Utah § 2a-201.5 - Qualifications for incorporation.
Full text of Utah Utah Code § 2a-201.5 — Qualifications for incorporation., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2a-201.5. Qualifications for incorporation.
Effective 5/6/2026 10-2a-201.5.
Qualifications for incorporation.
(1)
(a)
An area may incorporate as a town in accordance with this part if the area:
(i)
(A)
is contiguous; or
(B)
is a community council area;
(ii)
has a population of at least 75 people, but fewer than 1,000 people; and
(iii)
is not already part of a municipality.
(b)
A preliminary municipality may transition to, and incorporate as, a town, in accordance with Section 10-2a-510.
(c)
An area may incorporate as a city in accordance with this part if the area:
(i)
(A)
is contiguous; or
(B)
is a community council area;
(ii)
has a population of 1,000 people or more; and
(iii)
is not already part of a municipality.
(2)
(a)
An area may not incorporate under this part if:
(i)
the area has a population of fewer than 75 people; or
(ii)
except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the area has an average population density of fewer than seven people per square mile.
(b)
Subsection (2)(a)(ii) does not prohibit incorporation of an area if:
(i)
noncompliance with Subsection (2)(a)(ii) is necessary to connect separate areas that share a demonstrable community interest; and
(ii)
the area is contiguous.
(3)
An area incorporating under this part may not include land owned by the United States federal government unless:
(a)
the area, including the land owned by the United States federal government, is contiguous; and
(b)
(i)
incorporating the land is necessary to connect separate areas that share a demonstrable community interest; or
(ii)
excluding the land from the incorporating area would create an unincorporated island within the proposed municipality.
(4)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b), an area incorporating under this part may not include some or all of an area proposed for annexation in an annexation petition under Section 10-2-806 that:
(i)
was filed before the filing of the request for a feasibility study, described in Section 10-2a-202, relating to the incorporating area; and
(ii)
is still pending on the date the request for the feasibility study described in Subsection (4)(a)(i) is filed.
(b)
A feasibility request may propose for incorporation an area that includes some or all of an area proposed for annexation in an annexation petition described in Subsection (4)(a) if:
(i)
the proposed annexation area that is part of the area proposed for incorporation does not exceed 20% of the area proposed for incorporation;
(ii)
the feasibility request complies with Subsections 10-2a-202(1), (3), (4), and (5) with respect to excluding the proposed annexation area from the area proposed for incorporation; and
(iii)
excluding the area proposed for annexation from the area proposed for incorporation would not cause the area proposed for incorporation to not be contiguous.
(c)
Except as provided in Section 10-2a-206, the lieutenant governor shall consider each feasibility request to which Subsection (4)(b) applies as not proposing the incorporation of an area proposed for annexation.
(5)
(a)
An area incorporating under this part may not include part of a parcel of real property and exclude part of that same parcel unless the owner of the parcel gives written consent to exclude part of the parcel.
(b)
A piece of real property that has more than one parcel number is considered to be a single parcel for purposes of Subsection (5)(a) if owned by the same owner.
Section 2a-201.5 ("Qualifications for incorporation.") is part of the Utah Code, the codified statutory law of Utah. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Utah § 2a-201.5?
A common citation format is "Utah Code § 2a-201.5" (Utah). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Utah law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Utah official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Utah attorney.
How does Utah § 2a-201.5 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Utah can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
