Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

OPLR was created to fulfill the vision of Governor Spencer Cox in his Executive Order 2021-01 and in the statute enacted by the Utah Legislature in SB 16 (2022 General Session). OPLR’s statute, Utah Code 13 Chapter 1b, was subsequently updated by HB 474 (2025 General Session), SB 33 (2026 General Session), and SB 150 (2026 General Session). The current version of OPLR’s statute can be found here.

OPLR has a variety of roles related to licensure in Utah:

Reviewing each currently regulated occupation at least once every 10 years (periodic reviews);
Reviewing proposals for new occupational regulation (licensing, certification, registration) (sunrise reviews);
Responding to legislator inquiries about licensing (legislative inquiries);
Reviewing administrative rules related to occupational regulations (rule review);
Evaluating whether to integrate innovative practices into a regulated health profession's scope of practice (scope of practice review); and
Collecting requests from the public to repeal or modify existing occupational regulation (public submissions).

OPLR’s criteria for reviewing occupational regulation are outlined in statute, Utah Code 13-1b-302. The criteria seek to balance protecting the health, safety and financial welfare of the public with minimizing the costs of regulation on qualified practitioners, members of the public seeking services, and the state in administering regulations.

OPLR has developed a framework to help apply the criteria. A current working draft of this framework can be found here.

According to the Council of State Governments, a sunrise review is 'a specific, data-informed analysis completed before proposed [occupational licenses] are considered by a state legislature'.

Utah Code Title 13 Chapter 1b, Office of Professional Licensure Review enables OPLR to review proposed new occupational regulation, whether a license, certification, or registration.

Sunrise reviews consider many factors including: harm to health, safety or financial welfare of the public, barriers to accessing the occupation or its services, the burden of regulation, how the occupation is regulated in other states, and the likely effect of different regulatory options.

Reviews of a regulated occupation consider many factors including harm to the health, safety or financial welfare of the public, barriers to accessing the occupation or its services, the burden of regulation, how the occupation is regulated in other states, and the likely effect of different regulatory options.

As a part of this process, OPLR considers data and information about how the occupation and its licensing requirements affect practitioners, and the public. OPLR also works with the regulating agency, industry groups, and a variety of stakeholders to identify any areas where licensing requirements or other regulations could be improved.

OPLR then makes recommendations to the Utah legislature and the regulating agency. Ultimately, the legislature and agencies decide on the specific statutes or administrative rules that create the requirements for each occupation.