How to Look Up Eviction Records in Utah 2026

Where to Search Utah Eviction Records

In Utah, an eviction record lives with the court that decided the case: the Justice Court when the amount at stake is under $11,000, or the District Court for larger or more complex matters. Both are unusually reachable for the public, because Utah maintains a single statewide case-search system rather than forcing you to chase down 29 separate county clerks. That portal, Utah Courts xChange, lets a landlord, tenant, or screening company pull filings from across the state in one place.

The flip side is the long memory of those records. Utah has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction case, so a filing tends to stay visible long after the dispute is resolved. That makes two things essential: knowing how to read a result correctly, and knowing the screening rules that govern how an old or dismissed case may lawfully be used. Below, the Eviction Risk Map research team walks through where the record sits, how to find it, and what it actually means.

How to look up a Utah eviction record

Start with the court that heard the case. Utah routes eviction (unlawful detainer) actions to the Justice Court for disputes under $11,000 and to the District Court above that line, so a record could sit in either depending on the rent and damages claimed. The advantage is that you rarely have to guess which county to call.

Because access is statewide, the fastest path is Utah Courts xChange, the judiciary's online case-search system. Search by party name to surface the case number, the court, the filing date, and the docket entries. If you need a hard copy for a lease file or a dispute, request a certified copy from the clerk of the deciding court; certified copies run $0.25 per page. Walk-in review at the courthouse remains an option when a case is too old or sealed-from-view to appear online.

How to read the result: a filing is not a judgment

The single most common mistake is treating any hit as proof the tenant lost. On Utah Courts xChange, look past the party names to the disposition. A case can be dismissed, settled, or decided for the tenant, and an unlawful-detainer complaint by itself only shows the landlord started a case. A filing is not a judgment, and acting on the mere existence of a case can lead you to reject a renter who actually prevailed.

Check the docket for the order that ends the case, who it favored, and whether money was awarded. Note the filing date, too: because Utah has no sealing statute, an old dismissed case can resurface in a search years later and read, at a glance, far worse than the record actually is. Read the whole docket before you draw a conclusion.

Expungement and what it means for screening

Utah currently provides no statutory mechanism to expunge or seal an eviction record. Unlike states with a sealing pathway, an unlawful-detainer case here generally stays part of the public court record, which is why these filings turn up so readily on Utah Courts xChange.

For landlords, that permanence raises the FCRA stakes. If you use a tenant-screening company, its report is a consumer report: you must have a permissible purpose, disclose your use, and follow the adverse-action steps (notice plus a copy of the report) when a record drives a denial. Many screening vendors voluntarily drop older or non-judgment cases regardless of state law. The pivotal caution: do not deny an applicant on a dismissed case or a bare filing, and confirm the report matches the actual court disposition before acting.

The tenant's side: limiting the damage

Because Utah offers no eviction-sealing right, a tenant cannot simply petition to erase a case. The practical defense is accuracy. Pull your own file on Utah Courts xChange and confirm the disposition is recorded correctly, especially if the case was dismissed, settled, or decided in your favor.

If a tenant-screening report misstates the outcome, or reports a case that never reached judgment as if you lost, you have the right under the FCRA to dispute it with the screening company, which must investigate and correct errors. A certified copy from the clerk, at $0.25 per page, is strong proof of the true outcome. Keep that documentation handy: in a no-expungement state, a clean, correct record is the most reliable way to keep an old case from costing you a future lease.

Step-by-Step: How to Search Utah Eviction Records

1. Go to Utah Courts xChange. Open https://www.utcourts.gov/xchange in your browser.
2. Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
3. Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
4. Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
5. Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
6. Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Justice Court (< $11,000) or District Court clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.25/page.

This page was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from the Utah State Courts (the Administrative Office of the Courts) and its statewide Utah Courts xChange case-search system; as of this writing Utah has no statutory eviction-record expungement or sealing provision. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; consult a licensed Utah attorney or the relevant court clerk about a specific case.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up an eviction record in Utah?

Search by party name on Utah Courts xChange, the state judiciary's online case-search system. Utah provides statewide online access, so you can find unlawful-detainer cases from any county in one place. Eviction cases are heard in the Justice Court (for amounts under $11,000) or the District Court, and the record lives with whichever court decided the case. For a hard copy, request a certified copy from that court's clerk.

Are Utah eviction records public?

Yes. Eviction (unlawful detainer) cases are part of Utah's public court record and are searchable statewide through Utah Courts xChange. Because Utah has no eviction-record sealing statute, these filings generally remain publicly visible after a case closes. Always check the disposition rather than assuming a listed case means the tenant lost.

Can a tenant expunge an eviction in Utah?

No. Utah has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so an unlawful-detainer case generally stays on the public docket. A tenant's best option is to make sure the recorded disposition is accurate on Utah Courts xChange and to dispute any error on a tenant-screening report under the FCRA, which requires the screening company to investigate and correct mistakes.

How much does a certified copy of a Utah eviction record cost?

Certified copies from the Utah courts run $0.25 per page. Request them from the clerk of the court that decided the case, the Justice Court or the District Court. A certified copy is useful evidence of the true outcome, particularly when a screening report misstates a dismissed or tenant-favorable case.

Related Utah Landlord Guides

Court portal information sourced from the Utah court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published Utah statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.