Jury Duty in Utah: Pay, Exemptions, Excuses and What to Expect (2026)

Utah courts draw jurors at random from driver's license and state ID records and the voter rolls, county by county. If you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or older, live in the county, and can read, speak and understand English, you can be called. The process starts with a qualification form, usually by mail or email, and only later a summons.

The pay is modest. Utah pays jurors $18.50 for the first day and $49 for each later day, plus mileage only if you drive more than 50 miles. Your employer doesn't have to pay you, but it can't fire, threaten or punish you, and it can't make you use vacation or sick leave. Utah has no exemptions: no job, and no age, takes you off the list automatically. A summoned juror who doesn't show up is in contempt of court, which can mean a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail.

The rules are in the Jury and Witness Act (Utah Code §§ 78B-1-101 to 78B-1-152) and the Judicial Council's Rules 4-404 and 4-405. Everything below is current as of November 2026.

Utah jury duty at a glance

Who can serve

Section 78B-1-105 sets the test:

(1) An individual is competent to serve as a juror if the individual is: (a) a citizen of the United States; (b) 18 years old or older; (c) a resident of the county; and (d) able to read, speak, and understand the English language.

Felony convictions. Since May 7, 2025, a felony conviction in any state or federal court keeps you off a jury "unless the felony conviction has been expunged or reduced to a misdemeanor" (§ 78B-1-105(2)). Before that, only expungement restored eligibility. The court decides whether a prospective juror is disqualified, using the qualification form, an interview or other evidence.

Where names come from. The Judicial Council builds each county's master jury list from two sources: driver licenses and ID cards held by U.S. citizens 18 and older, and the official voter register. The list is refreshed at least twice a year (Rule 4-404(1)).

The qualification form. When a jury trial is coming, the clerk sends you a qualification form asking for your contact details and whether you meet the legal requirements (§ 78B-1-107). You have ten days after receiving it to answer. The courts encourage you to qualify online, or you can fax or mail the form back (Qualification Letter). If you ignore it, the clerk mails it again, and after that a sheriff can serve you with an order to answer (Rule 4-404(4)).

Exemptions and excuses

Utah is blunt about exemptions. Section 78B-1-108 reads, in full:

No qualified prospective juror is exempt from jury service.

That means no automatic exemption for lawyers, police, doctors, elected officials or anyone else, and no age at which you can opt out. The law also forbids excluding a qualified citizen because of "race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, occupation, disability, or economic status" (§ 78B-1-103).

What Utah has instead is the court's power to excuse. Section 78B-1-109(1) lets a court excuse you on a showing:

(i) of undue hardship; (ii) of public necessity; (iii) that the individual is a mother who is breastfeeding a child; or (iv) that the individual is incapable of jury service; and

The excuse lasts as long as the reason does, and you must back it up with an affidavit, sworn testimony or other evidence.

• Undue hardship has a legal definition: you'd have to abandon someone in your care or pay an unreasonable cost for substitute care; you'd suffer extreme physical hardship from an illness, injury or disability; or you'd face substantial costs or lost opportunities by missing an event scheduled before you were first notified (§ 78B-1-102(8)).
• Public necessity means the services you provide to the public, in a public or private job, can't adequately be performed by someone else (§ 78B-1-102(6)).
• Breastfeeding mothers can be excused for as long as they are nursing.
• Students. Being enrolled in college, full or part time, isn't enough by itself to be excused (Rule 4-404(5)(D)).
• Disability. The court must make reasonable accommodations for a juror with a disability. Contact the clerk before you come to court.
• Older jurors. Age alone isn't a ground. An older juror whose health makes service an extreme physical hardship can ask to be excused for undue hardship or as incapable of service.

How to ask. Fill in the excuse section of the qualification form and explain your reason. The court may ask for documentation. An excuse can be temporary or permanent, and under Rule 4-404 it satisfies your obligation for that call. The trial judge, the presiding judge, or a clerk working under the presiding judge's written standards decides (Qualification Letter; Rule 4-404(5)).

Postponing jury duty

The court "may postpone jury service upon a showing of good cause" (§ 78B-1-109(3)). Under Rule 4-404(5)(C), a postponement moves you to later in your term or to a future term. On the qualification form you can also ask that your service fit your schedule. The courts say clerks will try, but they can't meet every request.

Your term of availability depends on where you live (Rule 4-404(2)(B)):

• Salt Lake County: one month.
• Davis, Utah and Weber counties: three months.
• Everywhere else: six months.

During that term you can be told to report at any time until you actually attend court. If an emergency comes up after you've been summoned, contact the clerk at the number on your summons as soon as you can (I received a summons).

Juror pay

Section 78B-1-119 sets the fee for jurors and witnesses alike. Every juror is entitled to:

(a) $18.50 for the first day of attendance and $49 per day for each subsequent day of attendance; and (b) if traveling more than 50 miles, $1 for each four miles in excess of 50 miles actually and necessarily traveled in going only, regardless of county lines.

What that means:

• $18.50, then $49. The rates are the same in every county and in state and justice courts. A "subsequent day" for a juror is any later day during your term, even for a different trial (Rule 4-405(1)(B)).
• Mileage only for long trips. Nothing for the first 50 miles; after that, $1 per four miles, one way.
• Parking and transit. The courts say you may be reimbursed for parking or public transportation if you show proof of payment (Juryroom FAQ).
• Meals and lodging. The court provides meals while a jury deliberates or is sequestered, and lunch on a final trial day expected to run past 2:00 p.m. if the judge finds it will help. Lodging is paid if the jury is sequestered, if you live more than 100 miles from the courthouse and the judge orders it, or in bad weather (Rule 4-405(3)-(4)).
• Bring your summons. You must present it to be paid for the first day. Payment comes by check.
• Report daily. In criminal cases, every juror must report to the clerk each day; no fee is paid for a day attendance isn't reported (§ 78B-1-120).

Some employers keep paying full wages during jury service and have the worker hand over the jury fee, the courts note. That's a company policy, not a legal requirement.

Your job is protected

Section 78B-1-116(1) protects jurors at work:

An employer may not deprive an employee of employment, threaten or take any adverse employment action, or otherwise coerce the employee regarding employment because the employee receives a summons, responds to it, serves as a juror, or a grand juror, or attends court for prospective jury or grand jury service.

Four more rules follow:

1. No forced leave. Your employer can't require, or even ask, you to use annual, vacation or sick leave for responding to a summons, jury selection, or serving. The law doesn't create leave you don't already have, and it doesn't require your employer to pay wages.
2. Criminal penalty. An employer who violates the section is guilty of criminal contempt and may be fined up to $500, jailed up to six months, or both.
3. Lawsuit within 30 days. If you're fired in violation of the law, you have 30 days to sue for lost wages and reinstatement. Damages are capped at six weeks of lost wages, and a winning employee gets reasonable attorney fees.
4. Tell your employer early. The courts advise letting your employer or teachers know when you're "on call," but not taking time off until you've actually been told to come in. The court can't give you a service letter if you were never called.

(§ 78B-1-116; Juryroom FAQ)

What happens if you don't show up

Section 78B-1-115(2) makes it contempt:

A person summoned for jury service who fails to appear or to complete jury service as directed shall be in contempt of court and subject to penalties under Title 78B, Chapter 6, Part 3, Contempt.

The same goes for failing to answer the qualification questions on time. Utah's contempt law lists neglecting to attend or serve when summoned as a juror among the acts that are contempt (§ 78B-6-301). A court that finds you guilty of contempt may fine you up to $1,000, jail you up to 30 days, or both; a justice court judge or court commissioner may impose up to $500 or five days (§ 78B-6-310). Willfully lying about a material fact to qualify, get excused or win a postponement is a separate infraction (§ 78B-1-115(3)).

In practice the courts escalate in steps. If you miss your date, the court mails you a failure-to-appear notice. If you don't respond, it may mail you a summons to appear before a judge at an "order to show cause" hearing (Jury scam page). If you have an emergency, call the clerk before your date.

Your first day

The Utah State Courts' Juryroom pages and handbook, Selected to Serve, describe the process:

• Being on call. At some point in your term, the court will tell you you're "on call" and how to keep in touch. Many courts use a call-in system: you check each evening whether you're needed the next day.
• Bring your summons. It's what qualifies you for the $18.50 first-day fee.
• Arrive early for security. Most courthouses screen visitors much like an airport. Don't bring weapons, including pocket knives or scissors; illegal weapons are confiscated and legal ones must stay in your car.
• Dress appropriately. Most courts don't allow shorts or tank tops.
• Plan for dependents. Courthouses have no childcare or dependent care.
• Expect to wait. Bring reading material or work. Cases sometimes settle at the last minute, and you'll be sent home for the day.
• How long. You can't be required to attend more than one court day unless you're serving on a trial (§ 78B-1-110). Most trials last one to two days, and the judge will give you an estimate.
• Service counts even if you go home. Reporting once to the courthouse completes your service, and in most counties so does following the summons's instructions even if you're never told to come in (Rule 4-404(2)(A)).
• Proof for your employer. Ask the clerk for a letter verifying your jury service.

Grand jury service

Utah rarely uses grand juries. A panel of judges from around the state holds hearings in each judicial district every three years to decide whether to summon one. Anyone with information about criminal activity can testify, and the attorney general, a county attorney or a special prosecutor can also ask for one (Grand Jury Schedule). Grand jurors receive the same fees as trial jurors (§ 78B-1-119). In any two-year period you can't be required to serve on more than one grand jury, or on both a grand jury and a trial jury (§ 78B-1-110).

Jury duty scams

Scammers call posing as police officers, sometimes using a real officer's name and a spoofed caller ID, claim you missed jury duty, and press you to pay a fine with gift cards or a wire transfer. The Utah State Courts say they will likely never call you, since jury communication is usually by mail, and lay out what they won't do:

We will never threaten you over the phone with arrest or jail time.

The courts also warn of text messages that look official and demand payment through links or QR codes. Real courts don't collect fines that way or by gift card, cryptocurrency or payment app. If you think you've been targeted, hang up and report it to local police, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or the FTC (Jury Service Scam; Court Scams Info; see also the federal courts' juror scam warning).

Recent and pending changes

Section 78B-1-119, which sets the fees, was last amended in 2017. We found no other 2026 law changing jury service; the 2026 amendments to §§ 78B-1-123 and 78B-1-124 only concern how counties account for juror certificates. The 2027 General Session opens in January.

Frequently asked questions

How much does jury duty pay in Utah?

Utah pays $18.50 for the first day you attend and $49 for each later day during your term. If you drive more than 50 miles, you also get $1 for every four miles beyond 50, one way. Your employer doesn't have to pay your wages, though some do.

Can my employer fire me for jury duty in Utah?

No. Your employer can't fire, threaten or take any adverse action against you for being summoned or serving, and it can't require or even ask you to use vacation or sick leave. An employer who breaks the law faces criminal contempt, a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail. If you're fired, you have 30 days to sue for up to six weeks of lost wages and your job back.

How do I get out of jury duty in Utah?

No one is exempt in Utah, so you'll need a court to excuse you. The grounds are undue hardship, public necessity, breastfeeding, or being incapable of service, and you must support your request with an affidavit or other evidence. Explain your reason on the qualification form. If you simply need a different date, ask to postpone for good cause.

What happens if I miss jury duty in Utah?

Failing to appear is contempt of court. The court usually mails a failure-to-appear notice first, then may order you to a show-cause hearing. A judge who finds you in contempt can fine you up to $1,000, jail you up to 30 days, or both.

How often can you be called for jury service in Utah?

Once you've complied with a summons, you can't be selected again for two years in most counties, and you can't be required to attend court for more than one day except to finish a trial. Some smaller, rural counties aren't covered by the two-year selection limit.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in Utah?

You must be 18 or older. There's no upper age limit and no opt-out for older residents; the law forbids excluding anyone because of age. A health problem that makes service an extreme physical hardship can still be grounds for an excuse.

Where these rules live

• Utah Code § 78B-1-105 — Who can serve
• Utah Code § 78B-1-108 — No exemptions
• Utah Code § 78B-1-109 — Excuses and postponement
• Utah Code § 78B-1-110 — Limits on service
• Utah Code § 78B-1-115 — Penalties for jurors
• Utah Code § 78B-1-116 — Employer protection
• Utah Code § 78B-1-119 — Juror fees and mileage
• Utah Code § 78B-6-310 — Contempt penalties
• Code of Judicial Administration Rule 4-404 — Jury selection and service
• Code of Judicial Administration Rule 4-405 — Juror fees and expenses
• Utah State Courts: Juror Information (Juryroom)
• Utah's civil rules on this site
• Law schools in Utah