How to calculate Treble Damages in Utah

Quick takeaways

• In Utah forcible entry and detainer cases, treble damages apply to specific damages categories assessed under Utah Code § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e), with the judgment adding three times the amount of those assessed damages.
• Your DocketMath calculation for Utah treble damages is driven by two core numbers: (1) rent and (2) “covered assessed damages” (the categories in § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e)).
• Utah’s statute describes the judgment as: rent + 3×(covered assessed damages) + (reasonable attorney fees, if provided) + costs.
• No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found to change this approach by claim type. Use the general judgment formula in § 78B-6-811 as the default method.

Inputs you need

To calculate treble damages in Utah using DocketMath (treble-damages), collect inputs from your case documents and damages assessment.

DocketMath uses these inputs to produce a Utah judgment-style total consistent with the statutory structure.

Required numeric inputs

• Rent (R): the rent amount to include in the judgment.
• Covered assessed damages total (D): the sum of the damages amounts assessed under Utah Code § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e).

Optional inputs (may affect the “judgment total”)

• Attorney fees (A): include only if attorney fees are provided for in the lease or rental agreement.
• Costs (C): include the costs of the action if you want the full judgment-style total.

Quick checklist

• I have the rent figure to place into the judgment (R).
• I have the amounts assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e) (or a subtotal that matches those categories) to form D.
• I know whether the lease/rental agreement provides for attorney fees.
• I have (or want to estimate) costs (C) if I’m calculating a full total.

How the calculation works

Utah’s treble damages structure is best understood as a judgment formula (a fixed way of building the judgment amount), not a “multiply everything by three” rule.

The operative judgment components come from Utah Code § 78B-6-811, which states the judgment is entered for:

• rent
• three times the amount of the damages assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a) through (2)(e)
• reasonable attorney fees (only if provided for in the lease or rental agreement)
• costs of the action

Source for the full statutory language: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title78B/Chapter6/78B-6-S811.html

The Utah treble damages formula (DocketMath logic)

Let:

• R = rent
• D = sum of damages assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e)
• A = reasonable attorney fees (included only if the lease/rental agreement allows)
• C = costs

Then:

• Total (Utah) = R + (3 × D) + A + C

What changes when your inputs change

Coverage matters: where D comes from

Your most important step is building D correctly. DocketMath’s Utah treble damages calculation assumes you already have a subtotal that corresponds to the damages that match the statute’s covered assessed categories:

• D must reflect what was assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e), not a broader claimed damages number.

Default timing / period note (clear rule)

No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found that would limit or change the “default” period or categories by claim type. Accordingly, apply the general judgment formula in Utah Code § 78B-6-811 rather than switching to a different rule based on claim type.

In practical terms: the approach is driven by the statute’s judgment entry formula, not by a hidden claim-type adjustment.

Common pitfalls

These are common mistakes when calculating Utah treble damages and entering figures into DocketMath.

1. Tripling rent

   • Pitfall: calculating R × 3.
   • Fix: rent is included as R (not tripled). The “×3” applies to D.

2. Using claimed damages instead of assessed damages

   • Pitfall: substituting a “claimed” total for the damages assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e).
   • Fix: use the amounts that were assessed within the covered categories.

3. Including damages not within § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e)

   • Pitfall: padding D with categories outside the statute’s covered assessment framework.
   • Fix: build D from covered categories only, so the “×3” applies correctly.

4. Forgetting the lease condition for attorney fees

   • Pitfall: adding attorney fees even when the lease/rental agreement doesn’t provide for them.
   • Fix: include attorney fees only if the lease/rental agreement provides for them.

5. Double-counting costs

   • Pitfall: adding costs into D (covered assessed damages) and also adding them again under C.
   • Fix: keep D strictly tied to § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e) assessed damages; keep C separate.

Tip: If you’re working from a damages spreadsheet with multiple subtotals, it’s easy to accidentally mix rent into D or include non-covered line items in D. Use DocketMath’s separation: R, D, then add A and C at the end.

Sources and references

• Utah Code § 78B-6-811 — Forcible Entry and Detainer; judgment for restitution, damages, and rent; treble damages on rent + (2)(a)–(2)(e) damages assessments.
  https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title78B/Chapter6/78B-6-S811.html

Key statutory language used in this guide (summary of the operative judgment formula): The judgment is entered against the defendant for rent, three times the amount of the damages assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a) through (2)(e), plus reasonable attorney fees (if provided in the lease or rental agreement) and costs of the action.

Next steps

1. Gather your numbers

   • Confirm Rent (R).
   • Extract the amounts assessed under § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e) and sum them into D.

2. Decide whether to include attorney fees

   • Review the lease/rental agreement for attorney-fee language consistent with the statute’s condition.

3. Enter inputs into DocketMath

   • Enter R in the rent field.
   • Enter D in the covered assessed damages field.
   • Add A and C only if you’re calculating the full judgment-style total.

4. Sanity-check using the multiplier

   • The treble portion should visually reconcile to 3 × D.
   • Rent should reconcile to R.

5. Document your math

   • Save worksheet notes showing where each subtotal came from, so you can trace R and D back to the § 78B-6-811(2)(a)–(2)(e) categories.

Related reading

• How to calculate Treble Damages in Texas — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• How to calculate Treble Damages in Philippines — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Worked example: Treble Damages in Philippines — Worked example with real statute citations