Provo Business License: Minor and Major Home Occupations and Food Truck Zones

If you plan to run a business from your home in Provo, or operate a food truck inside city limits, you need a Provo business license. Utah has no statewide general business license, so the local approval comes from the city. This guide explains how Provo sorts home-based businesses into Minor and Major categories, what to check before you operate a food truck, and which state filings belong alongside the city license.

Informational content only. This article is not legal or tax advice. Fees, forms, and rules change. Confirm every figure with the named agency before you sign a lease, buy equipment, or make your first sale, and talk to a qualified attorney or CPA if your situation is complex.

Materials and information you need before you start

• Your business name and the entity type you plan to use: sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation
• The exact street address where the business will operate, and confirmation that it sits inside Provo city limits
• A written description of what happens at the property: customer visits, employees, deliveries, signage, equipment, and hours
• Your planned trade name (DBA), if you will operate under a name other than your own or your entity name
• A login to the Utah Business Registration System at businessregistration.utah.gov (sign in with UtahID)
• The Provo311 phone number, 801-852-6000, and the city website at provo.gov
• Written permission from your landlord or HOA if you rent or live in an association. A city permit does not override a lease or covenant that bans business use.

Step 1: Handle the state filings

Utah does not issue a state general business license. Registering an entity with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code is a registration, not a license, and it does not replace the city license. Complete the filing that matches your structure:

• LLC: File a Certificate of Organization. The filing fee is $59. Most online filings are approved instantly, but filings that need manual review are stated as 2 to 4 business days, and the Division has posted 7 to 10 business days during backlogs. Expedited processing is $75 per filing. Every LLC must name a registered agent with a Utah street address, and a PO box may be listed only in addition to a street address.
• Corporation: File Articles of Incorporation for a domestic business corporation. The filing fee is $59.
• DBA: Register your assumed name with the Division. It is filed statewide, not with the county. The registration fee is $22. Check the Division's DBA page for the renewal term and fee. Details are at commerce.utah.gov.
• Annual renewals: LLCs and corporations file an annual renewal at $18. The window opens 60 days before the anniversary date, and a late renewal fee of $10 applies.

An LLC has no separate state franchise tax by default. It is taxed as a partnership or sole proprietorship, and income passes through to the members at Utah's flat individual income tax rate (4.45 percent for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026). An LLC that elects corporate treatment pays the 4.45 percent corporate franchise and income tax (2026) with a $100 minimum tax. Confirm your tax treatment with a CPA before you choose a structure.

Step 2: Confirm your address is inside Provo

Utah cities and towns issue their own business licenses. Counties issue them for businesses outside city limits. A license from one city does not transfer to another. If your address is in Orem, Lehi, or unincorporated county land, Provo's license does not cover you. Verify the address with Provo311 before you apply, because a home office on a boundary street is easy to misjudge.

Step 3: Classify the home occupation as Minor or Major

Provo City Code 14.41.050 governs Minor home occupations. Provo City Code 14.41.060 governs Major home occupations. City staff describe child care for six children or fewer as Minor, and child care for more children as Major. Other uses sort by their impact on the neighborhood, including customer traffic, employees working on site, outdoor storage, and noise. Describe your operation in writing and ask Provo311 to confirm the classification before you pay anything.

Step 4: Handle the Major conditional use permit or petition

The city's home business form states that a Major home occupation still needs a conditional use permit unless you obtain a signed petition of support from every property owner within 300 feet. Start this early, because it is the step most likely to delay your application. Plan for these points:

• Identify every property owner within 300 feet using county parcel records, not guesswork about who lives nearby.
• Collect signatures on the city's petition form. A verbal yes from a neighbor does not count.
• If one owner refuses or cannot be reached, expect to pursue the conditional use permit path. Ask Provo311 what that involves and what it costs before you commit.

Step 5: Apply and pay the correct fee

The city's renewal page states that a Minor permit has no cost, while Major permits carry fees. The city cites Utah SB 81 in describing its fee structure, so ask Provo311 how that applies to your permit. Do not budget from older application forms that list a home business fee. That figure is out of date. Get the current Major fee from provo.gov or Provo311 before you file.

Bring a complete package to the application: the business description, the classification question with the city's answer, the signed petition if you need one, and proof of your entity or DBA registration. Missing items are the most common reason applications stall.

Step 6: Plan for annual renewal

A 2016 Provo ordinance made home occupation permits valid for one year and renewable annually if there are no violations or complaints. That ordinance may have been amended since 2016, so confirm the current rule with Provo311. Put the renewal date on your calendar as soon as you receive the permit. The city's current renewal date for business licenses is on provo.gov, and you should confirm it there.

Step 7: Check food truck zones before you park

Food trucks operate under Utah Code 11-56 and Provo's zoning rules. Zoning controls where a mobile food business can operate, and a business license does not decide that question. Ask Provo311 which zones allow mobile food vendors, and get the answer in writing if you can. Do not assume that a busy corner, a parking lot, or an event location is allowed because other trucks park there. Also confirm which food-service permits apply to your menu and equipment with the agency that regulates food service, and register your sales tax account on the Tax Commission's TAP system before your first taxable sale.

Provo's college-town traffic and Utah Valley's event calendar can make certain locations attractive. Those same locations are often the ones with the strictest zoning and parking rules, so the zoning check comes before the location decision.

Expected results

A Minor home occupation permit typically involves no permit fee, so the main cost is your time to document the business clearly. A Major permit adds a petition or conditional use process, which may take longer and carries a fee. Processing time depends on the city's current workload, so ask Provo311 for the present turnaround. A complete application is more likely to move quickly, and a stalled petition usually traces back to a missing signature or an incomplete owner list. A permit is not guaranteed to continue indefinitely, because annual renewal can be denied if violations or complaints arise.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the LLC filing as the license. The Division filing registers your entity. The city license is separate.
• Filing a DBA with the county. Assumed names go to the state Division.
• Assuming a Provo license covers a second city. Licenses do not transfer between cities.
• Skipping the 300-foot petition for a Major use. Without it, you need the conditional use permit path.
• Budgeting from an old fee form. Confirm current fees with Provo311.
• Ignoring your lease or HOA. A city permit does not override private restrictions.
• Parking a food truck in a zone that does not allow it. Check zoning before you choose a location.
• Missing the annual renewal. Put the date on your calendar the day you receive the permit.

Tips for a smoother filing

• Call Provo311 at 801-852-6000 with your written description and ask for the classification in writing or by email.
• Keep a copy of every signed petition and every receipt.
• If you are unsure whether your entity structure or sales tax registration fits your plan, talk to a CPA. The Utah Small Business Development Center at utahsbdc.org can also review your plan, and the U.S. Small Business Administration's Utah district office lists resources at sba.gov.
• For sales tax questions, the Utah State Tax Commission's main site is tax.utah.gov. Register for a sales tax account through TAP.
• If your business sells alcohol, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) handles those permits, not the city.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Utah state business license?

Utah issues no statewide general business license. You will need entity registration if you form an LLC or corporation, and the city or county business license for your location.

Is a child care business Minor or Major?

City staff describe child care for six children or fewer as Minor and larger child care as Major. Confirm the classification for your exact enrollment with Provo311 before you apply.

Can I run a food truck from my driveway?

Possibly, but only if your zoning allows it. Ask Provo311 about your zone and whether a home-based food operation fits Provo's rules.

Next steps

Start with the Provo311 call, because the Minor or Major classification shapes every later step. Then complete the state registration that matches your structure, and gather petition signatures early if you need them. Calendar your renewal dates on the day you receive your permit. For official fees and current forms, use provo.gov and businessregistration.utah.gov, and confirm everything before you spend money.