How to Apply for Utah's Lawn Removal Rebate (Flip Your Strip and Utah Water Savers)

Utah Water Savers runs the statewide Landscape Incentive Program that Utahns often call the lawn rebate. Some water districts run their own versions under names such as Flip Your Strip. This page is the how-to for the statewide application; our rebate guide compares the programs. Rules change, so confirm on the program site.

Step by Step

• Check that your area qualifies on the program's eligibility page: areas must have adopted the state's water efficiency standards
• Create an account on utahwatersavers.com
• Add your property so the site can identify your water provider
• Select Apply Now next to Landscape Incentive
• Upload photos of your current yard and a landscape plan unique to your property; a professional design is not required
• A program technician reviews it; if you have not heard within two weeks, use the Ask a Technician button
• Do the project only after approval, then schedule the final site visit and sign the agreement and W-9

What Qualifies

• A current, living, maintained lawn: you cannot pay to remove a dead or already-removed lawn
• Replacement with at least 50% perennial plant coverage at ground level, by mature plant width
• Approved drip irrigation
• Rock-only or no-plant designs do not qualify
• Park strip plants must meet the mature height requirement; they cannot be trimmed to comply
• Homes in an HOA can qualify if the landscaping is yours, though HOA approval rules may still apply
• Businesses and private institutions are eligible

How Much and When You Get Paid

The incentive is up to $3 per square foot, paid within 90 days after you complete the project, schedule the final visit, and sign your agreement and W-9 (Utah Water Savers). Earlier state documents listed lower rates, for example $1.50 per square foot in a 2023 requirements sheet (state PDF), so use the current amount shown at application.

Why Artificial Turf Is Not Eligible

The program's FAQ states artificial turf is not eligible and says it can cause more environmental harm than its water savings offset. That is the program's position; see the pros and cons for ours.

Can I Do Both Turf and a Rebate?

Possibly. Many owners turf the back yard and plant a rebate-eligible front yard or park strip. Whether one project can include both, and how the areas are measured, is a question for the program technician before you design. Keep the two areas measured and priced separately.

Mistakes That Cost People the Rebate

• Killing or removing the lawn before approval (reported by local coverage; confirm with the program: Fox 13)
• Rock-only designs with too few plants
• No drip irrigation
• Living in an area that has not adopted the state standards

Related Pages

• What each Utah program pays for and excludes
• Artificial turf park strip rules
• Turf cost and water savings calculator

Utah Lawn Rebate Questions