Utah Post-Judgment Interest Rate: How to Calculate What the Debtor Owes

Every day that passes after a Utah court enters your judgment, the debtor owes you more money. Post-judgment interest starts accruing from the date of entry and does not stop until the debt is paid in full. Knowing the correct rate and how to calculate the running balance matters — you need accurate numbers for garnishment applications, renewal motions, and the eventual satisfaction of judgment filing.

The 2026 Rate

Under Utah Code § 15-1-4, the standard post-judgment interest rate is the federal post-judgment rate (published under 28 U.S.C. § 1961) plus 2%. For 2026, the federal rate is 3.51%, making the standard Utah rate 5.51% per annum.

There is an exception for consumer goods and services judgments under $10,000: the rate is the federal rate plus 10%, which comes to 13.51% for 2026. If your small claims judgment involves a consumer purchase or service contract and the award is under $10,000, you may qualify for this higher rate.

If the underlying contract specifies a post-judgment interest rate and the judge explicitly awarded it, the contract rate applies instead.

The Rate Locks In

The interest rate is determined by the year the judgment is entered, and it stays fixed for the entire 8-year life of the judgment. A judgment entered in 2026 accrues at 5.51% (or 13.51%) even if federal rates rise or fall in later years. Renewing the judgment does not reset the rate; the original rate continues for the renewed judgment.

Recent rates for comparison:

• 2024: 6.81% (standard), 14.81% (consumer goods)
• 2025: 6.23% (standard), 14.23% (consumer goods)
• 2026: 5.51% (standard), 13.51% (consumer goods)

How to Calculate Daily Interest

Utah post-judgment interest is simple interest, not compound. The daily formula:

Daily interest = Principal × Annual rate ÷ 365

For a $5,000 judgment at 5.51%:

• $5,000 × 0.0551 ÷ 365 = $0.75 per day

Over 90 days, that adds $67.93 to the balance. Over a full year, it is $275.50.

For the same judgment under the consumer goods exception at 13.51%:

• $5,000 × 0.1351 ÷ 365 = $1.85 per day

That is $675.50 per year — a meaningful incentive for the debtor to pay promptly.

What Counts as Principal

Interest accrues on the principal award. Awarded court costs are included in the balance; for example, a $5,000 principal award plus $185 in awarded costs has an initial balance of $5,185, while the daily-interest calculation uses the $5,000 principal. Post-judgment enforcement costs — the $75 writ fees, constable charges, recording fees — are recoverable but typically do not accrue their own interest unless the court specifically orders it.

Applying Payments

When the debtor makes a partial payment, apply it in this order:

1. Accrued interest first
2. Recoverable enforcement costs second
3. Remaining principal last

This means partial payments chip away at interest before touching the principal, which keeps the interest-bearing balance higher longer. Document every payment, the date, and how it was applied in a running ledger.

Why Accurate Records Matter

You need a current, itemized balance for every writ application, every renewal motion, and the final satisfaction of judgment. If the debtor disputes your numbers, the court will look at your ledger. Sloppy math or missing entries can delay collection or give the debtor grounds to challenge the claimed balance.

Our Utah judgment collection guide includes a printable post-judgment accounting ledger with the 2026 daily interest multiplier pre-calculated, plus columns for enforcement costs and partial payments.

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