Utah Propane Price 2026: Cost Per Gallon, Suppliers & Delivery

Utah residential propane runs $2.34/gal in 2026, -13% versus the $2.67 national average and -19% versus the $2.88 West regional average. Utah is one of the cheapest residential propane markets in the West, thanks to in-state Uinta Basin NGL production and the Salt Lake City refining cluster. Below: real fill-cost math, the HEAT assistance program details, the high-altitude appliance derate every Wasatch and ski-area homeowner should know, and how to verify a licensed Utah propane dealer.

Latest EIA residential propane price

Source: EIA Utah residential propane price survey. Current data is the final release of the 2025/26 heating season (week ending 30 March 2026). EIA pauses weekly publication April-September; next release expected October 2026. Refreshed 26 May 2026.

Utah Propane Pricing Snapshot (2026)

Utah residential avg

$2.34/gal

EIA 2026 weekly survey, full-service residential delivery

vs national average

-13%

National avg $2.67/gal. Utah pays $0.34 less per gallon.

vs West region avg

-19%

Region avg $2.88/gal. Utah sits well below the West regional norm.

Annual fuel cost (1,000 gal)

$2337

Typical Utah propane-heat household uses 800-1,200 gal/year

500-gallon refill (400 usable)

$935

Most common residential tank size in Utah

Pre-buy savings (May-Aug)

$200-$400/yr

Lock-in or cap-price contracts beat winter spot pricing

Utah is one of the cheapest residential propane markets in the United States, broadly tied with Colorado as the lowest-cost state in the West region. The structural drivers are in-state Uinta Basin natural-gas-liquids production (propane is an NGL byproduct), the Salt Lake City refining cluster, and short-haul delivery economics: most Utah propane travels under 200 miles from terminal to retail tank.

Why Utah Propane Prices Sit Where They Do

Utah and Colorado are roughly tied as the cheapest residential propane states in the West, both well below the $2.88/gal regional average. The drivers are structural: in-state production, regional refining capacity, and short-haul delivery economics. They are not seasonal noise.

1. Uinta Basin NGL production. The Uinta Basin in eastern Utah (Duchesne and Uintah counties) is a significant US natural-gas-liquids producer, and propane is one of the LPG byproducts of that NGL stream. Wholesale propane originating in-state has near-zero long-haul transport cost before it reaches a Utah retail tank. Compare to a Maine or Vermont household, where every gallon has been moved 1,500+ miles by rail and truck before retail markup.

2. Salt Lake City refining cluster. Five operating refineries (Chevron Salt Lake, Marathon Salt Lake, HollyFrontier Woods Cross, Big West Oil, and Silver Eagle) sit within a 30-mile radius north of Salt Lake City. The cluster gives Utah retail propane suppliers access to refinery-gate volumes without rail or pipeline middlemen. PADD 4 (Rocky Mountain) is the smallest US fuel district by population, but Utah sits at its centre, not its edge.

3. Short-haul delivery economics. Most Utah propane moves under 200 miles from terminal or refinery to bobtail-truck delivery point. The combination of in-state production, in-state refining, and a population concentrated along the 80-mile Wasatch Front (Ogden-Salt Lake-Provo) means fewer transport miles per gallon than almost anywhere else in the country. Rural eastern Utah pays a modest route surcharge but still sits below West regional average.

4. Mixed residential heating fuel base. Natural gas serves the Wasatch Front (Dominion Energy footprint) at residential rates, so propane is concentrated in (a) rural eastern Utah where the gas grid does not reach, (b) ski-area second homes above the gas-distribution altitude limit, and (c) agricultural users (alfalfa drying, dairy, irrigation engines). That gives Utah propane suppliers route-density on agricultural and rural routes, which keeps per-gallon overhead low even outside the Wasatch corridor.

How to Find a Licensed Propane Dealer in Utah

Utah propane dealers are licensed by the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act (Utah Code 53-7 Part 3) and Utah Administrative Code R710-6. Only Class I (or higher) licensees may sell, fill, or deliver LPG to residential customers, and licensees must carry $1 million per-incident and $2 million aggregate liability insurance. Always verify any quoting supplier on the State Fire Marshal license list before signing a contract.

Utah State Fire Marshal, LP Gas Licensing

State regulator

What it does: Maintains the official list of licensed LP-Gas dealers (Class I and above) authorised to sell, fill, and deliver propane to Utah residential customers. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board sets the rules; the State Fire Marshal issues the licenses and conducts annual inspections.

Verify a dealer: firemarshal.utah.gov/licensing-and-certification/liquified-petroleum-gas/. If a quoting company is not on the list, do not sign.

Rocky Mountain Propane Association (RMPA)

Regional trade body

What it does: Utah is represented at the regional level by the Rocky Mountain Propane Association rather than a state-only trade body. RMPA covers Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico, member directory and dealer search are organised by state.

Member directory: rmpropane.org. Membership is voluntary, so absence from the list does not mean unlicensed, but presence is a useful additional credibility signal.

National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)

National trade body

What it does: National trade body and policy voice for the propane industry. Member directory lists licensed retailers across all 50 states, including Utah. Useful as a cross-check against the State Fire Marshal license list.

Find a member: npga.org.

Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), Weights and Measures

Consumer protection

What it does: Inspects and certifies propane delivery meters statewide. If you suspect short-fill or meter inaccuracy from your supplier, file a complaint with UDAF Weights and Measures. Annual meter calibration is mandatory for licensed Utah dealers.

Web: ag.utah.gov, Regulatory Services / Weights and Measures.

Tier-1 supplier list coming. A hand-curated list of named Utah propane suppliers (with HQ, coverage area, and notes on contract types) is in our editorial pipeline. We publish supplier lists only once each name has been verified against the official State Fire Marshal licensed-dealer list and the supplier's active service-area page. We do not generate supplier names from training data; that is a hallucination risk we treat seriously.

Utah Propane Fill Costs by Tank Size (at $2.34/gal)

Propane tanks fill to 80% of stated capacity (the "80% rule") to allow for thermal expansion. This is a federal NFPA 58 safety requirement, not a supplier markup. Below is what each fill costs at the Utah 2026 average. Real-world quotes vary 10-15% above or below depending on supplier, contract type, delivery frequency, and rural vs Wasatch Front route.

Tank size	Usable gallons (80%)	Fill cost at $2.34/gal	vs national ($2.67/gal)
100 gal	80 gal	$187	-$27
250 gal	200 gal	$467	-$67
500 gal	400 gal	$935	-$135
1000 gal	800 gal	$1870	-$270

Compare to the national refill cost guide or check pricing in other states.

Utah Heating Season, Annual Use, and HEAT Assistance

Utah's residential heating season runs roughly six months along the Wasatch Front (October through April), seven months in the Uinta Basin and high-desert eastern counties, and eight months at ski-area elevations. Peak demand is January and February when overnight lows reach -10°F to -25°F in the Uinta Basin and 0°F to 15°F along the Wasatch.

Typical Utah propane-heat households consume 800-1,200 gallons per year, depending on home size, insulation, climate zone, and how much of the load is propane versus another fuel. A 2,400 sqft home in Vernal or Roosevelt with propane handling space heat, water heat, range, and dryer averages 1,000-1,200 gallons. A propane-only-for-cooking-and-water-heating household, with electric or gas-grid heat, runs 150-300 gallons annually. At the 2026 Utah average of $2.34/gal, a 1,000-gallon household pays $2337 per year for fuel alone.

HEAT (Utah's LIHEAP) for income-qualified households. Utah's Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) program is administered by the Utah Department of Workforce Services through local Community Action offices. Eligibility is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. For LIHEAP FY 2026, Utah received $25.7 million in funding, with heating benefits ranging $140-$800 and crisis benefits up to $1,500 for households out of fuel. Apply at jobs.utah.gov/housing/scso/seal/heat.html or call 211 Utah. Apply early in the season, applications for elderly, disabled, and households with young children open October 1; general applications open November 1.

Summer pre-buy is the single biggest lever. Pre-buying or capping in May-August routinely saves $200-$400 per year for a 1,000-gallon household versus paying winter spot rates. Most Utah suppliers run pre-buy enrollment between May 1 and August 31. Read the fine print: cap-price contracts let you keep savings if wholesale falls; flat pre-buy locks you in either direction.

Drought, wildfire, and the generator demand spike. Utah's sustained drought and wildfire seasons have pushed Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) protocols and grid instability into mountain communities. Standby propane generators are now common in Park City, Heber Valley, Sundance, and rural eastern counties. A typical 22 kW standby unit consumes 2-3 gallons per hour at full load, budget an extra 50-100 gallons annually if you run a generator through summer wildfire and winter outage events.

Utah vs Other West Region States (2026)

State	Price/gal	500-gal refill (400 usable)	vs national ($2.67)
Montana	$2.12	$848	-21%
Wyoming	$2.27	$906	-15%
Colorado	$2.30	$921	-14%
Utah (this page)	$2.34	$935	-13%
Idaho	$2.40	$959	-10%
Arizona	$2.72	$1088	+2%
New Mexico	$2.93	$1172	+10%
Nevada	$2.95	$1180	+10%
Oregon	$2.98	$1192	+11%
Washington	$3.02	$1208	+13%
California	$3.42	$1368	+28%
Alaska	$3.85	$1540	+44%
Hawaii	$4.15	$1660	+55%

The West region is the most price-dispersed of the four US Census regions: Hawaii and Alaska sit well above the national average due to import-only logistics, California and the Pacific Northwest pay an above-average premium for limited refining capacity, and the Mountain states (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico) sit near or below the $2.67 national average thanks to PADD 4 production. Utah at $2.34/gal is broadly tied with Colorado as the cheapest in the region. The full West regional average is $2.88/gal, Utah runs -19% versus that benchmark.

Utah Propane FAQ

Why is propane cheaper in Utah than most of the West?

Utah is one of the cheapest residential propane markets in the West region, averaging $2.34/gal in 2026 versus $2.88/gal for the West regional average and $2.67/gal nationally. Three structural reasons. First, in-state production: the Uinta Basin in eastern Utah is a major natural-gas-liquids (NGL) source, and propane is a byproduct of that NGL stream. Second, refining proximity: the Salt Lake City refining cluster (Chevron, Marathon, HollyFrontier, Big West) sits in PADD 4 (Rocky Mountain), one of the smallest US fuel districts, but Utah is at the centre of it rather than at the end of a long pipeline like California or the Pacific Northwest. Third, short-haul delivery economics: most Utah propane travels under 200 miles from terminal to retail tank, versus 1,000+ miles for Northeast or West Coast supply. Together those three factors keep Utah well below the national average and roughly tied with Colorado for cheapest in the West.

Am I eligible for HEAT, Utah's LIHEAP propane assistance program?

Utah's LIHEAP variant is the Home Energy Assistance Target program, known as HEAT, administered by the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) Housing and Community Development Division through local Community Action Partnership offices. Eligibility is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (more generous than the federal 60%-of-State-Median-Income default), and your household must be responsible for paying its own home energy costs. For LIHEAP FY 2026, Utah received $25.7 million in funding, with heating benefits ranging from $140 minimum to $800 maximum and crisis benefits up to $1,500 for households out of fuel or facing imminent shutoff. Propane-heated households apply by checking ON (have fuel), OFF (out of fuel), or 48 HR (will be out within 48 hours) on the application. The program year runs October 1 to September 30 or until federal funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. Apply at jobs.utah.gov/housing/scso/seal/heat.html, through your local Community Action office, or by calling 211 Utah.

How do I find a licensed propane dealer in Utah?

Utah propane dealers are licensed by the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act (Utah Code 53-7 Part 3) and Utah Administrative Code R710-6. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board oversees licensing classes, and only Class I or higher licensees may sell, fill, or deliver LPG to residential customers. Licensees must carry $1 million per-incident and $2 million aggregate liability insurance and pass annual inspection. Verify any quoting supplier at firemarshal.utah.gov/licensing-and-certification/liquified-petroleum-gas/ before signing. Utah is represented at the regional level by the Rocky Mountain Propane Association (rmpropane.org) rather than a state-only trade body, and the National Propane Gas Association directory at npga.org also lists licensed Utah retailers. Meter accuracy and short-fill complaints route through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) Weights and Measures division.

I own a ski-area second home, does that change my propane situation?

Yes, materially. Utah's ski-resort second-home market (Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude, Sundance) creates two propane patterns the Wasatch Front does not see. First, low-utilisation pricing: a vacation home used 30-60 nights a year still pays the same per-gallon rate as a full-time residence, but tank rental and minimum-delivery fees become a much larger share of total annual cost. Several Utah suppliers offer second-home or seasonal-occupancy rate plans with reduced minimum-delivery thresholds, ask explicitly. Second, high-altitude appliance derate: at 7,000-11,000 feet (most Utah ski areas), gas appliance BTU output drops by NFPA 54's 4% per 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet, so a furnace rated 100,000 BTU at sea level outputs roughly 80,000 BTU at 7,000 feet and 64,000 BTU at 11,000 feet. Many resort-area second homes are sized for sea-level output and underperform in coldest weather; talk to your installer about a derate-corrected sizing review. Wasatch Front homes (4,200-5,500 ft) lose roughly 10-15%, meaningful but rarely a sizing problem.

Why is propane the dominant fuel in rural eastern Utah?

Eastern and southeastern Utah, Vernal, Roosevelt, Duchesne, Price, Moab, Blanding, Monument Valley, the Uinta Basin generally, sit outside the natural gas distribution footprint operated by Dominion Energy in the Wasatch Front and Cache Valley. For homes off the gas grid, propane is the practical primary heating fuel because (a) heating oil delivery infrastructure barely exists this far west, (b) all-electric heating costs are punitive in the cold high-desert winters where overnight lows reach -20°F, and (c) tank delivery routes already exist for agricultural propane (alfalfa drying, dairy operations, irrigation engine fuel). Propane share of residential heating in Daggett, Duchesne, and San Juan counties exceeds 40%, versus single digits along the Wasatch Front. Suppliers serving these counties charge a modest rural-route surcharge over the statewide average, but the benefit is a propane-experienced installer base, ample tank inventory, and competition between two or three regional operators in most towns.

Does the Wasatch Front altitude affect my propane appliances?

Yes, but less than ski-area homes. The NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code) standard derates appliance BTU output by 4% per 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet. The Wasatch Front sits at roughly 4,200-5,500 feet (Salt Lake City 4,226 ft, Provo 4,549 ft, Ogden 4,300 ft, Park City 7,000 ft), so the derate is 8-14%, meaningful for boiler and furnace sizing, but generally absorbed by manufacturer specifications in modern installs. The two areas where altitude matters most: (1) tankless water heaters, which run lean and can stall or trip on overheat at altitude unless converted with a high-altitude orifice kit at install; (2) range and oven temperature accuracy, which can drift 10-20°F from sea-level calibration. Any propane appliance installed in Utah should be commissioned with an altitude-corrected combustion analysis. Ask your installer for the manufacturer's high-altitude certification on each appliance before paying the final invoice.

How do I switch propane suppliers in Utah without losing my tank?

Most Utah residential propane customers rent their tank from their current supplier, which legally restricts who can fill it (Utah State Fire Marshal rules prohibit a third party from filling a tank owned by another licensed dealer without written authorisation). To switch without buying out the tank, the new supplier arranges a tank swap-out: they coordinate with the old supplier to remove the existing tank and install their own, typically a 1-3 week process. If you own your tank outright, any Utah-licensed Class I dealer can fill it, and you can shop for the best per-gallon price every fill, this is the strongest cost-control lever in the Utah market. Tank purchase from a supplier runs $800-$2,500 depending on capacity (250, 500, 1,000 gallon) and whether install is included. For ski-area or eastern-Utah second homes, owning the tank also avoids exit fees and tank-pickup hassle when you sell.