Utah · Debt collection rights · Updated Oct 2026

Debt collectors in Utah: your rights

What debt collectors can and can't do in Utah, how long they have to sue, how much of your pay and bank account is protected, collector licensing, where to complain and what to do if you are sued, in plain English from official sources.

6 yearsto sue on a written contract
25% (federal limit)wage garnishment limit
No statewide licensecollector license required
No general actstate debt collection law
21 daysto answer a debt lawsuit

Your federal rights

These federal rules apply in Utah and every other state. Utah's own law, below, can add more.

  • Who the federal law covers. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) covers debt collectors who collect for someone else and companies that buy debts, not usually the original creditor collecting its own debt (15 U.S.C. 1692a(6)). Some state laws also cover original creditors.
  • A validation notice. A collector must give you a validation notice, in its first message or within 5 days after it, with the amount, the creditor and how to dispute (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a); 12 CFR 1006.34).
  • Your right to dispute. If you dispute the debt in writing within the validation period (30 days after you get the notice), the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification (15 U.S.C. 1692g(b); 12 CFR 1006.38).
  • When collectors can contact you. No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, or at work if your employer doesn't allow it (15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)). More than 7 calls in 7 days about one debt is presumed to break the law (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2)).
  • Telling a collector to stop. If you tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, it must stop, except to tell you it is ending collection or will take a specific step such as a lawsuit (15 U.S.C. 1692c(c)).
  • What collectors can't do. No threats, obscene language, false statements (for example pretending to be a lawyer or the government, or threatening arrest) and no unfair practices such as collecting fees your contract doesn't allow (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e, 1692f). A collector generally can't discuss your debt with your family, neighbors or employer (15 U.S.C. 1692c(b)).

Read how to dispute a debt or stop collector calls.

Utah law and extra protections

Utah has no general debt collection act; the federal rules above still apply.

Law
Utah Code § 12-1-11
Extra protections
  • A creditor can add a collection fee only if your written agreement allows it, and the fee cannot be more than what the creditor actually pays the collector or 40% of the principal, whichever is less (Utah Code § 12-1-11(2)).
  • A third-party collector that charges a fee for paying by card online, by phone or by text must tell you first, tell you the amount, and offer a way to pay without the fee (Utah Code § 12-1-11(3)).
Can you sue under it?
Utah's fee law does not spell out a private lawsuit right. You can sue third-party collectors under the federal FDCPA. Utah's Consumer Sales Practices Act may also apply.
Official text
Read the law

Old debts in Utah

Written contracts
6 years
Open accounts and unwritten agreements
4 years
Does a payment restart the clock?
Yes, for a credit agreement: the 6 years start again on the later of when the debt arose, when you acknowledge it or promise to pay in writing, or when you or someone else makes a payment (Utah Code § 78B-2-309(2)).
Law
Utah Code § 78B-2-309 (6 years: written contract; restart rule for credit agreements); § 78B-2-307(1) (4 years after the last charge or last payment: unwritten contract, open store account, open account for services)
Official text
Read the law

The time limit is the statute of limitations. Once it runs out, the debt is “time-barred”: a collector must not sue or threaten to sue you, but the debt still exists. Read more about time-barred debt.

Is my debt too old? Check Utah's time limit

Every state limits how long a creditor or collector has to sue you over a debt. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of debt and the date of your last payment to see the limit and an estimated end date. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Credit cards count as written contracts in some states and as open accounts in others. If you are not sure, try both.

Or the date you first missed a payment, if you never paid.

Utah: 6 years for a written contractEnter the date of your last payment to see when the time limit ends.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Your state's law and your account records decide the exact start date and the type of debt.

Wage garnishment and bank accounts in Utah

Wage limit
Same as federal for consumer credit judgments: no more than 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, whichever is less. For a private education loan, no more than 15%.
Law
Utah Code § 70C-7-103

Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI and VA benefits that were directly deposited are protected in your bank account up to two months' worth (31 CFR 212.6). A creditor usually needs a court judgment before it can garnish your wages or bank account.

Property you can keep in Utah

Utah protects equity in your primary home and a smaller amount in other real property. The dollar amounts rise with inflation every year and are published by the State Auditor: for 2025 they are $52,400 for a primary home ($104,700 per household if jointly owned) and $6,200 for other property ($12,500 per household) (Utah Code § 78B-5-503(2); Office of the State Auditor, January 2025). One motor vehicle is protected up to $3,000 (§ 78B-5-506(3)), and work tools up to $5,000 (§ 78B-5-506(2)).

Collector licensing in Utah

License required
No statewide license
Who licenses
No Utah license or registration for collection agencies was found; Title 12 now contains only § 12-1-11.

If you are sued in Utah

Time to answer
21 days after you are served in Utah (30 days if you were served outside Utah), in district or justice court (Utah R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)); the summons states the deadline. In small claims court, you go to the trial on the date set.
If you don't answer
If you are properly served and do not answer in time, the plaintiff can ask for a default judgment and gets what it asked for without hearing your side (Utah Courts).
Court self-help
Utah court self-help (official)

Don't ignore court papers. Read what to do if a debt collector sues you.

Where to complain in Utah

Free help in Utah

Good to know in Utah

  • In Utah, a payment or written acknowledgment restarts the 6-year limit on credit agreements (Utah Code § 78B-2-309(2)).
  • Utah lets creditors add a collection fee of up to 40% of principal if your contract allows it (Utah Code § 12-1-11).

Free letters to send a collector

Dispute a debt and ask for proof (validation letter)

Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice.

Tell a collector to stop or limit contact

Stop all contact, writing only, or no calls at work.

Questions about debt collection in Utah

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Utah?

6 years for written contracts and 4 years for open accounts and unwritten agreements (Utah Code § 78B-2-309 (6 years: written contract; restart rule for credit agreements); § 78B-2-307(1) (4 years after the last charge or last payment: unwritten contract, open store account, open account for services)).

Does paying on an old debt restart the clock in Utah?

Yes, for a credit agreement: the 6 years start again on the later of when the debt arose, when you acknowledge it or promise to pay in writing, or when you or someone else makes a payment (Utah Code § 78B-2-309(2)).

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Utah?

Same as federal for consumer credit judgments: no more than 25% of disposable earnings, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage per week, whichever is less. For a private education loan, no more than 15%.

Do debt collectors need a license in Utah?

No. No Utah license or registration for collection agencies was found; Title 12 now contains only § 12-1-11.

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Utah?

21 days after you are served in Utah (30 days if you were served outside Utah), in district or justice court (Utah R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)); the summons states the deadline. In small claims court, you go to the trial on the date set.

Where can I complain about a debt collector in Utah?

Utah Division of Consumer Protection: https://commerce.utah.gov/dcp/complaint/ · (801) 530-6601

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources

Other states