A Wyoming lease agreement brings modern rental structure to the Equality State’s enduring spirit of independence. Handshake deals still carry weight here, but putting terms in writing protects both landlords and tenants under Wyoming’s landlord-tenant laws.
The lease agreement establishes clear expectations for rent payments, property care, and lease terms, offering stability whether you’re managing a single-family home or multiple rental units.
Disclosures (2)
Before signing a lease, Wyoming landlords must provide certain information to renters in writing. Unlike states such as California that require 20+ different disclosures, Wyoming keeps it short and sweet. Here’s what landlords must include:
- Lead-based paint disclosure: Federal law requires landlords to disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards for properties built before 1978. Landlords must also provide tenants with the EPA-approved pamphlet, Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home.
- Required notice of nonrefundable deposit: Under state law, landlords in Wyoming must clearly state in the rental agreement whether any portion of the security deposit is nonrefundable. The landlord must give the tenant written notice of this fact when they collect the deposit (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207).
Optional Disclosures and Addenda
Adding optional disclosures and addenda to a lease agreement can help landlords clarify expectations and reduce disputes. Taking this approach is especially useful in a state with a mix of rural properties, multi-acre lots, and growing rental markets in cities like Cheyenne and Casper. Optional clauses give both parties extra transparency and protection:
Asbestos disclosure: Informs tenants of any known asbestos or related safety precautions.
Mold disclosure: Outlines any history of mold or current conditions to reduce liability and encourage proper maintenance.
Bed bug disclosure: Provides information about prior bed bug infestations in the unit or surrounding area and prevention measures.
Landlord entry disclosure: Clarifies notice requirements and procedures for landlord entry, which can be especially useful in rural or remote areas.
Utilities disclosure: Explains which utilities the landlord includes in the rent and which the tenant must pay for.
Smoking policy addendum: Spells out whether tenants and their guests can smoke inside the rental unit or on the property.
Pet addendum: Details pet rules, deposits, fees, and tenant responsibilities.
Parking addendum: Specifies assigned parking spaces, rules, and any associated fees.
Sublease addendum: Outlines whether and under what conditions tenants may sublet the property.
Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures
Failing to include mandatory disclosures in a lease agreement can expose landlords in Wyoming to serious problems down the road.
Suppose a landlord doesn’t provide the required information, such as lead-based paint disclosures or notice of a nonrefundable deposit. In that case, they may face penalties, lose the right to keep part of the deposit, or become vulnerable to tenant legal claims.
Including these disclosures upfront helps landlords stay compliant with state and federal law, avoid disputes, and build stronger landlord–tenant relationships.
Security Deposit Regulations in Wyoming
In Wyoming, landlords must follow specific rules when collecting and returning security deposits, or they risk disputes and possible legal trouble.
Maximum amount: Wyoming law does not impose a statutory cap on how much a landlord can charge as a security deposit.
Deposit receipt: Wyoming law does not explicitly require landlords to issue a written receipt when collecting a security deposit.
Interest payments: Landlords in Wyoming are not required to pay interest on security deposits. The statute explicitly mandates that refunds occur “without interest” (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a)).
Security deposit return: Landlords must return the remaining deposit and a written itemization within 30 days after the lease ends or 15 days after receiving the tenant’s forwarding address, whichever is later. If the landlord needs to deduct for damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear, they can take up to 60 days to do so. For utility deposits held separately, landlords have 10 days to refund the money after the tenant shows proof of payment. If the tenant doesn’t provide that proof within 45 days, the landlord can apply the deposit to any unpaid utility bills and must return any leftover amount within the legal deadlines (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a)-(b)).
Deductions: Landlords may deduct unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning costs, and any other charges allowed in the lease. They must provide tenants with a written itemized list of all deductions and return the remaining balance within the required timeframe (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a),(c)).
Rent Payment Regulations
Because the state imposes few restrictions on rent payments, landlords and tenants must rely heavily on their written lease. Below are key rules (or absences thereof) under Wyoming law that every rental agreement should address:
Rent control/stabilization: Rent control and stabilization don’t exist in Wyoming, and municipalities do not generally impose local caps.
Late rent fees: Statutes in Wyoming don’t cap late fees, but the lease must specify the costs.
Grace period: There’s no state-mandated grace period before charging late fees (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1204(a)(vi)).
Tenant’s right to withhold rent: Wyoming does not permit tenants to withhold rent to force repairs or compel landlord compliance (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1203). Tenants must remain current on rent while pursuing other legal remedies.
Rental Agreement Violations
Lease violations can threaten both the landlord’s rights and the tenant’s obligations. In Wyoming, following proper steps is critical to enforcing a lease without exposing yourself to legal risk.
Lease violation: If a Wyoming tenant breaches any lease term, the landlord may issue a Notice to Quit demanding that the tenant either remedy the breach or vacate, typically allowing 3 days (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1003).
Missed rent payment: When a tenant fails to pay rent, Wyoming law lets the landlord deliver a 3-day Notice to Pay or Quit before filing a forcible entry and detainer action (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1003).
Lease abandonment: If a Wyoming tenant vacates prematurely without legal justification, the landlord may pursue remaining rent and damages under the lease (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208).
Self-help evictions: Wyoming prohibits landlords from using self-help measures like lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removing tenant property in an attempt to evict a renter. A landlord must instead follow the formal eviction process and obtain a Writ of Restitution.
Terminating a Lease
Ending a tenancy, whether early or at term’s end, means following the lease and applicable state law. Here’s what landlords and tenants should know in the Equality State.
Standard lease: Tenants generally cannot unilaterally break a fixed-term Wyoming lease without risking liability for the remaining rent and damages, unless the lease includes an early termination clause or a legal exception applies (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1303).
Month-to-month: To terminate a month-to-month lease, either party should issue written notice. Wyoming does not mandate a specific statewide notice period for month-to-month terminations, so the lease should specify the proper notice, typcially 30 days.
Property abandonment: If a tenant vacates and leaves personal property behind, the landlord must send a written notice describing the abandoned property and allow the tenant 7 days to respond or claim it. If the tenant fails to respond, the landlord may dispose of or keep the property. The landlord may also charge for storage and removal costs (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1210).
Renewing a Lease
Renewing a lease in Wyoming depends entirely on the agreement between landlord and tenant. Because statutes set few limits, landlords should spell out renewal terms within the lease itself.
Notice requirements: Wyoming law does not require landlords to notify tenants in advance if they will not renew a lease term. Landlords are free to choose nonrenewal without statutory notice, unless the lease itself mandates otherwise.
Required renewals: Wyoming landlords do not have to let tenants renew their rental agreements. Landlords and tenants must create a new, written agreement to renew a lease. If they do not sign a new contract, the law does not recognize any ongoing tenancy (Wyo. Stat. § 34-2-129).
Landlord’s Access to Property
In Wyoming, landlords have to find a fair middle ground between maintaining their property and respecting a tenant’s privacy. Since state law doesn’t lay out strict entry rules, most of the guidelines come from the lease itself and what’s considered reasonable under typical landlord–tenant practices.
Immediate access: In emergencies, such as fire, flood, or other situations threatening life or property, landlords in the state may enter a rental unit without advance notice to address the urgent issue.
Notice requirements: Wyoming statute does not require a fixed minimum notice period for non-emergency entry.
Harassment: Repeated or unannounced entries without justification may interfere with a tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment and are harassment. Thus, tenants might use such conduct to argue landlord breach or seek to terminate the lease, especially if the behavior is retaliatory or meant to pressure the tenant.
