Revenge Porn Laws in Utah: What Victims Need to Know in 2026

What Utah Law Says

Utah addresses revenge porn under Utah Code Annotated Section 76-5b-203, titled "Distribution of an intimate image." An offense is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. A second or later conviction under the section, for conduct not arising from a single criminal episode, is a third-degree felony.

A Class A misdemeanor in Utah carries penalties of up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. A third-degree felony carries up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $5,000. The section has no separate tier for profit or for images of minors; a prior conviction is what raises the charge. A separate section, 76-5b-205, covers counterfeit intimate images that are edited, generated, or altered to depict an identifiable person. Utah provides a tiered approach to NCII penalties.

Review the statute at the Utah Legislature website.

What Counts as Revenge Porn in Utah

Utah's statute defines the offense through these elements. The content must be an intimate image depicting nudity or sexual conduct of a person 18 or older. The image was created by or provided to the offender under circumstances where the depicted person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The offender intentionally or knowingly distributed the image. The distribution was without the consent of the depicted person.

Utah's law does not require proof of intent to harm. It does require that the offender knew or should have known the distribution would cause a reasonable person emotional distress or harm. In most cases it also requires that actual emotional distress or harm resulted. The law covers all distribution methods, including social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram, websites, messaging services, and email.

How to Report

Utah victims should follow these steps:

  1. Document all evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, record account information, and preserve all communications.
  2. File a police report — Contact your local police department, county sheriff, or the Utah Department of Public Safety. Reference UCA 76-5b-203.
  3. Contact the county attorney or district attorney — Depending on the county, contact the appropriate prosecutorial office.
  4. Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
  5. Seek a protective order — Utah courts can issue stalking injunctions and protective orders addressing harassment.

Limitations of Criminal Law

Utah's misdemeanor classification for first offenses limits the initial deterrent effect. The criminal process takes time, and images remain online throughout. Utah's law enforcement resources for digital crime investigation vary across urban and rural areas.

A conviction does not trigger automatic content removal from platforms. Identifying anonymous offenders and addressing cross-jurisdictional distribution remain significant challenges. However, Utah's escalating penalty structure provides stronger consequences for repeat offenders.

Removing the Content

Content removal must be pursued immediately.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires covered platforms to remove qualifying intimate imagery and make reasonable efforts to remove known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request. The platform and request must meet the law's requirements. See FTC guidance; this is not a universal service turnaround guarantee.

StopNCII.org enables victims to create hashes that participating platforms use to block intimate images.

IntimaShield offers professional NCII removal services handling multi-platform takedowns and search engine de-indexing. Ongoing monitoring is a separate Shield subscription.

See also: Colorado's revenge porn law for a neighboring Mountain West comparison.

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