Utah Firearm Laws

Churches & Houses Of Worship

Utah allows houses of worship to prohibit firearms when the required notice has been provided.

You cannot carry a loaded or unloaded firearm into a house of worship that has legally prohibited firearms, even with a valid concealed firearm permit.

Churches And Houses Of Worship

What Is A House Of Worship?

Covered By The Prohibition

The firearm prohibition applies to a building set apart primarily for religious worship, where religious services are held and the main body of the building is maintained for that purpose.

This includes buildings used as:

  • Churches
  • Temples
  • Synagogues
  • Mosques
  • Other buildings primarily used for worship

Other Church Owned Property

Owning a property does not make that property a house of worship.

The house of worship firearm prohibition does not extend to unrelated buildings or properties owned by a religious organization.

Examples include:

  • Shopping malls and stores
  • Hotels and restaurants
  • Business offices
  • Media and publishing buildings
  • Colleges and universities
  • Other nonworship facilities

These locations remain subject to their own applicable private property rules.

Church Parking Lots & Grounds

The house of worship firearm trespass law applies to the defined house of worship building. It does not prohibit firearms throughout every parking lot, outdoor area, or unrelated building owned by the organization. The property owner may impose other lawful restrictions and require individuals to leave its property.

Firearm Restrictions & Notice Requirements

What You Can Do

You may carry a loaded, concealed firearm into a house of worship when the organization has not prohibited firearms through a legally authorized notice methods.

You must be legally allowed to possess and carry the firearm.

What You Cannot Do

PROHIBITED. After legally effective notice that firearms are prohibited, you cannot knowingly and intentionally enter or remain in the house of worship while possessing a firearm.

A concealed firearm permit or Utah constitutional carry does not override the prohibition.

Permission From The Church

A church or religious organization may authorize certain individuals to carry firearms in its house of worship.

This may include authorized security personnel or other individuals approved by the organization.

Do not assume that being employed by the church, serving as a volunteer, or holding a concealed firearm permit gives you that permission.

Five Legally Authorized Notice Methods

A church or religious organization may prohibit firearms in its house of worship by giving notice through any of these methods:

  1. Direct Communication: The church or a person authorized to act for it tells you that firearms are prohibited.
  2. Posted Signs: Signs prohibiting firearms are posted where individuals entering the house of worship are reasonably likely to see them.
  3. Congregational Announcement: An authorized representative announces the prohibition during a regular congregational meeting in the house of worship.
  4. Church Publications: The prohibition is published in a bulletin, newsletter, worship program, or similar document regularly distributed or available to the congregation.
  5. Newspaper Publication: The church publishes the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the relevant county, following Utah's publication requirements.

BCI Notification

A church using an announcement, church publication, or newspaper publication must notify Utah BCI within 30 days of giving or revoking that notice. BCI publishes the names of churches reporting those prohibitions. These notices remain effective for one year, unless revoked sooner or renewed.

Churches Prohibiting Firearms In Utah

Churches Listed

Utah currently lists the following religious organizations as having reported firearm prohibitions in their houses of worship:

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Wasatch Presbyterian Church — 1626 South 1700 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108

Do not carry a firearm into a house of worship covered by an effective prohibition without specific permission from the organization.

BCI — Churches Prohibiting Firearms

Violations & Penalties

Criminal Violation

Knowingly and intentionally bringing a firearm into, entering, or remaining in a house of worship after legally effective notice is an infraction.

An infraction can result in a fine, but it does not carry jail time as punishment for that infraction.

Concealed Firearm Permit Penalties

A single conviction for a weapon infraction cannot, by itself, be used by Utah BCI to deny, suspend, or revoke a concealed firearm permit.

Other criminal convictions, multiple violations or circumstances may separately affect firearm possession and permit status.

Refusing To Leave Church Property

A church or authorized representative can require you to leave its property.

If directed to leave, you must leave. Refusing to leave can result in criminal trespass charges, separate from a firearm prohibition violation.

Applicable Utah Laws