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Salt Lake County, UT Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified June 2026

Key Facts

State Authority
Utah Code §10-1-203.5 & §10-8-85.5
Salt Lake City
Chapter 5.14, $342/unit base, $35/unit with Landlord/Tenant Initiative
West Valley City
§17-2-802: base fee + variable per unit
West Jordan
Chapter 4-2 Article R. Good Landlord Program
South Salt Lake
Title 5 Chapter 5.15
Training Renewal
Every 3 years (4-hour refresher)
Unincorporated Salt Lake County
No county-wide rental registry; state law governs

Summary

Salt Lake County itself does not run a county-wide rental registry, but every major city in the county requires a rental dwelling business license under authority of Utah Code §10-1-203.5 and §10-8-85.5. Salt Lake City Code Chapter 5.14 ($342/unit, discounted to $35/unit with Landlord/Tenant Initiative enrollment), West Valley City Code §17-2-802, West Jordan City Code 4-2R-2 (Good Landlord Program), Sandy, Murray, South Salt Lake (Title 5 §5.15), and Cottonwood Heights all require a license per rental unit. Most cities offer a 'Good Landlord' discount of 80–95% for landlords who complete an approved training class and adopt a standardized lease addendum with criminal-conduct provisions.

City-specific rules exist: West Valley City, West Jordan, South Jordan, and Salt Lake City have their own rental registration rules that differ from Salt Lake County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

It is unlawful for any person to keep, conduct, operate, or maintain any rental dwelling within the limits of Salt Lake City unless such person holds a current, unrevoked business license for such dwelling issued pursuant to the provisions of this title. The license fee for the operation and maintenance of a rental dwelling shall be as set forth in the Salt Lake City consolidated fee schedule. The applicant for the rental dwelling business license shall pay an annual disproportionate rental fee per unit, which may be reduced upon participation in the Landlord/Tenant Initiative as set forth in chapter 5.15 of this title.

Source: Salt Lake County Business LicensingView official code

Full Breakdown

5 authorizes good-landlord/disproportionate-rental-fee programs in which the city charges a higher 'base' fee per unit that is then discounted for landlords who participate in voluntary training. The state cap is that the difference between the disproportionate fee and the discounted fee cannot exceed the city's documented cost of additional public services (police, code enforcement) attributable to non-participating rentals. 15. All programs require: (1) annual license renewal, (2) submission of a current rental roll, (3) attendance at a Good Landlord training course (typically 4 hours) at least once and a refresher every 3 years, (4) enforcement of a lease addendum providing for eviction for serious criminal activity. Operating without a license is a Class B or Class C misdemeanor under most city codes and triggers per-day fines (typically $25–$100/day per unit).

Violations & Fines

Operating a rental dwelling without the required business license is a code-enforcement violation in every Salt Lake County city. Salt Lake City Code §5.14.020 makes it 'unlawful' to operate a rental dwelling without a license and authorizes daily fines plus license-fee back-billing. West Valley City §17-2-802 imposes both a base fee and per-day penalty. Three substantiated 'disorderly house' calls within 12 months can trigger loss of Good Landlord status, reverting the licensee to the full disproportionate fee ($342 in Salt Lake City). Repeat offenders may have their business license revoked under the city's general business-licensing chapter (Salt Lake City §5.02; West Valley §17-1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a rental license in unincorporated Salt Lake County?
Not from the county itself. Salt Lake County does not run a residential rental registration program. However, all 16 incorporated cities within the county do require one. Check the city where the property sits.
What does the Salt Lake City Landlord/Tenant Initiative cost?
Under SLC Code §5.14, the base disproportionate fee is $342 per unit per year. Landlords who complete the Good Landlord class, submit a participation application, and adopt the lease practices pay a discounted $35 per unit: a 90% discount.
Can the city inspect my rental?
Yes. Utah Code §10-1-203.5 authorizes cities to make a passing inspection a condition of license issuance. Most Salt Lake County cities use complaint-driven inspections rather than routine ones, but Salt Lake City and West Valley City can inspect upon code-violation complaints or every license renewal cycle.
What happens if I rent out an ADU without a license?
Same penalty as renting a primary dwelling unlicensed. Class B/C misdemeanor and per-day fines. Salt Lake City §5.14 covers ADUs explicitly; the ADU must be on a separate license or listed on the owner's rental roll.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Salt Lake County

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsRepairs & HabitabilitySome RestrictionsJust Cause EvictionFew RestrictionsRent ControlFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome Restrictions

All Salt Lake County rules

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Rental Registration in Cities Across Salt Lake County

Salt Lake City, UTWest Valley City, UTWest Jordan, UTSandy, UTSouth Jordan, UT