Utah Guardianship Cost: Filing Fees, Attorney Fees, and Bond Expenses

Guardianship in Utah is expensive by design — the process involves a court proceeding that strips a person's constitutional rights, so the system builds in multiple checkpoints that each carry a cost. Understanding the full price tag before filing helps you decide whether a power of attorney (executed while capacity remains) makes more sense.

Court Filing Fees

The District Court filing fee for a guardianship or conservatorship petition in Utah is currently $375. This covers the initial petition filing and case opening. If you're filing for both guardianship and conservatorship simultaneously, confirm with the clerk whether one filing fee covers both or whether separate fees apply.

If your household income qualifies, you can file a Motion to Waive Fees. Eligibility follows the current Utah court criteria. The waiver covers filing fees but not other expenses like the surety bond or OCAP document preparation.

Attorney Fees

Utah elder law attorneys typically charge $1,500–$4,500 for an uncontested guardianship case, depending on the complexity of the estate and the county. This usually includes:

• Preparing and filing the petition
• Drafting service documents
• Attending the hearing
• Obtaining certified Letters of Guardianship

Contested cases — where a family member objects or the respondent's attorney challenges the petition — cost significantly more. Attorney hourly rates in Utah elder law run $300–$500, and a contested hearing with witness testimony and medical expert involvement can push total fees to $5,000–$10,000 or beyond.

The respondent's attorney is a separate cost. Utah law requires the person being placed under guardianship to have legal representation. If they can't afford it, the court appoints an attorney; ask the court how that attorney's fees will be handled.

Pro Se Filing: The Budget Path

Filing without an attorney (pro se) is the lowest-cost option. Your expenses reduce to:

• Court filing fee: $375 (waivable)
• OCAP document preparation: ~$20
• Process server: obtain a current local quote for personal service on the respondent
• Certified copies of Letters: pay the current clerk fee, if copies are needed
• Rule 6-501 competency test: follow the current court instructions

The known filing and document-preparation costs total $395 before service, copies, and the surety bond. OCAP and MyPaperwork generate court-compliant forms from your answers, and the Utah Courts self-help website provides filing instructions.

The risk with pro se filing is procedural error — missing a service requirement, filing in the wrong venue, or incomplete forms can mean continuances that extend the timeline by weeks. For uncontested cases with straightforward facts, it's a reasonable approach. For anything contested, you'll want legal representation.

Surety Bond Premiums

If you're appointed conservator (managing the estate), the court typically requires a surety bond covering the total value of the estate plus one year of estimated income. The bond protects the protected person's assets against mismanagement.

Bond premiums depend on the required bond amount, the estate, and the surety provider; obtain a current quote. The bond is renewable annually for the duration of the conservatorship. The judge may waive the bond requirement, but the court must approve that waiver.

Ongoing Annual Costs

Guardianship isn't a one-time expense. Each year you're responsible for:

• Preparing and filing the Annual Status Report (guardian) — time to prepare; check current court instructions for any fee
• Preparing and filing the Annual Financial Accounting (conservator, if estate exceeds $50,000 excluding the home) — check current court instructions for any fee; you may hire an accountant
• Annual surety bond renewal premium
• Certified copies of updated court orders when institutions request them

If you hire an accountant to prepare the annual financial accounting, obtain a current quote based on the complexity of the estate.

The POA Alternative

A durable power of attorney executed while your parent still has capacity costs nothing beyond a notary fee, if any, and the time to complete the document. It can provide the financial authority granted in the document without a court hearing, while preserving your parent's autonomy and avoiding court reporting obligations.

The window for this option closes when your parent loses capacity. After that, court-ordered guardianship and/or conservatorship may be necessary, and the cost comparison becomes moot.

The Utah Power of Attorney & Guardianship Kit covers both paths — the POA setup for families who still have time, and the guardianship filing process for those who don't.

See more Utah guides →