What happens if a tenant breaks a lease in Utah?
In Utah, an owner may retake an abandoned unit and try to re-rent it at fair rental value, and the tenant owes the entire rent for the rest of the term or, if less, the rent for the period needed to re-rent plus the rent difference, a reasonable commission and restoration costs. The statute applies the second, lower measure even when the owner did not re-rent the premises. Separately, federal law lets a servicemember end a lease early after receiving qualifying military orders. This is Utah Code § 78B-6-816.
| What | Utah |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s duty to re-rent | Tenant’s liability capped by statute |
| What it means | The statute limits what the landlord can recover |
Source
Utah Code § 78B-6-816
Read the statute in the Utah Code (Utah Legislature): le.utah.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease by State: What the Tenant Owes — What a tenant owes after leaving a lease early, and the 34 states whose statutes say whether the landlord must try to re-rent the home.
Compare this rule in every state
More Utah rules
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Utah?
- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Utah?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Utah?
- What are squatters’ rights in Utah?
- Is there rent control in Utah?
- Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Utah?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Utah?
- Is appliance repair taxable in Utah?
- Every Utah rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas