How to Complete and File a Utah Business Name Change Form

To complete a Utah business name change, a corporation or LLC files articles of amendment with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for $17, while a trade name (DBA) is changed by canceling the existing registration and filing a new assumed name registration for $22. Most online filings are approved instantly. The form you use depends entirely on whether you are renaming a formal entity or a DBA, and picking the wrong path gets the filing rejected.

Confirm the New Name Is Available

Every registered entity’s name in Utah has to be distinguishable from all other names on the Division’s records. For LLCs, Utah Code 48-3a-108 says a name qualifies as distinguishable only if it has at least one different letter or numeral compared to existing names.¹ Corporations follow the same standard under Utah Code 16-10a-401.²

What does not count as a difference trips up most filers. Entity-type suffixes like “LLC,” “Inc.,” or “Corp.” are ignored. So are punctuation, capitalization, and the words “the,” “and,” or “a.” If “Mountain West Services LLC” already exists, you cannot register “Mountain West Services Inc.” The Division treats those as identical.²

Run your proposed name through the free Business Entity Search on the Division’s website before you file.³ If the name is too close to an existing one, the filing gets bounced and the fee is spent.

Approve the Change Internally First

The name change has to be properly authorized inside your organization before you file anything with the state. For a corporation, that is a shareholder vote or board resolution per your bylaws. For an LLC, members approve the change according to the operating agreement. Follow whatever your governing documents require, and keep a written record. The person signing the state filing is certifying the change was authorized.

Once the state approves the new name, go back and update the operating agreement or bylaws so they match the new legal name on file.

Pick the Right Form

Corporations and LLCs: Articles of Amendment

Formal entities registered with the Division (corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships) change their legal name by filing articles of amendment. Utah Code 48-3a-202 specifically requires amending the certificate of organization whenever an LLC’s name changes.⁴ Corporations file under Utah Code 16-10a-1006.

You will need your current legal name exactly as it appears in state records, your entity number from the original registration, and the new name. Spelling and punctuation become the permanent legal record, so type carefully. An authorized person has to sign: a manager or member for an LLC, or a corporate officer for a corporation.

DBAs: Cancel and Re-Register

You cannot amend a DBA name in Utah.⁵ Instead, cancel the existing assumed name registration and file a new one under the new trade name. The new registration costs $22.⁶

Utah Code 42-2-5 requires the certificate to include the assumed name, the true name of the owner, and the principal place of business.⁷ DBA registrations expire after three years, so a near-expiration registration gets handled in one step.

How to File and What It Costs

The Division encourages online filing through its Business Registration System at businessregistration.utah.gov.⁸ You will need a UtahID account and your entity number to log in, submit the amendment, and pay. Paper filings are still accepted, either through the online system’s “Submit a Paper Filing” option or by mail to the Division’s office.⁹

Current fees from the Division’s fiscal year 2026 schedule:⁶

Articles of amendment (corporation or LLC): $17
New DBA registration: $22
Expedited processing (optional): $75 per filing

Most online filings are processed and approved instantly. Anything that goes to manual review takes two to four business days.¹⁰ The $75 expedited fee moves a filing to the front of the queue.

Notify the IRS

How you tell the IRS depends on your entity type. Form 8822-B is for a change of address or responsible party, not a name change, despite being commonly confused for one.¹¹ The actual IRS process:¹²

Corporations check the name-change box on the next Form 1120 (page 1, Line E, Box 3) or Form 1120-S (page 1, Line H, Box 2). If this year’s return is already filed, send a letter signed by a corporate officer to the IRS address where the return was filed.
Partnerships check the name-change box on the next Form 1065 (page 1, Line G, Box 3), or send a signed letter if the return is already filed.
Sole proprietors write to the IRS at the address where the return was filed. The letter must be signed by the owner or an authorized representative.

Your EIN does not change with the name. A new EIN is only required when the name change comes alongside a structural change, such as converting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC. IRS Publication 1635 covers those scenarios.

Notify the Utah State Tax Commission

Report the name change to the Utah State Tax Commission on Form TC-69C, the Notice of Change for a Business and/or Tax Account.¹³ Fill out section A5 with the new name and indicate whether it is a legal business name or a DBA. Unless you are a sole proprietor, attach your Department of Commerce articles of incorporation or amendment documentation.¹⁴

Mark the specific tax accounts affected by the change (sales and use tax, withholding, or others) so the correct records get updated. Mail the completed form to: Utah State Tax Commission, 210 N 1950 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84134-3215.¹³

Downstream Updates

State approval and tax notifications are the required legal steps. The name change still ripples through every outside relationship your business has, and skipping follow-ups creates confusion over invoicing, payments, and whether contracts are being correctly attributed.

Bank Accounts

Bring your approved amendment certificate to your bank. Financial institutions want to see official state documentation before updating account names, check stock, and loan agreements. Do this early. Checks and invoices issued under the old name create payment-processing headaches.

Existing Contracts

A name change does not create a new legal entity, and existing contracts remain enforceable without amendment. Counterparties sometimes ask for a short written confirmation or amendment acknowledging the new name, particularly for ongoing service agreements or leases. Proactively notifying major vendors, landlords, and clients keeps payment instructions clear.

UCC Financing Statements

If your business has outstanding loans secured by a UCC-1 financing statement, the lender may need to file a UCC-3 amendment showing the debtor’s new name. In Utah, a UCC-3 amendment costs $12.⁶ Filing is typically the lender’s responsibility, but confirm it gets done. An outdated name on a financing statement can complicate future borrowing.

Licenses, Permits, and Insurance

Local business licenses, professional board registrations, and industry-specific permits all need the new name. Contact each issuing agency directly; no single form updates everything. Insurance carriers also need the amendment documentation to keep policies active and binding under the correct entity name.

1
Utah Legislature. Utah Code 48-3a-108 – Permitted Names
2
Utah Legislature. Utah Code 16-10a-401 – Corporate Name
3
Utah Department of Commerce. CORP Searches
4
Utah Department of Commerce. How to Amend an LLC
5
Utah Department of Commerce. CORP DBA
6
Utah Department of Commerce. Division of Corporations Filing Fee Schedule
7
Utah Legislature. Utah Code Chapter 2 – Conducting Business Under Assumed Name
8
Utah Department of Commerce. Make Changes to a Business
9
Utah Department of Commerce. Online Registration Instructions
10
Utah Department of Commerce. Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
11
Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
12
Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
13
Utah State Tax Commission. Updating Business Information
14
Utah State Tax Commission. TC-69C Notice of Change for a Business and/or Tax Account