Murray Business License: Home Occupation Rules and the Prohibited List

If you plan to run a business from your home in Murray, you need a Murray city business license before you take your first client or sell your first product. Utah has no statewide general business license, so the city license is the approval that governs a home business inside Murray. Murray requires a home occupation license for any permitted home business in a residential zone, and the city keeps a list of activities that cannot be run from a home at all. This guide covers what to gather, the steps in order, the full prohibited list, and the mistakes that stall applications.

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Materials you need

Gather these before you open the application. Most of them are requested up front, and missing one usually means a second trip through the process.

The street address where the business will operate, and confirmation that it sits inside Murray city limits
A written description of what the business does, who it serves, and whether customers or employees will come to the home
A list of equipment, vehicles, and materials the business will store or use on the property
Your entity paperwork, if you have one: the Certificate of Organization for an LLC or the Articles of Incorporation for a corporation, plus your Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code filing details
Your Utah sales tax account from the Tax Commission, if you are a seller with an established presence in Utah
Any occupational license your profession requires from the Division of Professional Licensing
Your lease or the property owner's written permission, if you rent. Many leases restrict business use, and a city license does not override a lease.

Step 1: Confirm the property is inside Murray city limits

The license comes from the city where the business is located, or from the county if the property sits outside city limits. For a Murray business, that means the city. A Murray mailing address does not always mean the property is inside city limits, so confirm the parcel before you apply. Also remember that a city license does not transfer between cities. If you move your business to Taylorsville or Midvale, you need that city's license, not Murray's.

Step 2: Register your entity or assumed name with the state

State registration is a filing, not a license, and it does not replace the Murray license. Complete it first if you have an entity, because the city will ask for your filing details.

LLC: The formation document is the Certificate of Organization, with a $59 filing fee. The annual renewal costs $18, is due one year from registration and every year after, and the renewal window opens 60 days before the anniversary date. A late renewal adds a $10 fee.
Corporation: The formation document is the Articles of Incorporation, with the same $59 filing fee and the same $18 annual renewal.
Assumed name (DBA): If you operate under a name other than your legal name, register it with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, not the county. The fee is $22 to register, with a renewal fee (check the Division's DBA page for the current fee and term).

Most online filings through the Utah Business Registration System are processed instantly. Filings that need manual review are stated at 2 to 4 business days, and the Division has posted 7 to 10 business days during backlogs. Expedited processing is $75 per filing. Every entity must also name a registered agent with a Utah street address, which may be you or a commercial agent.

Start at businessregistration.utah.gov and review the Division's guidance at commerce.utah.gov/corporations.

Step 3: Confirm your use is permitted in your zone

Murray requires a home occupation license for any permitted home business in a residential zone. Home occupations are accessory uses, which means they are secondary to the home's residential use and must follow the city's specific regulations for accessory uses. Those regulations are the part most applicants underestimate, so ask Murray for the current rules that apply to your business type and property before you buy equipment, hire help, or sign a lease for a separate workspace.

Step 4: Compare your business to the prohibited list

Murray Code 17.24.050, as posted on the city's Home Occupation Licensing page, prohibits these activities as home occupations:

Category	Prohibited as a home occupation
Vehicles	Vehicle repair, vehicle sales, painting of vehicles, trailer or boat repair, limousine or taxi service
Health and dental	Dental offices, medical offices
Repair and shop work	Electronics repair, major appliance repair, upholstering, on-site carpentry or cabinet making that creates noise, dust or fumes
Photo	Photo developing, photo studios
Other	Permanent yard sales, private schools, tattooing, sexually oriented businesses

Read the list against your business description, not just your business name. A repair side job, a garage workshop, or a client appointment schedule can each trigger a prohibition. The list is also not the whole test. A business that does not appear on it still has to meet every other home occupation rule, so a clean list does not guarantee approval.

Step 5: Check state tax and occupational requirements

Utah issues no statewide general business license, but two other registrations may apply to a home business.

Sales tax: A seller with an established presence in Utah needs a Utah Sales Tax License from the Utah State Tax Commission. Register through the Taxpayer Access Point (TAP) at tap.tax.utah.gov. The Tax Commission account is a tax registration, not a business license.
Occupational licensing: Many professions need a license from the Division of Professional Licensing. Check with the division about your profession before you apply in Murray, because a city license does not satisfy a state occupational requirement.

Tax and licensing rules depend on your entity type, your products, and your sales. Confirm them with the Tax Commission or a CPA before you open for business.

Step 6: Apply with Murray and confirm fees and renewal

Contact Murray Community and Economic Development before you apply. Murray's Business Licensing office sets the fee amount and the renewal date, and this guide does not state either one. Ask the office these questions:

What is the current home occupation license fee, and how is it paid?
When does the license renew, and how far ahead of that date can I renew?
Does my business type need a zoning review or inspection before approval?
If I add a product, service, or employee later, do I need a new or amended license?

Step 7: Keep the license current

Treat the Murray renewal and the state renewal as two separate deadlines. An LLC with a state annual renewal can still lose its Murray license if the city renewal lapses, and the reverse is also true. Put both dates on the same calendar, and renew the city license before any change in the business. If you move, plan on a new license in the new city.

Common mistakes to avoid

Treating state registration as the license. Filing with the Division does not give you permission to operate from a Murray home.
Filing a DBA with the county. Assumed names are filed with the state Division.
Assuming another city's license covers Murray. A city license does not transfer between cities.
Starting a prohibited activity before approval. A garage repair side job or a client appointment at the house can trigger a violation even if the license is pending.
Ignoring the lease. A city license does not override a landlord's restrictions.
Assuming an unlisted activity is automatically allowed. Every home occupation must meet the city's accessory use rules.

What to expect after you apply

A home occupation license may help you operate legally from your residence, and it may help when a bank, supplier, or client asks for proof of local compliance. It does not guarantee approval, and it does not stop neighbors from raising concerns or the city from enforcing its rules. Keep the business inside the home, within the terms of your license, and you may reduce those risks. Confirm your specific outcome with Murray.

Helpful state resources

Utah Business Registration System for LLC, corporation, and assumed name filings
Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code for entity and DBA guidance
Utah State Tax Commission for tax rules
Utah Small Business Development Center for help working through the steps

This article is informational only and is not legal, tax, or zoning advice. Murray, the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, and the Tax Commission set the current requirements, and those rules change. Talk with a qualified attorney or CPA before you decide on an entity structure, tax treatment, or a complex home business.