Short answer. Yes for private employers with 150 or more employees. Separate rules cover public employers and state contractors.
At a glance
- Private employers
- A private employer with 150 or more employees may not hire a new employee unless it is registered with and uses a status verification system such as E-Verify.
- Public employers
- A public employer must register with and use a status verification system for new employees.
- State contractors
- A contractor working for a public employer must register and participate in the status verification system, and its subcontractors certify the same by affidavit.
- In effect since
- New hires on or after May 4, 2022, for private employers with 150 or more employees.
- Who enforces or publishes it
- Utah Legislature (Private Employer Verification Act; Utah Code 63G-12-302)
In the official wording
Private employers
"A private employer who employs 150 or more employees on or after May 4, 2022, may not hire a new employee"
Public employers
"a public employer shall register with and use a Status Verification System"
State contractors
"a contractor shall register and participate in the Status Verification System"
Effective date
"may not hire a new employee on or after May 4, 2022, unless the private employer:"
Three example businesses
- 8 employees, private, no state contract: Not required by the headcount rule. See why
- 40 employees, private, no state contract: Not required by the headcount rule. See why
- 40 employees, private, with a state contract: Required. See why
Your own numbers: open the checker for Utah.
Worth knowing
A private employer that follows the rule can't be held civilly liable under state law for that hire if the system showed the person was authorized. Registering with the state's Verify Utah registry is optional.
Not stated on the pages we opened: a penalty and limits on how E-Verify is used.
Hiring someone remote in New Jersey? MCC Solutions acts as an I-9 authorized representative: we meet the new hire, examine the original documents and complete Section 2 for you, from $65 per employee. E-Verify cases are created by the employer, in its own E-Verify account; we don't create them.
Official sources
- Utah Code Title 13, Chapter 47: Private Employer Verification Act
- Utah Documented Employment Registry (Verify Utah), Division of Corporations
- Utah Code 63G-12-302: Status verification system
General information, not legal advice. Checked November 2026. Federal rules on Form I-9 and E-Verify timing are on the all-states table.
Common questions
Do private employers in Utah have to use E-Verify?
Private employers with 150 or more employees. A private employer with 150 or more employees may not hire a new employee unless it is registered with and uses a status verification system such as E-Verify. The official wording: "A private employer who employs 150 or more employees on or after May 4, 2022, may not hire a new employee."
Does Utah require E-Verify for public employers?
A public employer must register with and use a status verification system for new employees.
Do contractors with the state of Utah need E-Verify?
A contractor working for a public employer must register and participate in the status verification system, and its subcontractors certify the same by affidavit.
When did the Utah rule take effect?
New hires on or after May 4, 2022, for private employers with 150 or more employees.
Is a Form I-9 still needed in Utah?
Yes. Every employer completes Form I-9 for each hire under federal law, and an E-Verify case is created from the finished form, so the state rule adds to the I-9 rather than replacing it.
All states: E-Verify requirements by state · Tennessee