How to Evict a Tenant in Wyoming (2026)
The legal steps for landlords in Wyoming — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.
Short answer: In Wyoming a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.
Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice
| Unpaid rent | 3-day notice to quit. FED is allowed after rent is 3 days past due, and the written notice to leave must be served at least 3 days before the action is filed. Source: W.S. 1-21-1002(a)(i), 1-21-1003 |
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| Lease violation | 3-day notice to quit, with no statutory right to cure. FED is available against renters who violate the duties in W.S. 1-21-1204 or the prohibitions in 1-21-1205 (damage, interfering with others' peaceful enjoyment, unreasonably denying access). |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) | No statute — Wyoming sets no notice period for ending a month-to-month tenancy; the rental agreement governs. A periodic tenancy is not implied by law: when a lease ends, a tenant who stays (even if rent is accepted) is only a tenant by sufferance unless a new written agreement is signed. To remove a tenant who holds over, the landlord must serve a 3-day notice to quit before filing an FED case. |
Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: No state rent control law. No enacted statewide preemption statute was located.
Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly
| What the notice must say | Eviction (forcible entry and detainer) may be brought once rent is unpaid 3 days after it is due. The landlord must give a written notice to leave the premises at least 3 days before filing, served by leaving a written copy with the tenant or, if the tenant cannot be found, at the tenant's usual place of abode or business. No statutory wording; the statute does not require a pay-or-quit option. |
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| How it must be delivered | Before filing a forcible entry and detainer action, the landlord must serve a written notice to leave the premises at least 3 days before filing, by leaving a written copy with the tenant, or at the tenant's usual place of abode or business if the tenant cannot be found. No statute authorizes mail-only, e-mail or text notice. The summons is served as in other civil cases, 3 to 12 days before trial. |
Notice forms:
Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing
Eviction cases in Wyoming are heard in: Circuit court (Forcible Entry and Detainer, 'FED').
- Serve a written Notice to Quit at least 3 days before filing (W.S. 1-21-1003)
- File the FED complaint, summons, and affidavit with the circuit court clerk
- Summons must be served 3 to 12 days before the trial date set by the judge (W.S. 1-21-1004)
- Trial on the return day; no written answer required. A continuance over 2 days requires the tenant to post a bond (W.S. 1-21-1006, 1-21-1007)
- Judgment for restitution, plus rent due, costs, and lease-based attorney fees in nonpayment cases (W.S. 1-21-1008)
- Writ of restitution issued at the landlord's request (W.S. 1-21-1012)
- Officer executes the writ within 2 days of receiving it (Sundays excepted); the sheriff may remove the renter's possessions and prevent reentry (W.S. 1-21-1013, 1-21-1211)
Court timing: Trial is 3–12 days after service of the summons. A written answer is optional and the tenant may still fully participate at trial. To stay the judgment on appeal, the tenant must file a bond within 48 hours of judgment (Sundays excepted) and deposit the rent.
Source: W.S. 1-21-1001 to 1-21-1017
How long it takes to evict a tenant in Wyoming
For unpaid rent, the notice period is 3 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.
Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)
| Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will) | No statute — Wyoming sets no notice period for ending a month-to-month tenancy; the rental agreement governs. A periodic tenancy is not implied by law: when a lease ends, a tenant who stays (even if rent is accepted) is only a tenant by sufferance unless a new written agreement is signed. To remove a tenant who holds over, the landlord must serve a 3-day notice to quit before filing an FED case. |
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| Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant) | Since the 2025 session (SF0006, 2025 Session Laws ch. 41), an owner or authorized agent may file a sworn complaint (under penalty of perjury, with a copy of government ID or agency papers) with county law enforcement asking for immediate removal of a person who unlawfully entered and remains in a residential dwelling, if there is no known pending litigation between them and the person is not a current or former tenant, a co-owner or person on title (absent title fraud), an immediate family member, or a cohabitant. After verifying the complainant is the record owner, law enforcement must without delay give notice to immediately vacate (hand delivery or posting on the front door), put the owner in possession, and may arrest for trespass or warrants; officers may stand by while locks are changed and belongings are moved to the property line. A wrongfully removed person may recover possession, actual damages, triple the fair rental value for the period of wrongful removal, costs and attorney's fees. Presenting a fake lease or deed to stay on property is a misdemeanor (up to 6 months / $750); renting or selling property without authority is a felony (up to 2 years / $5,000). |
Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued
| Changing locks / shutting off utilities | No statute — Wyoming has no law that expressly bans landlord lockouts or utility shutoffs. The statutes provide a court process instead: a landlord who wants a tenant out files a forcible entry and detainer (FED) case, and after judgment an officer executes the writ of restitution; only then may the sheriff remove the renter's belongings and prevent reentry. |
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| Retaliation | No statute — Wyoming has no general law barring landlord retaliation (for example, for complaining about repairs or contacting an inspector). The only related rule: a landlord may not end a tenancy based solely on a tenant's or household member's status as a victim of domestic abuse or sexual violence. |
| Accepting rent after the notice | No statute addresses whether accepting rent after a notice to quit for nonpayment or breach waives the eviction. Related rule: after a lease (oral or written) expires, the landlord's acceptance of rent during a holdover does not renew the lease or create a periodic tenancy; it creates only a tenancy by sufferance, and an expired lease can be renewed only by a signed written contract. |
Federal rules that can change the process
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
- VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
- CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
- HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More
Wyoming eviction FAQ for landlords
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in Wyoming?
3-day notice to quit. FED is allowed after rent is 3 days past due, and the written notice to leave must be served at least 3 days before the action is filed.
Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in Wyoming?
No statute — Wyoming has no law that expressly bans landlord lockouts or utility shutoffs. The statutes provide a court process instead: a landlord who wants a tenant out files a forcible entry and detainer (FED) case, and after judgment an officer executes the writ of restitution; only then may the sheriff remove the renter's belongings and prevent reentry.
How do you evict a tenant without a lease in Wyoming?
No statute — Wyoming sets no notice period for ending a month-to-month tenancy; the rental agreement governs. A periodic tenancy is not implied by law: when a lease ends, a tenant who stays (even if rent is accepted) is only a tenant by sufferance unless a new written agreement is signed. To remove a tenant who holds over, the landlord must serve a 3-day notice to quit before filing an FED case.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.