Let's set the stage
Utah is home for us. Everything Senior Insurance is licensed and based in Draper, so this is the state we know best from the inside. Utah Code 31A-23a-301 says an insurance organization "shall be licensed as an agency" if it acts as a producer, and 31A-23a-103 bars anyone from acting as a producer in Utah without a valid individual or agency license. If your LLC or corporation is the name on the commission checks, plan on licensing it.
Utah agency license at a glance
| Item | Utah rule |
|---|---|
| License name | Agency license (Utah Code 31A-23a-301) |
| Who must license | Resident and nonresident insurance organizations acting as producers |
| Responsible person | A designated responsible licensed individual holding the same lines as the agency |
| Where to apply | SIRCON or NIPR |
| State fee | $85 per the department and NIPR, resident or nonresident |
| Term | 2 years, expiring on the last day of the month |
| Continuing education | None for agencies; individuals only |
| Regulator | Utah Insurance Department, (801) 957-9200 |
Who must hold a Utah agency license
Residents and nonresidents alike. A nonresident agency must also hold an active similar license in its home state (31A-23a-105) and sign an agreement to be subject to the Utah commissioner's and courts' jurisdiction (31A-23a-109). Utah cannot charge a nonresident a higher fee just for being a nonresident (31A-23a-109(4)), which is why NIPR shows the same $85 either way.
The designated responsible licensed individual
Utah's version of the DRLP is called the designated responsible licensed individual. The application must name this person (31A-23a-104), and the agency must report the person who "has authority to act on behalf of the agency in the matters pertaining to compliance" (31A-23a-302(6)). The department adds that the designee "must already hold an insurance license and hold the same qualifications or lines of authority as the agency will hold."
Here's the thing many owners miss. Under 31A-23a-302(5), an agency can only act through individuals licensed for the same capacity. The department's FAQ says an agency license can stay active with no designee, but the agency "may not operate (sell, solicit, or negotiate)" until a licensed individual is designated. When your designee leaves, fix it right away.
How to apply, step by step
- Form your entity and get your FEIN. The department says you "must already have your firm name and FEIN."
- Make sure your designee holds an active Utah license with the same lines the agency will hold.
- Apply online: the department points to SIRCON ("Apply for a License"), and NIPR also accepts Utah business entity applications.
- List owners, partners, officers and directors as the application asks (31A-23a-104).
- If you will use a name other than your legal name, notify the commissioner before you use it (31A-23a-110(2)).
- No exam and no fingerprints are required for the agency itself.
Utah agency license fees
| Fee | Amount | Where it is published |
|---|---|---|
| Agency license, as stated by the department | $85 | Utah Insurance Department exam and licensing page |
| NIPR state fee, resident or nonresident business application | $85 | NIPR Utah business pages |
| FY2027 schedule: agency initial or biennial renewal | $75 | UID fee schedule PDF |
| FY2027 schedule: each additional line of authority | $25 | UID fee schedule PDF |
| FY2027 schedule: reinstatement | $125 | UID fee schedule PDF |
| FY2027 schedule: electronic commerce restricted, agency license | $10 | UID fee schedule PDF |
| NIPR transaction fee, initial applications and renewals | $5.60 | NIPR help articles |
Let's be real: the fee schedule shows $75 plus a separate $10 electronic fee, and the department's own page says $85. The two line up, but no page spells out that math, so expect $85 at checkout plus NIPR's transaction fee. NIPR says its transaction fee is currently $5.60 on initial applications and renewals.
Renewal
The department says agency licenses "expire every 2 years from the date of issuance, on the last day of the month." Resident and nonresident agencies can renew online at SIRCON or NIPR. The FY2027 schedule lists $75 for a biennial renewal; whether the $10 electronic fee is added at renewal is not stated, so check the total in SIRCON. Only individuals complete continuing education.
Utah's E&O rule (and why it matters to agencies)
Utah does not put an E&O requirement on the agency license itself. But Utah Code 31A-23a-203.5 requires every resident individual producer to carry E&O coverage, and that can be met by a policy naming the agency that designates the producer. If you run a Utah agency with resident agents, an agency E&O policy that covers your designated producers is one clean way to handle it. See do agencies need E&O.
Other Utah requirements
- Register your principal place of business, phone and business email, and report changes within 30 days (31A-23a-412).
- Keep separate books and records of Utah transactions at the registered location (31A-23a-412).
- Report administrative actions and criminal prosecutions within 30 days (31A-23a-105).
- Report new and terminated designations (31A-23a-302).
What we could not verify
We did not find a page from the department, the statute or NIPR stating whether a Utah entity must register with the Utah Division of Corporations before licensing. Most Utah entities form through the Division of Corporations anyway, but confirm with the department at (801) 957-9200 or its licensee FAQ.
After the license
Once your agency is licensed and your designee is attached, the next step is carrier contracts at the agency level. We are a Draper agency ourselves, and we contract Utah agencies and agencies across the country. Start at agency contracting with ESI, or compare other states on our agency license hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Utah insurance agency license cost?
The Utah Insurance Department's licensing page says the fee is $85, and NIPR lists $85 for resident and nonresident business applications. The FY2027 fee schedule shows that as a $75 agency fee plus a $10 electronic commerce fee. NIPR adds its own transaction fee.
Does a Utah agency need a designated responsible licensed individual?
Yes. Utah Code 31A-23a-104 and 31A-23a-302 require the agency to name one, and the department says that person must already hold the same lines of authority as the agency. Without a designee the agency cannot sell, solicit or negotiate.
How often does a Utah agency license renew?
Every two years, on the last day of the month it was issued. Agencies renew online through SIRCON or NIPR and have no continuing education requirement.
Do Utah agents need E&O insurance?
Utah Code 31A-23a-203.5 requires resident individual producers to carry E&O at all times during the license term. A policy naming the agency that designates the producer can satisfy it.
Sources
- Utah Insurance Department: Exam and licensing procedures (agency license)
- Utah Insurance Department: Licensees FAQ
- Utah Insurance Department FY2027 Fee Schedule (PDF)
- Utah Code Title 31A Chapter 23a (PDF)
- NIPR: Utah resident business licensing
- NIPR: Utah non-resident business licensing
- NIPR: Renew a license (transaction fee)
- NIPR: Apply for an initial license (transaction fee)
Updated October 13, 2026 by the Everything Senior Insurance Data Desk.