found no Utah rule on what out-of-classification work does to a claim. That's in your policy, so ask your agent in writing: "Does my policy cover work outside my DOPL classification?" Keep the reply.

Where your license number has to appear

• Every permit application, contract, agreement and bid: "The contractor's license number shall be made a part of all permit applications, contracts, agreements, or bids when a license is required." From 2027 that's section 58-55-107, and DOPL "may consider" leaving it off unprofessional conduct.¹⁵ The contract article covers the lien-protection notice that also goes in every residential contract.
• On the job, when anyone asks: failing to provide "a copy of a current license or license number when performing construction trades work" is unprofessional conduct.³
• Your business name. Doing business under a name other than the one on your license is unlawful conduct.⁹
• Ads and trucks. I found no statewide rule requiring the number there, except for sign installation contractors.⁹ What does apply: advertising a service counts as engaging in that trade,⁵ so "plumbing and electrical" on an R101's truck advertises work the license doesn't cover.

Salt Lake City and other local business licenses

Utah has no city contractor licenses that I found. Your DOPL license is the one that lets you contract, and cities can't stack their own training on top: a municipality may not require, for a business license, education or training "in addition to requirements under state law or state licensing requirements."¹⁶ What cities do issue is a business license for businesses within their limits, and building permits.

• Salt Lake City: anyone who engages in business within the city limits, "either permanently or temporarily," is "required to maintain a valid, unexpired business license." It doesn't require one for a business run from your home unless the business affects the neighborhood.¹⁷ If your shop is in the city, get one. If you're based in Sandy or Ogden and take a job in Salt Lake City, ask the licensing office whether that job counts.
• Every Utah city: state law lets a municipality license "any business within the limits of the municipality," and bars a fee for a resident's home-based business unless its offsite impact is materially more than the house alone.¹⁶ West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Orem, St. George and the rest can set their own business license rules inside that frame, so check with the city where your office is.
• A city "handyman" business license doesn't change state law. Kaysville's handout says so: a city license "classified as a 'handyman' will not permit the licensee to operate in violation of State Law."²³

Section numbers change on January 1, 2027

The 2026 Legislature repealed and re-enacted most of the act with new numbers from January 1, 2027. The rules above are the same in substance except where I said otherwise (HVAC on houses, the handyman's trade-work wording and business registration), plus one change for anyone applying from then on: every applicant, specialty classes included, must complete a five-hour business and law course and show "two-years' full-time, paid employment experience in the construction industry" (new Utah Code 58-55-203, le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026). If your contract template or your website cites a section, here's the map:

Sources for the map: the current and re-enacted sections as published by the Legislature.^{1,2,5,9,10,12,15}

Before the next job

1. Look yourself up on DOPL's license lookup and write down every classification on the license. That list is your scope.
2. R101: price the whole project, likely change orders included, before you promise it. Anything near $50,000, or touching a bearing wall, goes to a B100 or R100.
3. S license: if your share of another trade's work passes 10% of the contract, or includes any wiring or plumbing, it's not incidental anymore.
4. Line up a licensed plumber (P200 or P201), electrician (E200 or E201) and HVAC contractor (H100), and check each on the lookup. If you hold R101 or an S license, ask DOPL how it wants the trade work contracted before your first remodel.
5. Pre-1978 homes: get your firm certified by Utah's Division of Air Quality and a renovator trained before you disturb paint. Pre-1992 homes: book the asbestos inspection before demolition starts.
6. Check your liability policy: $1,000,000 per incident, $2,000,000 total, DOPL as certificate holder, and coverage for the work you actually sell.
7. Put your license number and classifications on every quote, contract and bid.
8. Get a business license from your own city if it requires one, and ask before your first job in Salt Lake City.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is the field service software I build, and it doesn't know Utah licensing. It won't warn you when an R101 quote passes $50,000, add up related projects for you, or tell you a line item needs an electrician. What it does help with: the shop-wide terms text you set once is copied onto every quote and shows under "Terms" on the customer's quote page, and the invoice footer is copied onto every invoice, so your DOPL license number and classifications go on every document without retyping. Quotes can carry options, the customer approves and signs on screen, and an optional card deposit is credited on the final invoice. Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team, with scheduling and dispatch, quotes, invoicing, card payments, and customer and equipment records; Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices (pricing).

Still choosing an app? Eleven free handyman apps are compared on their free-plan limits, card fees and which popular ones are only trials.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to be a handyman in Utah?

Not for jobs under $7,000. Utah has no handyman license. A job whose total value (labor, materials and every change included) is under $7,000 is exempt from the contractor license, as long as it involves no plumbing, electrical, gas or HVAC work. Over $3,000 you also file an Affirmation of Exemption with DOPL showing liability insurance of $1 million per incident and $3 million total. At $7,000 or more you need a DOPL contractor license, such as an R101 for non-structural remodeling, or a B100 or R100.

How much can a handyman charge without a license in Utah?

Less than $7,000 per project, counting labor, materials and every change order. Splitting one job into several invoices doesn't help, because DOPL's rule counts 'an individual project or series of related projects.' There's no yearly cap and no limit on the number of small jobs. The dollar line never makes trade work legal: a faucet swap, an outlet or a furnace needs a licensed plumber, electrician or HVAC contractor at any price.

Does Utah require a contractor's license?

Yes, for building work at or above the $7,000 handyman line and for plumbing, electrical and HVAC work at any size. DOPL licenses contractors by classification: B100 general building, R100 residential and small commercial, R101 non-structural remodeling and repair up to $50,000 a project, specialty S licenses such as S220 carpentry and S260 concrete, and E200, E201, P200, P201 and H100 for the trades. A short list of work needs no license at all, including carpet and vinyl plank flooring, window coverings and lock work.

What can you do with a B100 license in Utah?

A B100 general building contractor can build or remodel any building of any size, and its scope includes every specialty S classification, so framing, roofing, concrete and drywall all sit under one license. It doesn't include plumbing or electrical work: you sub that to a licensed contractor, or on a house of up to four units have it done by a licensed journeyman or master you employ. HVAC is excluded except on houses of up to four units, and any gas work needs a certified natural gas technician.

What is an R101 license in Utah?

R101 is the Residential and Small Commercial Non-Structural Remodeling and Repair classification. It covers remodeling and repairing existing buildings, but not changes to footings, foundations or bearing walls, and not any project or series of related projects over $50,000 including materials and labor. An R101 holder can't hold another specialty license. The rule also says an R101 may not subcontract work outside its scope, so ask DOPL how to handle the plumbing and electrical on your remodels before you sign one.

Do I need an LLC as a handyman in Utah?

No. Utah doesn't require an LLC to work under the handyman exemption or to hold a contractor license. DOPL's handyman form asks for a Division of Corporations registration number, and from January 1, 2027 a handyman on a project over $3,000 must register with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. Whether an LLC is worth it for you is a question for your accountant.

Do I need a Salt Lake City business license as a contractor?

If you do business in Salt Lake City, yes: the city says anyone who engages in business within its limits, 'either permanently or temporarily,' needs a business license. Under state law it doesn't require one for a business run from your home unless the business affects the neighborhood. Utah cities can't add their own training requirements to a business license, and I found no separate city contractor license. Your DOPL license is the one that lets you contract.

How do I look up a Utah contractor license?

Use DOPL's License Lookup and Verification search at secure.utah.gov/llv. Search by name or license number and read the classifications listed (B100, R101, E201 and so on), not just whether the license is active. Run that check on every sub before they start: hiring an unlicensed sub who isn't your employee is unlawful conduct in Utah.

Sources

1. Utah Code § 58-55-305, Exemptions from licensure (effective May 7, 2025; renumbered January 1, 2027): (1)(h)(i) work "with a contracted or agreed value of less than $7,000, including both labor and materials, and including all changes or additions"; (1)(h)(ii)(A) to (H) plumbing and electrical by licensed contractors, components "such as a faucet, toilet, fixture, device, outlet, or electrical switch" by a licensed journeyman or contractor, gas certification, HVAC by a licensed HVAC contractor, radon, fire sprinklers, alarms, and the affirmation over $3,000; (1)(i) trades not classified as significantly impacting public health; (1)(k) minor plumbing incidental to the repair of a fixture or appliance, excluding first-time installation; (1)(n) minor electrical work incidental to a mechanical or service installation. le.utah.gov. H.B. 483, Construction Trade Amendments, 2024 General Session (raises the line from $3,000 to $7,000 and the affirmation trigger from $1,000 to $3,000; signed March 13, 2024), le.utah.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
2. Utah Code § 58-55-110, Exemptions from licensure, effective January 1, 2027 (2026 General Session, chapter 42): (2)(n) a project with "a total cost of less than $7,000 including labor, material, and changes to the agreed upon work" that does not involve an electrical or plumbing system or a component of one, gas appliances, fire protection, HVAC or radon; (3)(a) over $3,000, register with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code and submit insurance documentation; (2)(j) minor plumbing repair. le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
3. Utah Administrative Code R156-55a, Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act Rule, version effective August 7, 2026: R156-55a-102(8) "incidental" (10% of the contract, no electrical or plumbing), 102(10) "maintenance," 102(11) "mechanical"; 301c B100 (includes all specialty scopes; excludes trade licenses, E200, E201, P200, P201 and H100 except HVAC on a residence of up to four units; natural gas work by a Certified Natural Gas Technician; may hire or subcontract licensed trades); 301g H100 (S350 holders deemed H100 through November 30, 2027); 301h R100; 301w R101 (no bearing changes; no project or related series over $50,000 including materials and labor; "may not subcontract or hire any person to perform work on a project outside the scope"); 301x S260; 301z S220; 301aa S270; 301af S230; 301ai S280; 301am (specialty contractors confined to their scope; an R101 holder may hold no other specialty license); 301an (activities exempt from licensing, and lead and asbestos removal regulated by DEQ); 302d (licensee liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per incident and $2,000,000 total, DOPL as certificate holder, "coverage for the scope of work performed"); 305a (handyman registration of exemption for "an individual project or series of related projects" over $3,000 and under $7,000; $1,000,000 and $3,000,000; reaffirmed by November 30 of odd-numbered years); 501(9) (license or number on request). adminrules.utah.gov. Insurance history from the same rule's earlier versions: $100,000 and $300,000 in the version effective March 9, 2023 (5273), $1,000,000 and $3,000,000 from March 30, 2026 (7736), $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 for licensees from June 25, 2026 (7940). All read November 3, 2026.
4. Utah Division of Professional Licensing, "Affirmation of Exemption from Contractor Licensure (Handyman Exemption)," form v.20261001 (liability insurance with DOPL as certificate holder, minimum $1,000,000; names with "contractor, builder, plumber, electrician" or similar words "will be denied"). dopl.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
5. Utah Code § 58-55-102, Definitions (effective October 1, 2026; repealed January 1, 2027): (17) "contractor," including anyone who advertises the service; (18)(b)(vi) minor electrical work excluded from the electrical trade; (23) "engage in a construction trade," including using "the name 'contractor' or 'builder'"; (26) general building contractor and (42) residential and small commercial contractor (plumbing, electrical and mechanical excluded; on residences up to four units "may perform the mechanical work and hire a licensed plumber or electrician as an employee"; R100 commercial limit of three stories and 20,000 square feet); (53)(b) specialty contractors' incidental work. le.utah.gov. Utah Code § 58-55-202, Definitions, effective January 1, 2027: (4)(c) and (11)(c), mechanical work on residences up to four units "when the mechanical work is performed by" a licensed plumber or electrician the contractor employs. le.utah.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
6. Utah Administrative Code R156-55c-102(2), Plumber Licensing Act Rule, version effective January 15, 2026: "'Minor plumbing work that is incidental' ... means repair of residential type Plumbing Appurtenances, Fixtures, or Appliances, provided that no modification is made to: (i) existing culinary water, soil, waste, or vent piping; or (ii) a gas appliance or combustion system," and "does not include: (i) installation or replacement of a water heater; or (ii) work to include the initial installation." adminrules.utah.gov. The previous version (June 20, 2023 to January 14, 2026) read "repair or replacement," adminrules.utah.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
7. Utah Administrative Code R156-55b-102(4), Electricians Licensing Act Rule, version effective August 1, 2025: minor electrical work incidental to a mechanical or service installation is wiring for HVAC equipment, appliances or machinery "extended no more than ten feet from an existing outlet or disconnect intended specifically for the piece of equipment," and "does not include: (i) modification or repair of Premises Wiring; or (ii) installation of a disconnecting means or outlet." adminrules.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
8. Utah Code § 58-55-308(2) (licensees and exempt persons who install, repair or replace a gas appliance or combustion system "must first receive training and certification"; repealed January 1, 2027), le.utah.gov; from 2027, § 58-55-601(25). Read November 3, 2026.
9. Utah Code § 58-55-501, Unlawful conduct (effective May 12, 2020; superseded January 1, 2027): (1) working without being "appropriately licensed or exempted"; (2) "beyond the scope of the license held"; (3) hiring an unlicensed person who is not a wage employee; (4) and (6) building permits; (7) "failing to obtain a building permit when required"; (8) unlicensed bids; (10) "allowing one's license to be used by another"; (11) business name; (25) license number on sign installation contractors' vehicles. le.utah.gov. Re-enacted as § 58-55-601 from January 1, 2027, le.utah.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
10. Utah Code § 58-55-503, Penalty for unlawful conduct, Citations (effective May 1, 2024; superseded January 1, 2027): (2)(a) class A misdemeanor for violating 58-55-501(1) through (7), (9), (10) and others; (2)(b) an unlicensed bidder "may not be awarded and may not accept a contract"; (4) grounds for immediate suspension, including a citation under 58-55-501 and failure to report loss of insurance; (5)(h) fines up to $1,000, $2,000, and $2,000 per day. le.utah.gov. From January 1, 2027: § 58-55-602 (class A misdemeanor), le.utah.gov, and § 58-55-604 (citations, the same fines, suspension), le.utah.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
11. Utah Code § 76-3-204(1)(a) (class A misdemeanor, imprisonment "not exceeding 364 days") and § 76-3-301(1)(c) (fine up to "$2,500 for a class A misdemeanor conviction"). 76-3-204, 76-3-301, read November 3, 2026.
12. Utah Code § 58-55-604, Proof of licensure to maintain or commence action (superseded January 1, 2027): a contractor may not "commence or maintain any action in any court of the state for collection of compensation" for licensed work without "proving that the licensed contractor ... was appropriately licensed when the contract sued upon was entered into, and when the alleged cause of action arose." le.utah.gov. From January 1, 2027, § 58-55-210: the contractor must prove it "held the required license." le.utah.gov. Both read November 3, 2026.
13. Utah Code § 38-1a-301(1) (who is entitled to a construction lien; no licensing condition), le.utah.gov; § 38-11-204(4) (owner's protection requires a written contract with "an original contractor licensed or exempt from licensure" and payment in full) with § 38-11-107 (the lien bar), le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
14. Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act, Utah Code § 13-11-4(2)(i) (deceptive act to indicate "a sponsorship, approval, license, certification, or affiliation the supplier does not have") and § 13-11-19(2) ("actual damages plus court costs"). 13-11-4, 13-11-19, read November 3, 2026.
15. Utah Code § 58-55-304(2) (license number on "all permit applications, contracts, agreements, or bids"; superseded January 1, 2027), le.utah.gov; § 58-55-107(3) and (5)(b), effective January 1, 2027, le.utah.gov. Read November 3, 2026.
16. Utah Code § 10-1-203(2) (a municipality may license "any business within the limits of the municipality") and (8) (no fee for a resident's home-based business unless its offsite impact materially exceeds the residence's; no education or training requirement "in addition to requirements under state law or state licensing requirements"). le.utah.gov, read November 3, 2026.
17. Salt Lake City Finance, "Business Licensing" and "Application Process" (license required to engage in business within city limits "either permanently or temporarily"; none required for a home-based business unless it "causes an impact to your neighborhood"). slc.gov, slc.gov, read November 3, 2026.
18. Utah Code § 15A-2-103(1)(b) (2021 International Residential Code adopted), le.utah.gov; § 15A-3-202(5) and (6) (Utah amendments to IRC R105.2: retaining walls; decks "not more than 30 inches (762mm) above grade at any point and not requiring guardrails, that do not serve exit door required by Section R311.4"), le.utah.gov; International Code Council, 2021 IRC Sections R105.1 and R105.2 (work exempt from permit: small accessory structures, fences, sidewalks and driveways, "painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work," minor electrical repair "including the replacement of lamps," plumbing repairs that don't "involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures"), codes.iccsafe.org. All read November 3, 2026.
19. Lead: U.S. EPA, "Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" (Utah among the states authorized to run their own program), epa.gov; Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, "Lead-Based Paint Program," deq.utah.gov; Utah Administrative Code R307-840-1 (owners in their own homes exempt), R307-840-2 ("minor repair and maintenance activities": 6 square feet per room inside, 20 outside, never window replacement, same room within 30 days is one job; "target housing" built before 1978), R307-841-3 (applies to "all renovations performed for compensation in target housing and child-occupied facilities," with test-kit and lab exceptions), R307-841-5(1) ("Renovations must be performed by firms certified under R307-841-7 using renovators certified under R307-841-8") and R307-841-7 (firm certification), Cornell LII copies: 840-1, 840-2, 841-3, 841-5, 841-7. All read November 3, 2026.
20. Utah Code § 19-2-104 (rules for "lead-based paint training, certification, and performance requirements" and asbestos) and § 19-2-115(2)(a) (civil penalty "not to exceed $10,000 per day for each violation" of the chapter or its rules). 19-2-104, 19-2-115, read November 3, 2026.
21. Asbestos: Utah DEQ, Division of Air Quality, "Asbestos Program" ("New Rule Change is in Effect! Residential facilities with four or fewer units built on or after January 1, 1992 will no longer require an asbestos inspection prior to renovation or demolition"; demolition notification when removing load-bearing structural members), deq.utah.gov; Utah Administrative Code R307-801-9(1) ("Contractors are required to have an asbestos inspection performed by a Utah certified asbestos inspector working for a Utah certified asbestos company"; owners of residences of four units or fewer are not) and R307-801-10(3) (homes built on or after January 1, 1981: listed materials only), Cornell LII copies: 801-9, 801-10; DAQ, "Amendments to the Utah Asbestos Rule UAC R307-801 Overview" (July 17, 2025; inspection bands by year built; asbestos to be removed by a Utah-certified abatement company before renovation), deq.utah.gov. All read November 3, 2026.
22. Utah Division of Professional Licensing, License Lookup and Verification. secure.utah.gov, checked November 3, 2026.
23. Kaysville City, "Handyman Information" (quotes the exemption as "less than $1000" and the affirmation as allowing "work up to $3000"; a city license "classified as a 'handyman' will not permit the licensee to operate in violation of State Law"). kaysville.gov, undated, read November 3, 2026.