Squatters' Rights in Wyoming
Wyoming rules on squatters & abandoned property for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: 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… Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1401 to 1-21-1403; 6-5-309
The rules in Wyoming
| Squatters / unauthorized occupants | 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). Criminal provisions: https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title06.pdf. Enrolled act (SF0006, Enrolled Act No. 20, 2025 Session Laws ch. 41): https://wyoleg.gov/2025/Enroll/SF0006.pdf. Section 3 of the enrolled act states: effective July 1, 2025. The procedure does not limit forcible entry and detainer or arrests for trespass (1-21-1403(d)). |
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| Belongings left behind | After lawfully regaining possession, the owner may immediately dispose of trash and property reasonably believed hazardous, perishable, or valueless; property left in the unit is presumed valueless and abandoned. Valuable property may be removed and stored; the owner must give written notice describing it and stating it will be disposed of 7 days after service unless the renter takes it or notifies the owner in writing of intent to take it. Notice is served by certified mail to an address the renter gave for this purpose, by personal service under W.R.C.P. 4, or by newspaper publication in the county. If the renter responds in writing, the owner holds it 7 more days; otherwise it is conclusively abandoned and may be kept or disposed of. The owner may charge reasonable or actual storage and removal costs before release and is not liable for loss in storage. The statute itself is inconsistent: after the renter's written response it says the property is held 'an additional period of seven (7) days', but the next sentence refers to 'the additional fifteen (15) day period'. Until a court or the Legislature resolves this, a renter should collect the property within 7 days after responding; an owner who wants to avoid a dispute may hold it for 15 days. Source: Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1210 |
Related questions
Wyoming vs. neighboring states
| State | Squatters / unauthorized occupants | Belongings left behind |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 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). Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1401 to 1-21-1403; 6-5-309 | After lawfully regaining possession, the owner may immediately dispose of trash and property reasonably believed hazardous, perishable, or valueless; property left in the unit is presumed valueless and abandoned. Valuable property may be removed and stored; the owner must give written notice describing it and stating it will be disposed of 7 days after service unless the renter takes it or notifies the owner in writing of intent to take it. Notice is served by certified mail to an address the renter gave for this purpose, by personal service under W.R.C.P. 4, or by newspaper publication in the county. If the renter responds in writing, the owner holds it 7 more days; otherwise it is conclusively abandoned and may be kept or disposed of. The owner may charge reasonable or actual storage and removal costs before release and is not liable for loss in storage. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1210 |
| Colorado | Colorado has a fast court process for removing an "unauthorized person": someone occupying a vacant or uninhabited home who never had any agreement with or consent from the owner, is not the owner's relative, never paid the owner anything, and was never given permission to be there. The owner (or authorized agent) first demands that the occupants leave, then files a complaint and a sworn "Verified Motion for Order to Remove Unauthorized Persons" in county court. The motion must be served (in person or by posting) at least 24 hours before the hearing, and the court must hold the hearing by the next court day. If the court finds the occupants are unauthorized, it issues a temporary mandatory injunction and writ of restitution, and the sheriff must remove them within 24 hours of receiving the order and order them to stay off the property or face arrest for criminal trespass. Anyone who falsely swears on the motion can be sanctioned, held in contempt, or prosecuted for perjury or false swearing. If the motion is denied, the owner can still bring a regular eviction (forcible entry and detainer). C.R.S. §§ 13-40.1-101, 13-40.1-102; § 13-40-104(1)(a) | Colorado has no single statute on belongings a residential tenant leaves behind. After an eviction, the officer executing the writ of restitution removes the property. The landlord has no duty to store or inventory it, and is immune from liability if the landlord follows the officer's lawful directions. A landlord who chooses to store the property may charge reasonable storage costs and either let the tenant reclaim it after paying them or dispose of it under the landlord's lien. That lien covers unpaid rent on household goods left on the premises. It does not cover pets, small kitchen appliances, cooking utensils, beds, bedding, necessary clothing, personal or business records, or personal effects. Lien property is presumed abandoned if the owner has not contacted the landlord for at least 30 days. At least 15 days before selling or disposing of it, the landlord must send notice of the manner and date by registered or certified mail (return receipt, addressee only) to the owner's last-known address. If the notice comes back unclaimed, the landlord must publish it in a local newspaper. During an eviction, the officer must hand pets to the tenant or call animal control. Pets may not be left unattended. C.R.S. §§ 13-40-122(2)-(4), (2.5); 38-20-102(3); 38-20-116(1)-(2) |
| Idaho | Sheriff removal without a lawsuit. A property owner (or authorized agent) may give the county sheriff a verified 'Complaint to Remove Persons Unlawfully Occupying Residential Real Property' (statutory form, under penalty of perjury, with government ID or proof of agency) if: the occupants entered unlawfully and remain; the property was not open to the public; the owner told them to leave; they are not current or former tenants under an owner-authorized lease; they are not immediate family; and no related litigation is pending. After verifying ownership, the sheriff serves a notice to immediately vacate (hand delivery or posting on the front door), puts the owner in possession, and may arrest for trespass or other crimes. Sheriff charges the writ-of-restitution service fee, plus an hourly stand-by fee if requested while locks are changed and belongings moved to the property line. A person wrongfully removed may sue for restoration of possession, actual damages, triple the fair market rent, costs and attorney's fees. Idaho Code § 6-310A | After a judgment for possession, a residential tenant has 72 hours to remove belongings (7 days for commercial tenants or tracts of 5+ acres). After that period and 3 days after the court's finding, the sheriff restores possession by removing the tenant, and the landlord may remove and dispose of all remaining property (including vehicles removable under § 49-1806), subject to security interests, without compensation to the tenant. The 3-day nonpayment notice must warn the tenant of this removal period. Idaho Code §§ 6-316(2), 6-303(2) |
| Montana | Police removal without a court case. A person who cannot produce authorization to occupy the premises is an unauthorized person or trespasser and may be removed immediately by law enforcement at the request of the property owner or authorized agent. Authorization means a written rental agreement, written or verbal permission from the landlord, or written or verbal permission from a tenant for a guest; verbal permission counts only if the person who gave it confirms it. The owner may ask law enforcement to stand by while the locks are changed and the occupant's belongings removed. An owner or agent who knowingly gives false information must indemnify the law enforcement agency for any damages awarded against it. Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-113 | If the tenancy ended by court order, property left behind is considered abandoned and may be disposed of immediately as allowed by law. Otherwise, if the landlord has clear and convincing evidence the tenant abandoned all property and at least 48 hours have passed since getting that evidence, the landlord may remove it and immediately discard trash and hazardous, perishable or valueless items (labeled rent-to-own/leased items need the lessor's lien confirmation). Property the landlord reasonably believes is valuable must be inventoried and stored with reasonable care. The landlord must then send written notice (certificate of mailing or certified mail, to the last-known address) that the property will be disposed of on a date at least 10 days after mailing. If the tenant replies in writing that they will collect it but does not within 7 days, it is conclusively abandoned. The landlord may sell it (public or private sale under 30-9A-610 or sheriff's sale rules) or destroy it if storage/sale would cost more than it is worth. Sale proceeds, less notice, storage, labor, sale costs and unpaid rent or damages, go to the tenant with an itemized accounting, or to the county treasurer if the tenant cannot be found. The landlord may charge reasonable storage and moving costs, which must be paid before the tenant takes the property back. Mont. Code Ann. § 70-24-430 |
| Nebraska | No squatter-specific statute. An owner removes a non-tenant occupant through a forcible entry and detainer action in county or district court: the owner must first serve a written notice to leave at least 3 days before filing (by handing it to the occupant or leaving it at their usual place of abode; if neither can be found in the county, by leaving or posting it on the premises). If the court finds the entry or holding unlawful, it orders restitution of the property. This procedure does not apply to possession cases covered by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-21,219, 25-21,221 | Governed by the Disposition of Personal Property Landlord and Tenant Act. The landlord must give the former tenant (and anyone the landlord believes owns the property) a written Notice of Right to Reclaim Abandoned Property describing the property, where to claim it, and a deadline at least 7 days after personal delivery or at least 14 days after mailing; the notice must also say whether the property will be sold at public sale or, if worth under $2,000, may be kept, sold or destroyed. The tenant gets the property back by paying reasonable storage (and advertising) costs before the deadline. Unclaimed property must be sold at a public sale after newspaper notice once a week for two weeks, unless the landlord reasonably believes it is worth less than $2,000, in which case the landlord may keep or dispose of it. Sale proceeds, less storage, advertising and sale costs, go to the State Treasurer as unclaimed property within 30 days. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2301 to 69-2314 (esp. 69-2304, 69-2305, 69-2307, 69-2308) |
| South Dakota | No special squatter-removal statute. An owner removes a person who entered by force, intimidation, fraud or stealth (or who holds possession by force or threats) through a forcible entry and detainer (FED) court action in circuit or magistrate court; the defendant has 5 days after service to appear, and the court enters judgment for possession. SDCL 21-16-1(1)-(3); 21-16-3; 21-16-7; 21-16-10 | Property with a total reasonable value of $500 or less left on residential premises for 10 days after the tenant quits is presumed abandoned and the landlord may dispose of it. Property worth more than $500 must be stored by the landlord, who has a lien for handling and storage costs; after storing it for 30 days or more the landlord may treat it as abandoned and dispose of it. No notice to the tenant is required by statute. SDCL 43-32-25; 43-32-26 |
| Utah | Since 2025 (ch. 295), an owner or authorized agent may present law enforcement a verified 'Complaint to Remove Trespassers Unlawfully Occupying Real Property' in the statutory form, under penalty of perjury, with proof of record ownership (or agency) and ID, attesting that the trespasser entered unlawfully, the property was not open to the public, the owner told them to leave, they are not a current or former tenant under a written rental agreement, an owner/co-owner or on title (absent title fraud), or an immediate family member, and there is no pending litigation. If the owner appears entitled to relief, law enforcement must without delay serve a notice to immediately vacate (hand delivery or posting) and put the owner in possession, may arrest for trespass or warrants, and may stand by while locks are changed and belongings moved to the property line. A wrongfully removed person may be restored to possession and recover actual costs and damages, triple the fair market rent, costs and attorney's fees, with an expedited trial. Utah Code 78B-6-817 | Abandonment is presumed if the tenant gave no notice of absence and either fails to pay rent within 15 days after the due date with no evidence of occupancy other than belongings, or fails to pay and has removed belongings. If belongings are left, the owner may remove and store them and recover actual moving and storage costs; the owner must post a notice on the premises and send it by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address stating the property is considered abandoned. The tenant may retrieve it within 15 calendar days of the notice by paying inventory, moving and storage costs (written demand with proof of ownership). After 15 days in storage with no reasonable recovery effort and no pending hearing, the owner may sell it at public sale (proceeds applied to amounts owed; surplus handled as unclaimed property) or donate it if commercially reasonable. No duty to store hazardous materials, animals, garbage, or perishables; motor vehicles are excluded. Utah Code 78B-6-815; 78B-6-816 |
More Wyoming rental law
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- Wyoming Rental Fee Rules
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- Wyoming Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
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- Free legal help in Wyoming
Compare squatters & abandoned property in all 50 states and DC →
Squatters' Rights in Wyoming FAQ
How do you remove a squatter in Wyoming?
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). (Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1401 to 1-21-1403; 6-5-309)
What can a landlord do with a tenant's abandoned property in Wyoming?
After lawfully regaining possession, the owner may immediately dispose of trash and property reasonably believed hazardous, perishable, or valueless; property left in the unit is presumed valueless and abandoned. Valuable property may be removed and stored; the owner must give written notice describing it and stating it will be disposed of 7 days after service unless the renter takes it or notifies the owner in writing of intent to take it. Notice is served by certified mail to an address the renter gave for this purpose, by personal service under W.R.C.P. 4, or by newspaper publication in the county. If the renter responds in writing, the owner holds it 7 more days; otherwise it is conclusively abandoned and may be kept or disposed of. The owner may charge reasonable or actual storage and removal costs before release and is not liable for loss in storage. (Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1210)
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.