Building the ADU is phase one. Renting it out is phase two — and that's where a lot of first-time landlords in Utah get tripped up, not because the rules are complicated, but because nobody hands you a checklist. Here's the short version of what Utah law actually requires.
Utah doesn't cap how much you can charge for a security deposit — that's between you and your tenant. What the law does require is that you return it, along with an itemized list of any deductions, within 30 days of the tenant moving out. Miss that window without a valid reason, and a tenant can sue you for the deposit plus an additional $100.
If you're renting month-to-month (the most common setup for an ADU), three notice periods matter:
A fixed-term lease changes some of this — notice requirements for ending a lease early or non-renewal can differ from the month-to-month defaults above, so it's worth having your lease reviewed if you're using anything other than a standard month-to-month agreement.
Utah requires landlords to give tenants the name and address of the property owner, plus anyone authorized to manage the property or accept legal notices on the owner's behalf. It's an easy line to forget, but it's just as easy to include — most standard Utah lease templates already have a field for it. If you're self-managing, that's simply your own name and mailing address.
Notice periods and deposits are the day-to-day mechanics, but renting out an ADU also touches your insurance coverage and your tax return. We cover those separately: see ADU Insurance: What Utah Homeowners Need to Know and ADU Tax Implications for the financial side of becoming a landlord.