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Utah Probate Deadlines: What to File and When

Most states hand the personal representative a fixed creditor deadline. Utah hands them a decision instead — publish, or don't — and the deadline follows from that choice.

Utah Code Title 75, Chapter 3

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Quick answer: the deadline that shapes the whole schedule depends on a choice, not a fixed date — publish a notice to creditors and the bar is 3 months; skip it and the bar is 1 year. See the full Utah probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.

The core deadlines, in order

DeadlineUtah ruleStatute
Notice to creditors published (optional)Once a week, 3 successive weeks — if the PR chooses toUtah Code § 75-3-801
Claim bar if published3 months from first publication§ 75-3-801(1)(a)
Actual-notice creditorLater of 90 days from publication or 60 days from mailing§ 75-3-801(2)
Claim bar if never published1 year from date of death§ 75-3-803(1)(a)
Earliest closing statement (general PR)4 months after appointment§ 75-3-1003(1)
Non-PR interested party can force settlement1 year after appointment, if PR hasn't petitioned§ 75-3-1001(1)

Publishing is optional — and the choice really matters

Worth understanding clearly: under § 75-3-801(1)(a), a personal representative may publish a notice to creditors — it's not required. Publishing starts a 3-month claim-bar clock from the date of first publication. Skipping it leaves only the outer bar under § 75-3-803(1)(a): claims that arose before death are barred one year after the date of death, full stop. Since a closing statement under § 75-3-1003(1)(a) has to state that the time for presenting claims has expired, an estate that never published effectively cannot close until that full year has run. Publishing is what pulls the finish line forward from twelve months to about three.

A floor that applies no matter what

Even the fastest, most cooperative Utah estate can't file a sworn closing statement before 4 months after the appointment of a general personal representative, under § 75-3-1003(1). That's the practical minimum for a normal informal probate, publication or not.

Facing probate in Utah?

A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to an Utah attorney

Utah probate deadlines — frequently asked questions

Why would a Utah personal representative choose not to publish a notice to creditors?

Usually they wouldn't — skipping publication trades a 3-month bar for a 1-year bar, with no offsetting benefit in most cases. It can happen when a personal representative is unaware publication is available, or in a very small, informally handled estate where no one thought to ask.

How long does a known creditor have if given actual written notice in Utah?

The later of 90 days from the published notice, or 60 days from the mailing or delivery of the written notice — whichever gives the creditor more time, under Utah Code 75-3-801(2).

What's the absolute earliest a Utah estate can close?

4 months after the appointment of a general personal representative, under Utah Code 75-3-1003(1) — a floor that applies even to the fastest, most cooperative estate.

What happens if a Utah personal representative never files for settlement?

Another interested person can petition for an order of complete settlement themselves, but only after waiting 1 year from the appointment of the original personal representative, under Utah Code 75-3-1001(1).

Keep going

Utah Probate Timeline CalculatorYour estimate, based on your answers What Delays Probate in UtahBeyond the statutory floor Informal vs Formal ProbateWhich one applies to your estate Utah Probate vs Living TrustWould a trust have avoided this?

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on Utah Code § 75-3-801, 75-3-803, 75-3-1001, 75-3-1003. Confirm current deadlines with the District Court or a licensed Utah attorney.