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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah Overhauls Construction Trades and Alarm Company Licensing Laws
Last action · March 17, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Tom Peterson and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah enacts comprehensive revisions to the Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act and establishes a separate Alarm Company Licensing Act, taking effect on January 1, 2027. The legislation restructures licensing requirements for various construction trades, relocates alarm company regulations into a new chapter, modifies contractor retention and payment rules, and updates background check and continuing education mandates.
Licensed contractors, electricians, plumbers, alarm companies, and construction workers must navigate new structural chapters, updated continuing education timelines, and modified background screening requirements beginning in 2027.
- The Utah Construction Trades Licensing Act governs the state's licensing, supervision, and standards for contractors, electricians, plumbers, and specialty trades. context
- HB 40 was introduced during the 2026 General Session of the Utah Legislature and signed into law by the Governor. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Contractors
Contractors must comply with restructured licensing chapters, updated continuing education rules, and modified financial responsibility requirements.
Electricians and Plumbers
Electricians and plumbers face revised continuing education hours and updated licensing qualification standards.
Alarm Companies
Alarm companies and agents are governed by a newly established licensing chapter and updated background check mandates.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does this legislation take effect?
What happens to the regulations governing alarm companies?
What are the continuing education requirements for contractors?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
47 actions- Mar 17, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 5, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Feb 17, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 41 earlier actions
- Feb 17, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Feb 17, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Feb 17, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Feb 12, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 11, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 11, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 6, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 6, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 5, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 3, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 2, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 30, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Jan 30, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Jan 30, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Jan 30, 2026HouseHouse/ floor amendment failed
- Jan 30, 2026HouseHouse/ uncircled
- Jan 28, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0040S01
- Jan 28, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0040S01
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ circled
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ substituted
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ uncircled
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ circled
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0040S01
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0040S01
- Jan 23, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Jan 23, 2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
- Jan 22, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Jan 20, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Dec 29, 2025ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0040
- Dec 29, 2025Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0040
- Dec 18, 2025Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0040
- Dec 18, 2025Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0040
- Dec 18, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 18, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Decoupling of Alarm Company Regulation
The legislation systematically extracts alarm company and alarm company agent licensing provisions from the general construction trades chapter and establishes an independent statutory chapter.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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