West Jordan Business License: Cityworks Portal, Required Documents and Rental Programs

If you run a business inside West Jordan, you need a city business license before you open or start billing customers. The city issues it, not the state. Applications go through the city's Cityworks permit portal. This guide covers the steps, the documents to gather, the city fees in the schedule effective through June 30, 2027, and the separate programs for rental property owners and short-term rental hosts. Use it to prepare your west jordan business license application, then confirm current details with the city before you pay.

Utah has no state business license, so start with the city

Utah does not issue a statewide general business license. Several filings that business owners call a license are actually registrations:

• Entity registration. An LLC files a Certificate of Organization with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Utah Department of Commerce. The filing fee is $59. A domestic corporation files Articles of Incorporation for the same $59. The yearly filing is the annual renewal, at $18, due each year on the anniversary of registration. A late renewal adds a $10 fee.
• Assumed name (DBA). If you operate under a name other than your registered entity name, register it with the Division, not the county. The fee is $22 to register for a three-year term, and the renewal fee is shown in the portal at renewal.
• Sales tax account. If you sell tangible goods, you register with the Utah State Tax Commission through its TAP system. The state sales tax rate is 4.85 percent. Combined state and local rates run from 6.35 percent to 10.05 percent depending on jurisdiction, so confirm the rate that applies in West Jordan with the Tax Commission at tax.utah.gov.

The business license comes from the city or town where you are located or operating, and from the county if you are outside city limits. Registering with the Division does not replace it.

Materials you need before you apply

Gather these before you open the portal. Missing documents are the most common reason an application stalls.

• Proof that your business name is registered with the Utah Department of Commerce, such as your Certificate of Organization, Articles of Incorporation, or DBA registration.
• A Utah sales tax certificate that lists West Jordan as a receiving entity, if you sell tangible goods.
• EIN verification for your business.
• A valid government-issued photo ID for the person submitting the application.
• Any Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) license your profession requires.
• Your West Jordan business address, a plain description of what you do, and your number of employees. The commercial fee includes a per-employee charge.
• For a home occupation, a description of the work done at home and whether customers visit the property.
• For rentals, the property address, number of units, and owner contact information.

Step-by-step: applying through the Cityworks portal

Step 1: Confirm you are inside West Jordan

Check your street address against the city limits before you apply. A city license does not transfer between cities under city code 4-1B-24. If you move the business to another city, you need that city's license. If you operate outside city limits, the county issues the license, so your application belongs with the county.

Step 2: Register your entity or DBA first

The city requires proof that your business name is registered with the state. If you have not filed yet, complete the Division registration at commerce.utah.gov/corporations or through the Utah Business Registration System at businessregistration.utah.gov, which uses a UtahID login. Keep the confirmation and the filed document, because the portal asks for proof.

Step 3: Choose the commercial or home occupation form

West Jordan uses separate forms for commercial licenses and home occupation licenses. A home occupation license applies only when your home-based business requires one under city rules. Ordinance 25-52 simplified home occupation licensing, so check the city for the current ordinance text before you rely on any summary, including this one.

Step 4: Create your account and start the application

Open the Cityworks portal at permit.westjordan.utah.gov. Create an account, select the license type that matches your business, and enter your details exactly as they appear on your state filings. Name mismatches are a frequent cause of returned applications.

Step 5: Upload your documents and pay the fee

Upload each document as a clear, complete file. Pay with the methods the portal accepts. Save the receipt and the application number, since you will need them if the city asks about your application.

Step 6: Respond to referrals

Some applications are referred to the Salt Lake County Health Department and to South Valley Water Reclamation. Whether a referral applies depends on your business type and location. Answer any referral request promptly, because it can hold up approval until it is resolved.

Step 7: Set up your renewal reminder

The city emails renewal invoices 45 days before your license expires. Make sure the email on your account is one you check regularly, and add the renewal date to your calendar so an invoice in a spam folder does not catch you off guard.

City fees at a glance

These figures come from the West Jordan fee schedule effective through June 30, 2027. Confirm them in the portal before you pay.

License type	Fee components
Commercial business license	$55 one-time application, plus $163 base fee, plus $8 per employee
Home occupation license (when required)	$55 application, plus $40 base fee
Rental Dwelling license	$325 per unit, or $50 per unit in the Good Landlord Program, plus $55 application
Short Term Rental license	$325 per unit

For a commercial applicant with three employees, the per-employee charge adds $24 on top of the base fee. Ask the city whether the base fee and per-employee charge recur at renewal, because the schedule does not settle that question in the summary.

Rental programs: Rental Dwelling, Good Landlord and Short Term Rental

If you own rental property in West Jordan, you may need a Rental Dwelling license. The standard rate is $325 per unit plus the $55 application. The Good Landlord Program lowers the per-unit rate to $50, but participation depends on the program's requirements, which this guide does not list. Confirm eligibility with the city before you choose a rate.

As an example, a four-unit building at the standard rate would owe $1,300 in per-unit fees plus the $55 application, for $1,355. The same building in the Good Landlord Program would owe $200 in per-unit fees plus $55, for $255. These figures cover only the fees listed here, and the city may charge other amounts.

Short-term rental hosts pay a Short Term Rental license at $325 per unit. Confirm with the city how short-term rentals interact with home occupation rules and any other permits that apply to your property.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying before your name is registered. The portal asks for proof, so file with the Division first.
• Assuming a license from another city carries over. City licenses do not transfer between cities.
• Going to the county or state for a city license. Inside city limits, the city issues it.
• Treating the sales tax account as a business license. It is a tax registration. You still need the city license.
• Skipping DOPL or alcohol approvals. A city business license does not replace a DOPL license. If you plan to sell alcohol, the state liquor agency, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), handles that approval separately.
• Using a home address without checking home occupation rules. Work done at home may need a home occupation license, and customer traffic can change the answer.
• Relying on an old summary of Ordinance 25-52. Ordinance text changes, so read the current version from the city.
• Letting renewal emails go to an old inbox. The 45-day notice is only useful if it reaches you.

What to expect after you apply

A complete application with every required document will usually move through review more smoothly than one that needs follow-up. A referral from the county or South Valley Water Reclamation may add time, and the city's current processing timeline is something to confirm when you apply. Once approved, the license should be available for you to display and use as the city describes. Keep your state registrations current as well, since the city's license does not replace the annual renewal you owe the Division.

Questions to confirm with West Jordan

Call the city at 801-569-5010 before you pay. Ask about the current text of Ordinance 25-52, whether the base fee and per-employee charge recur, which referrals apply to your business type, the eligibility rules for the Good Landlord Program, and how short-term rentals are handled.

For help with the business side of the paperwork, the Utah Small Business Development Center offers free advising at utahsbdc.org, and the SBA's Utah district page is at sba.gov/district/utah.

Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, forms, ordinances and agency rules change. Confirm current requirements with the City of West Jordan, the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, the Utah State Tax Commission, and DOPL before you apply. For complex situations, such as multiple entities, property ownership questions or tax treatment, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.