At a Glance
Quick Answer
Utah does not have a state prevailing wage law. Federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to federally funded construction projects over $2,000.
Utah repealed its state prevailing wage law in 1981 — one of the earliest states to do so. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Context
Prevailing Wage & Bidding in Utah
Utah has no state prevailing wage law. It repealed its statute in 1981, making it one of the earliest states in the nation to do so, and no state prevailing wage program exists today. For contractors bidding purely state, county, or municipal work funded entirely with Utah dollars, this means you are generally free to price labor at your own market rates without a state-mandated wage floor or state certified-payroll obligation. That can make your Utah-only public bids leaner, but it also means you should benchmark labor against the real local market so you remain competitive and can still attract and retain skilled crews.
The critical exception is federal funding. The federal Davis-Bacon Act still governs any construction project that receives federal funds, applying to contracts over $2,000. On those jobs you must pay the federal prevailing wage by trade classification, submit weekly certified payroll to the contracting agency, and comply fully with Davis-Bacon recordkeeping, exactly as you would in a state with its own law. Many Utah projects carry federal money through highway, transit, housing, or infrastructure programs, so never assume a public job is wage-exempt until you have confirmed the funding source.
For estimating, the practical discipline is to verify funding before you set your labor numbers. If a project is federally aided, build Davis-Bacon rates and the cost of certified-payroll administration into your bid; if it is purely state or local, price to market. Misreading a federally funded project as unregulated is the costliest mistake available in a no-state-law environment, because the back-wage liability and potential debarment under Davis-Bacon are just as severe in Utah as anywhere else.
Details
Coverage Details
State Status
- Law
- Repealed in 1981
- Agency
- N/A — State law repealed
- Certified Payroll
- Not required at state level
Federal Davis-Bacon Coverage
The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded or federally assisted construction contracts over $2,000 in Utah. This includes projects funded by federal agencies, FHWA highway projects, HUD housing, and projects receiving federal grants.
Reference
Key Facts
State prevailing wage law repealed in 1981 — one of the earliest repeals in the nation
Federal Davis-Bacon Act still applies to federally funded projects over $2,000
Utah was a pioneer in the movement to repeal state prevailing wage laws
Enforcement
Penalties
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Resources
Related Tools & Templates
Turn wage rules into bid-ready alerts
Use ConstructionBids.ai to track matching public projects, save bid searches, and move wage-sensitive scopes into your estimating workflow.
FAQ
Questions Contractors Ask
Does Utah have a prevailing wage law?
No. Utah does not have a state prevailing wage law. Utah repealed its state prevailing wage law in 1981 — one of the earliest states to do so. Only federally funded construction projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Does Davis-Bacon apply in Utah?
Yes. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to all federally funded construction projects over $2,000 in Utah, regardless of state law. Contractors must pay the prevailing wage rate determined by the DOL for the project location.
Is certified payroll required in Utah?
Utah does not have a state-level certified payroll requirement. However, certified payroll (WH-347) is still required on any federal Davis-Bacon project in the state.
What are the penalties for prevailing wage violations in Utah?
Federal Davis-Bacon penalties apply to federally funded projects only.
Does Utah have a state prevailing wage law?
No. Utah repealed its prevailing wage law in 1981, one of the earliest repeals in the nation, and has no state prevailing wage program today. Purely state and local projects carry no state wage floor, though federally funded work remains subject to Davis-Bacon requirements.
Do Utah contractors ever have to pay prevailing wages?
Yes, on federally funded projects. The federal Davis-Bacon Act applies to construction contracts over $2,000 that receive federal money, requiring federal prevailing wages, weekly certified payroll, and full recordkeeping. Many Utah highway, transit, and housing projects carry federal funds, so confirm the funding source before pricing.
Is certified payroll required on Utah public projects?
Not for purely state or local projects, since Utah has no state prevailing wage program. However, any federally funded job triggers Davis-Bacon, which requires weekly certified payroll submitted to the contracting agency. Build that administrative cost into your bid whenever federal money is involved.