How to file for unemployment in Utah

The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.

All about unemployment in Utah

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Filing, step by step

File online at jobs.utah.gov; claims are not taken by phone. You need a Utah-ID, which requires an email address. If you have trouble filing online, contact the Claims Assistance and Re-Employment (CARE) Team by Live Chat or phone.

When to file and when your claim starts

File as soon as you are out of work. Your claim normally starts on the Sunday of the week you apply, as long as you did not work full time or earn your weekly benefit amount that week.

What to have ready

Your Social Security number
An email address to create a Utah-ID
Names, dates of work and addresses of your employers, including any out-of-state employers
Information on any vacation, holiday, severance or separation pay
Information on any pension or disability retirement
Bank account details if you want direct deposit

Certify (claim your weeks)

How often: Weekly. File a weekly claim online with your Social Security number and 4-digit PIN for each week (Sunday to Saturday), as soon as possible after the week ends. Report all work and gross wages for the week you worked. Late filing is not allowed; if you do not file within 27 days of the last week filed, your claim closes and you must reopen it.

Your first payment

If you meet all requirements and file each week, your first payment should arrive about three weeks after you apply. Payments are by direct deposit or a U.S. Bank ReliaCard; funds are available at least two business days after release.

Register for work

Unless told otherwise, complete all steps of work registration on jobs.utah.gov each time you file or reopen a claim. If you live outside Utah, register with your own state's employment office and send proof. Not registering within 10 working days can lead to a denial of benefits.

Jobs.utah.gov work registration

Law: Utah Code sec. 35A-4-403

Official source: Source page

What applies in every state

File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.

Free help

Call 801-526-4400. Legal aid and other free help in Utah → Official sources →