Property Manager License delayed until 2027
After the latest legislative session, we have some updates on the new Utah property manager license that was originally put in law in 2025. The legislature created a property manager license in 2025, but immediate questions and concerns had them delay their original goal date to 2026, and they made more updates in a special session in August.
Now in 2026, the legislature made a few more updates, which we believe are now going to be final. At least for now. Which means that the Division of Real Estate and the Real Estate Commission will need to now create a set of rules to go with the new laws, to clarify the way property managers are going to be licensed and regulated here in Utah.
You can read the new law yourself here, but I will give you a brief overview of where we are right now.
Division is Writing Property Manager Rules
There are two parts to the regulatory language. We have laws, or statutes, and those are written and created by the state legislature. These are the core laws that define how the industry is regulated, that define the terms, and create the legal precedent for licensing and regulation.
The second part is the rules which are written and created by the real estate commission. The real estate commission with the Division of Real Estate staff, and with advice from industry subject matter experts, and attorneys, writes rules that help clarify the licensing procedures and the conduct expected of those who will be property managers.
These rules have not been written yet, and so we are waiting for this to be completed before we will know the full scope of what a property manager will be required to do. So stay tuned!
Real Estate Licensees are essentially unchanged
First, for anyone that currently has a real estate license, nothing much has changed. Real estate licensees can still do property management, and they still work under a broker.
There’s still an option for what’s called a Dual Broker license, where a real estate broker can have a separate property management company with its own name, and any agents assigned to that brokerage can only do property management. There’s an exception, with what’s called a Property Manager Sales Agent designation, but the use case is pretty specific, so I won’t go into those details here.
Most real estate brokers and agents who are doing property management can continue to do so under the same real estate license and the same regulations as before. Separate property management trust accounts are required for more than 6 accounts, brokers are responsible for trust funds, and for all activities of their agents doing property management.
New Property Manager License
There will be a new license that practitioners can apply for starting in 2027 called the Property Manager License. This license will require a course with a minimum of 24 hour of training, and they will have to pass an exam to apply.
A Property Manager licensee will need to follow similar fiduciary duties of representation with their clients, and they will need to keep client money in trust accounts just like before.
The property manager who is responsible for the accounts will be called the Principal Property Manager, and may have some additional requirements. They will be responsible for supervising all the property managers working under them on any property management agreements.
We don’t know yet how these things might change, but for now this is what it looks like a property manager license will need to do.
What Do I Do Today?
If you are interested in working in property management today, you need to get a real estate license. Throughout 2026, everyone doing property management still needs to have a real estate license, and work under a real estate broker.
Starting in 2027, if the deadline remains in effect, and if all the rules and licensing procedures are ready, new property managers can get the new property manager license.