LOCAL RULES

Utah rental inspection report requirements

Your Utah rental inspection report has 2 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The 30-day written notice itemizing and explaining each deduction
  • 24 hours' notice before entering to inspect (unless the agreement says otherwise)
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Utah does not require a move-in inspection, but its deposit law asks for a reason behind every deduction: within 30 days after the renter vacates, a written notice that itemizes and explains each one. If that notice never comes, the renter has a statutory form that starts a five-business-day clock. Here is each rule with a link to the Utah Code, and how walkthrough notes become the report behind each deduction.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionUTAH / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 89 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Salt Lake City, UT
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
79%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

2 Utah rules on your checklist, including the 30-day written notice itemizing and explaining each deduction.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Salt Lake City, UT
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What Utah requires

  • When a tenancy ends, the owner may apply the deposit to rent, damage to the premises beyond reasonable wear and tear, other costs and fees in the contract, or cleaning of the unitUtah Code s. 57-17-3 (1) (effective 5/7/2025)
  • No later than 30 days after the renter vacates and returns possession, the owner mails or delivers to the renter's last known address, or sends electronically by a means the renter provided, the balance of the deposit and prepaid rent and a written notice that itemizes and explains the reason for each deductionUtah Code s. 57-17-3 (2)
  • Under a written agreement, any non-refundable part of a deposit must be stated in writing to the renter when the deposit is takenUtah Code s. 57-17-2
  • If the owner misses the 30 days, the renter may serve a Tenant's Notice to Provide Deposit Disposition in substantially the statutory form, and the owner then has five business days to send the balances and the itemized noticeUtah Code s. 57-17-3 (3) and (5)
  • An owner who still does not comply owes the full deposit, the full prepaid rent and a civil penalty of 100 dollars; costs and attorney fees go to the winner if the other side acted in bad faith; a renter who never served the notice is not entitled to this reliefUtah Code s. 57-17-5 (effective 7/1/2024)
  • Unless the rental agreement says otherwise, the owner gives the renter at least 24 hours' notice before entering the unitUtah Code s. 57-22-4 (2)

What the deposit can cover

When the tenancy ends, the owner may apply the deposit to rent, damage to the premises beyond reasonable wear and tear, other costs and fees provided for in the contract, or cleaning of the unit. If any part of a deposit is non-refundable under a written agreement, that has to be stated in writing when the deposit is taken.

Cleaning and damage are separate grounds, so a move-out report that records them separately makes each deduction easier to explain.

30 days, and an explanation for each deduction

No later than 30 days after the renter vacates and returns possession, the owner sends the balance of the deposit and of any prepaid rent, with a written notice that itemizes and explains the reason for each deduction. It goes by mail or delivery to the renter's last known address, or electronically by a means the renter provided.

If it does not arrive, the renter may serve a Tenant's Notice to Provide Deposit Disposition in the form the statute sets out, and the owner then has five business days to comply. After that the owner owes the full deposit, the full prepaid rent and a civil penalty of 100 dollars, with costs and attorney fees where the other side acted in bad faith.

Inspections during the tenancy

Unless the rental agreement says otherwise, the owner gives the renter at least 24 hours' notice before entering the unit, including for an inspection.

From walkthrough notes to a finished Utah report

At move-out, note each room's cleanliness and any damage, and what caused it if you know. ReportDraft writes it up room by room with cleaning and damage as separate findings and a plain reason for each, ready to carry into the itemized notice, and leaves lines for the owner or agent and the renter to sign.

Do the same walkthrough at move-in, so reasonable wear and tear can be told apart from new damage.

Common mistakes

  • Sending a deduction without explaining its reason.
  • Missing the 30 days after the renter vacates and returns possession.
  • Ignoring a Tenant's Notice to Provide Deposit Disposition, which leaves only five business days.
  • Charging for reasonable wear and tear.
  • Treating part of the deposit as non-refundable without saying so in writing when it was taken.

Sources

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Next review due January 10, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.