Utah's limited-entry bull elk, buck deer and buck pronghorn permits are drawn in two passes: half of each hunt's permits (per residency pool) go to the applicants with the most bonus points, the rest by a random draw in which every applicant holds one draw number plus one per bonus point. Roughly 10% of each limited-entry hunt's permits are set aside for nonresidents (many small hunts have 0 or 1 nonresident permit), while general-season buck deer uses a straight preference-point draw with about 10% nonresident permits and 20% of permits reserved for youth. You need a Utah hunting or combination license ($144 nonresident) to apply, pay a $21 nonresident ($10 resident) application fee per species, and the permit fee ($1,950 NR limited-entry elk, $1,070 NR limited-entry deer, $571 NR pronghorn, $599 NR general deer) is charged only if you draw. The 2026 application ran March 19 - April 23 with results by May 31; bonus/preference points can also be bought during the June antlerless application period.
Every figure below cites the agency document it came from. Last verified August 31, 2026.
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8, R657-62-18(4)(a)(i), (6)(a) · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. Tags go to the applicants with the most preference points, one level at a time. If the last level that draws has more applicants than tags remaining, those applicants are chosen at random. Everyone below that level is unsuccessful and earns a point.
R657-62-9, R657-62-18(2), (4)(a)(v)-(viii); guidebook 2026 p.24; DWR blog 'All about the draw' · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. Tags go to the applicants with the most preference points, one level at a time. If the last level that draws has more applicants than tags remaining, those applicants are chosen at random. Everyone below that level is unsuccessful and earns a point.
R657-62-9, R657-62-18(2), (4) · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8, R657-62-18 · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8(4)-(9), R657-62-18(1),(4),(5),(6)(b); guidebook 2026 pp.15,23,25,31-32 · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8, R657-62-18 · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8, R657-62-18(4)(a)(iii), (6)(c) · verified Aug 31, 2026
Worked example. 50% of the tags go to the applicants with the most points; the other 50% are drawn at random with points + 1 entries per applicant, so points still help but never guarantee a tag.
R657-62-8, R657-62-18 · verified Aug 31, 2026
Showing nonresident fees. Switch to resident
| Fee | Amount | Paid at application | Refundable | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident big game application fee, per species or point applied for (plus 2.2% card processing fee) | $21 | Yes | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident 365-day combination (hunt + fish) license, age 18+ (alternative to the hunting license) | $190 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident 365-day hunting license, age 18+ (required to apply; a drawn nonresident big game permit also acts as a 1-year fishing license) | $144 | Yes | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Bonus or preference point only (same as the application fee; no permit fee) | $21 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident general-season buck deer permit (White-tailed / Mule Deer) | $599 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident limited-entry buck deer permit (also management / cactus buck) (White-tailed / Mule Deer) | $1,070 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident limited-entry buck pronghorn permit (Pronghorn) | $571 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident limited-entry bull elk permit (charged only if drawn) (Elk) | $1,950 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident multiseason limited-entry buck deer permit (White-tailed / Mule Deer) | $2,130 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident multiseason limited-entry bull elk permit (Elk) | $2,655 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident multiseason premium limited-entry buck deer permit (White-tailed / Mule Deer) | $2,330 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
| Nonresident premium limited-entry buck deer permit (Henry Mtns, Paunsaugunt, Antelope Island) (White-tailed / Mule Deer) | $1,398 | If drawn | No | Utah Big Game Application Guidebook - 2026 (published Feb 3, 2026) |
Drew a tag? Check which cartridges are legal for your species and weapon on the Utah hunting laws page.
Every percentage on this page is a prior-draw probability: the chance an applicant with that many points would have drawn in the draw year shown, computed from the agency's published results. It is not a forecast — quotas, applicant numbers, and point creep change every year. Every figure links to the agency document it came from. Where a state does not publish a number, we show a dash, never a zero. Hunts with fewer than five tags show counts instead of percentages. Fees show the fee year used. Read the methodology for the engine details.
This page is informational only. Draw rules, quotas, fees, and deadlines are set by the state agency and change by commission action — confirm everything on the agency's own site before you apply, and apply through the agency, not here. We disclaim all liability for reliance on this page.
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