Wyoming tenant screening and landlord-tenant law

Wyoming has no statute capping application or screening fees. This is generally left entirely to the lease agreement and market practice, subject to any local ordinance; confirm current city code before relying on this approach in any Wyoming city.

Wyoming's Fair Housing Act protected classes are race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin (§40-26-103); criminal or arrest history is not addressed as a separate category, and Wyoming has no state lookback limit on criminal records in housing decisions. As with other states lacking a specific statute, a documented, individualized, and consistently applied policy is generally the more defensible approach.

Source of income (including housing vouchers) is not listed among the protected classes in Wyoming's Fair Housing Act. That means, under state law, a landlord generally may decline an applicant solely because they intend to pay with a housing voucher, unless a specific city ordinance says otherwise. Confirm current city code before relying on this approach in Wyoming's larger cities.

The FCRA §615 baseline applies: notify the applicant, identify the consumer reporting agency, and explain the applicant's right to dispute the report and obtain a free copy. Wyoming has no additional state-specific adverse-action requirements.

Wyoming does not cap the dollar amount of a security deposit by statute. Under Wyo. Stat. §1-21-1208, a landlord generally must return the deposit within 30 days after the tenant vacates (or within 15 days if the tenant has given a forwarding address and there are no deductions), along with a written, itemized list of any deductions for damages. If a landlord willfully fails to comply, the tenant may recover damages, though the statute's exact penalty structure should be verified directly before citing a specific multiplier or dollar amount.

Wyoming has no statewide rent control or general just-cause eviction requirement. Wyoming's landlord-tenant statute is largely silent on specific notice periods for ending a month-to-month tenancy, leaving this to be governed by general common-law notice principles (commonly understood as requiring notice equal to the rental period, i.e., roughly 30 days for a month-to-month tenancy) unless the lease specifies otherwise — confirm this against current statute and case law rather than treating it as a fixed statutory number. For nonpayment of rent, Wyoming's forcible entry and detainer statute (Wyo. Stat. §1-21-1001 et seq.) governs the court eviction process; verify current pre-filing notice requirements before relying on a specific number of days beyond what a given lease requires.

Wyoming's local government is organized into counties and incorporated municipalities, without a township layer. Cheyenne, Casper, and Laramie may have city-specific tenant-screening, source-of-income, or fair-chance requirements; confirm each city's current code before making city-specific screening-policy decisions.

Does Wyoming cap security deposits? No. State law requires return within 30 days generally (15 days if a forwarding address is given and no deductions apply), with an itemized statement of any deductions.

Is source of income a protected class in Wyoming? No, not under state law; a landlord generally may decline voucher holders under state law alone.

Does Wyoming limit how landlords use criminal history? Wyoming has no state-specific limit; FCRA disclosure and adverse-action rules still apply.

Does Wyoming require a specific notice period to end a month-to-month tenancy? No. Wyoming does not require a specific statutory period; general common-law practice (commonly understood as notice equal to the rental period) may apply absent a lease provision, but verify this against current law.

Checkr helps landlords and property managers in Wyoming run FCRA-compliant background checks efficiently, so you can screen applicants consistently while staying focused on filling your unit. Get started with Checkr to build a screening process suited to your properties.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.