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Homestead Exemption Laws in Utah

Utah protects a primary personal residence up to an amount set at $42,000 in 2019 and adjusted every year by the State Auditor, limited to one acre of surrounding land.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Utah at a glance

Exemption amount
$42,000 base, adjusted yearly
Base set for 2019 ($84,000 per household for joint owners); the State Auditor publishes the current amount each January.
Unlimited in value
No
Acreage limit
1 acre

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Utah

How much home equity does the homestead exemption protect in Utah?

Exemption amount in Utah: $42,000 base, adjusted yearly. Base set for 2019 ($84,000 per household for joint owners); the State Auditor publishes the current amount each January.

Is the homestead exemption unlimited in value in Utah?

No. Unlimited in value in Utah: no.

Is there an acreage limit on the homestead exemption in Utah?

Acreage limit in Utah: 1 acre.

Where do the Utah homestead exemption laws come from?

The rules above come from Utah Code 78B-5-503. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Property that is not the primary residence has a smaller exemption ($5,000 base in 2019). The current year's adjusted amounts could not be confirmed from the State Auditor's publication.

What this means in practice

The exemption applies to equity, not to the full value of the home. Equity is the market value minus the mortgages and other liens on the property. A lender that holds a mortgage on the home, and certain other claims such as taxes on the property, can usually still be enforced against it regardless of the exemption.

Check whether you need to take a step to claim the protection. Some states protect a home automatically once it is your residence, while others require you to record a homestead declaration with the county or to claim the exemption in court when a creditor tries to collect.

In bankruptcy, federal law can limit a state homestead exemption for a home bought within a set period before the filing, and residency rules decide which state's exemptions apply if you moved recently. Some states also let filers choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions instead of the state list. A bankruptcy attorney can confirm which rules apply to your situation.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.