Wyoming Public Records: A Complete Research Guide

Last Updated on March 21, 2026 by Editorial Staff

Wyoming public records are government-created documents, databases, filings, and communications maintained by state and local agencies that are broadly accessible to the public under the Wyoming Public Records Act (WPRA), codified at Wyo. Stat. §§ 16-4-201 through 16-4-205. The law establishes that all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times during business hours, except as otherwise provided by the Act or other law.

Residents and nonresidents frequently perform a Wyoming public records search — sometimes called a Wyoming public records request, Wyoming open records request, or Wyoming WPRA request — to locate court filings, property ownership records, criminal history information, business registrations, vital records, and other documents held by state and county agencies across Wyoming’s 23 counties.

Public records in Wyoming are distributed across state agencies, 23 county-level offices including district courts, circuit courts, county clerks, and recorders, and municipal bodies. Understanding which agency maintains each record type is essential for effective research in Wyoming, as there is no centralized statewide portal for court or property records.

On This Page

• Quick Answer: Where to Search Wyoming Public Records
• Legal Notice
• Why This Guide Is Reliable
• Why Wyoming Public Records Law Is Distinctive
• The Legal Framework
• Wyoming Court Records
• Wyoming Criminal Records
• Wyoming Property Records
• Wyoming Business Records
• Wyoming Vital Records
• Wyoming Inmate and Corrections Records
• Professional License Records
• Charity and Nonprofit Records
• How to Submit a Wyoming Public Records Request
• Free Government Databases for Wyoming Public Records
• Common Mistakes When Researching Wyoming Public Records
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Thoughts
• Related Guides
• Disclaimer

Quick Answer: Where to Search Wyoming Public Records

The most important free and low-cost government databases for researching Wyoming public records include:

• Wyoming Judicial Branch — Supreme Court Public Docket (courts.state.wy.us/icon_box/public-docket) — free search of Wyoming Supreme Court filings, orders, briefs, and appellate cases; the only statewide online court search available
• Wyoming Judicial Branch — eFiling Case Search (efiling.courts.state.wy.us/public/caseSearch.do) — limited public access to cases entered into the eFiling system; coverage incomplete
• Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation — Criminal History (wyomingdci.wyo.gov) — fingerprint-based criminal history background check; $15 + $5 for fingerprint verification; mail only
• Wyoming Attorney General — Sex Offender Registry (ago.wyo.gov) — free statewide sex offender registry searchable by name, city, county, or zip code
• Wyoming Department of Corrections — Offender Search (corrections.wyo.gov) — free state prison inmate locator
• Wyoming Secretary of State — Business Entity Search (wyobiz.wyo.gov) — corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and UCC filings
• Wyoming Department of Health — Vital Records (health.wyo.gov/publichealth/vital-records) — birth ($20), death ($15), marriage ($20), and divorce ($20) certificates; mail or in-person only
• Wyoming County Clerk — Property Records — deeds, mortgages, and recorded instruments; contact the county clerk in the county where the property is located
• Wyoming Public Records Ombudsman (governor.wyo.gov/contact/public-records-ombudsman) — free mediation and dispute resolution for public records complaints
• Wyoming State Archives (wyoarchives.wyo.gov) — historical government records 10–20+ years old transferred from state agencies

These systems provide access to the majority of publicly searchable government records in Wyoming.

⚠️ Legal Notice

Wyoming public records law is governed primarily by the Wyoming Public Records Act (Wyo. Stat. §§ 16-4-201 through 16-4-205). While the presumption is that all public records are open for inspection, certain categories are exempt from disclosure — including criminal histories maintained by the Division of Criminal Investigation for identifying crime suspects, personnel records, Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, records whose disclosure would impair criminal investigation or prosecution, sexual assault victim names, and attorney-client privileged communications. The Wyoming Legislature has also broadly exempted its own records from the WPRA.

This guide explains lawful public records research methods and does not constitute legal advice.

Why This Guide Is Reliable

inet-investigation.com publishes research-based guides built on primary government sources, investigative research methods, and public records law. All databases referenced in this guide link to official government websites whenever possible.

For jurisdiction-specific legal questions, consult a licensed Wyoming attorney or the relevant government agency responsible for the record.

Why Wyoming Public Records Law Is Distinctive

Wyoming’s public records framework has several features that distinguish it from neighboring states — most notably its lack of a mandatory response deadline, unlimited fee authority without a statutory cap, the existence of a Public Records Ombudsman as a mediation option, and the Legislature’s broad self-exemption from the WPRA.

Wyoming has no mandatory response deadline in its Public Records Act. Like Nebraska, Wyoming’s WPRA does not specify a number of days within which agencies must respond to records requests. The standard is “reasonable time,” which is undefined in the statute. In practice, response times vary widely across the state’s agencies and 23 county governments — some produce records quickly, others do not respond at all. As of 2025, the Legislature was actively studying draft legislation to introduce mandatory timelines and a uniform fee schedule, signaling growing recognition of the problem, but no binding deadlines were yet enacted for most agencies.

Wyoming is one of only a handful of states with no statutory cap on fees for staff time. Under current Wyoming law, agencies may charge for staff time spent locating and producing records without any statutory ceiling. Investigative reporting and advocacy organizations have identified Wyoming’s fee structure as among the most unrestricted in the country — some local governments have charged fees steep enough to effectively price requesters out of their records. The 2025 interim committee was studying draft legislation to create a single statewide fee schedule (set by the Department of Administration and Information) and to give the Ombudsman more authority to address excessive fees, but these reforms had not yet been enacted as law as of early 2026.

Wyoming created a Public Records Ombudsman in 2019 — a free mediation option that no neighboring state has. Under Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-202(c)(v), the Ombudsman (housed in the Governor’s office) may mediate disputes between requesters and agencies, prescribe timelines for the release of records, and waive fees charged by a governmental entity. The Ombudsman is a free, non-adversarial alternative to litigation for requesters who encounter denials, delays, or excessive fees. However, the Ombudsman’s rulings are not always followed — some local governments reportedly ignore them — and the Ombudsman cannot directly levy fines, which limits the office’s practical enforcement power.

Wyoming’s Legislature has broadly exempted itself from the WPRA. Under Wyo. Stat. § 28-8-116, communications of a legislator with staff and constituents are confidential unless the legislator waives confidentiality. Draft bills and consultant reports to the Legislature are exempt unless confidentiality is waived by the bill sponsor or the Legislature. This broad legislative self-exemption is more sweeping than most states and means that significant categories of legislative communications and working documents are not subject to the same disclosure rules that apply to the executive branch.

Wyoming requires fingerprints for criminal history background checks — there is no name-only public search option at the state level. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) only processes criminal history checks that include a fingerprint card. There is no name-based public criminal history search option equivalent to those available in Montana, Nebraska, or Colorado. All public requests must be submitted by mail with a completed fingerprint card and the applicable fee. The practical result is that obtaining a criminal history background check in Wyoming requires more planning and time than in most neighboring states.

Mug shots are expressly public by statute. Wyoming Statute § 7-19-106(m)(ii) explicitly designates mug shots as open to public inspection. This stands in contrast to a number of states that have restricted mug shot access to prevent commercial exploitation by mug shot websites. In Wyoming, law enforcement agencies are required to release booking photographs as a matter of statutory law, not discretion.

The Wyoming State Archives holds historical state agency records and is a valuable research resource. State agency records that are ten to twenty years old or older are typically transferred to the Wyoming State Archives (wyoarchives.wyo.gov). Researchers seeking older government documents — correspondence, agency reports, historical property records — should check whether records have been transferred to the Archives before submitting a WPRA request to the originating agency.

The Legal Framework

Wyoming Court Records

Wyoming’s court system consists of the Supreme Court (court of last resort), the Court of Appeals, 23 district courts (one per county, handling felonies and major civil cases), circuit courts (misdemeanors, traffic, small claims), and municipal courts.

No Statewide Online Court Database for Trial Courts. Wyoming does not have a centralized online search system for district court or circuit court case records. This is a significant practical limitation — unlike Idaho (iCourt), Nebraska (JUSTICE), or many other states, Wyoming has no equivalent public portal covering all counties. To search for a specific case in a district court or circuit court, contact the clerk of court directly in the county where the case was filed. It is helpful to have the names of the parties, a docket number, or the approximate filing date.

Wyoming Supreme Court — Public Docket (courts.state.wy.us/icon_box/public-docket). The Wyoming Judicial Branch provides a free Public Docket search for cases in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The portal allows searching by case number, party name, or issue type, and provides access to notices, orders, and appellate briefs. This is the only statewide online case search available for Wyoming courts.

eFiling Case Search (efiling.courts.state.wy.us/public/caseSearch.do). The Wyoming eFiling system includes a limited public case search function that covers cases entered into the eFiling platform. This is not comprehensive across all courts and counties. Use it as a supplementary resource rather than a primary tool.

Wyoming Chancery Court. Wyoming established a Chancery Court in 2021 to handle complex business and commercial disputes. Chancery Court opinions are searchable online at the courts website. All public Chancery Court filings are accessible via public access terminals at state courthouses at no charge.

Wyoming State Archives for Older Court Records. Court records that are ten to twenty or more years old may have been transferred to the Wyoming State Archives. Contact the Archives (wyoarchives.wyo.gov) to inquire about availability before pursuing a courthouse request.

Federal Court Records. Wyoming has one federal judicial district — the District of Wyoming — with the main courthouse in Cheyenne and a branch in Casper. Federal case records are accessible through PACER (pacer.gov) at $0.10 per page after the quarterly free allowance.

Wyoming Criminal Records

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Criminal Records Unit, maintains the state’s central criminal history repository under the Wyoming Criminal History Record Act. DCI processes criminal history record checks for background screening purposes.

Fingerprint-Based Background Check ($15 + $5). All public criminal history background checks through DCI require a fingerprint card — there is no name-only public search option at the state level. Submit a completed fingerprint card (obtainable from local law enforcement), the required application, and a $15 fee by check or money order. Adding $5 for fingerprint verification improves accuracy. All requests must be mailed to DCI’s Criminal Records Unit in Cheyenne. Turnaround is typically 15 days or more. The check returns arrest and conviction information for fingerprinted offenses.

Mug Shots Expressly Public. Wyoming Statute § 7-19-106(m)(ii) expressly designates mug shots as open to public inspection. Booking photographs must be released by law enforcement as public records.

Restriction on Name and Victim Until Bind-Over. The name of the accused and information reasonably likely to identify the victim of a crime may not be released until the defendant has been bound over to district court. This creates a temporary restriction on early-stage arrest information before formal felony proceedings begin.

Sex Offender Registry. The Wyoming Attorney General maintains a free Sex Offender Registry searchable by name, city, county, or zip code at ago.wyo.gov. The registry includes the offender’s name, address, photo, charge, and sentencing information.

County Sheriffs and Local Records. For local arrest records, booking logs, and jail rosters, contact the county sheriff’s office in the relevant county. Police records are generally open for inspection unless disclosure would impair a criminal investigation or prosecution.

Wyoming Property Records

Wyoming property records are maintained at the county level. The County Clerk’s office records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other instruments affecting title to real property and also serves as the county recorder. The County Assessor maintains ownership and valuation records for property tax purposes. In Wyoming, these are typically separate elected offices.

County Clerk / County Recorder. Each of Wyoming’s 23 counties has a County Clerk who records all instruments affecting real property title — deeds, mortgages, easements, and liens. These records establish chain of title. Access and online availability vary by county. Larger counties like Laramie (Cheyenne), Natrona (Casper), and Campbell (Gillette) may have online deed indexes; smaller counties require in-person or mail requests. Contact the County Clerk in the county where the property is located for access details and copy fees.

County Assessor. The County Assessor maintains current ownership and assessed value information. The Wyoming Department of Revenue (revenue.wyo.gov) provides a statewide property tax information gateway and links to county assessor resources.

State Contracts — Public. Wyoming state government contracts are posted publicly on the Department of Administration and Information website. The Wyoming Supreme Court has held that any exemption forbidding disclosure of records related to public expenditures must be expressly textual, meaning records involving expenditure of public funds are presumptively open.

Wyoming Business Records

Business entity records for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other registered entities are maintained by the Wyoming Secretary of State. The online Business Entity Search at wyobiz.wyo.gov allows free searches by entity name or registered agent. Wyoming is well known nationally for its permissive and low-cost LLC laws, making Wyoming a popular state of incorporation; the Secretary of State’s database covers the large volume of entities registered in the state regardless of where they actually operate. UCC financing statements are also filed with and searchable through the Secretary of State’s office.

Wyoming Vital Records

The Wyoming Department of Health, Vital Records Services Unit, is the central state repository for birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. All vital records requests must be submitted by mail or in person — there is no online ordering system through the state office, though VitalChek may offer Wyoming records through its platform.

Birth Certificates ($20). Certified copies cost $20 each. Submit the Request for Certified Copy of Wyoming Vital Record form with government-issued ID and payment by check or money order to Vital Records Services, Hathaway Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002. Access is restricted to authorized individuals including the subject, parents, legal representatives, and others with a demonstrated legal need.

Death Certificates ($15). Certified copies cost $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy requested at the same time.

Marriage Certificates ($20). Certified copies cost $20 each. Marriage licenses are issued by the county clerk in the county where the license was obtained, and recent marriage records may be more quickly obtained from the issuing county clerk before they are transferred to the state office.

Divorce Certificates ($20). Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $20 each. Divorce records are also maintained by the district court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted; for certified copies of the actual divorce decree, the district court clerk may be a more direct source.

Wyoming State Archives. Historical vital records and related genealogical materials may be accessible through the Wyoming State Archives. The Archives holds records of events documented in government records that are no longer with the originating agency.

Wyoming Inmate and Corrections Records

The Wyoming Department of Corrections manages the state prison system and provides a free offender search at corrections.wyo.gov. The search returns current incarceration status, facility location, and offense information for state prison inmates. For county jail information, contact the county sheriff’s office in the relevant county.

Professional License Records

Wyoming professional licensing is administered through a range of boards and commissions. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services’ Professional Licensing section covers certain occupations. The Wyoming Board of Medicine (wyomedboard.state.wy.us) licenses physicians. The Wyoming State Bar (wyomingbar.org) maintains attorney licensing records and the member directory. The Wyoming Real Estate Commission, Contractors Board, Nursing Board, and other occupation-specific boards maintain their own online license lookup portals. The Governor’s office maintains a directory of state boards and commissions as a starting point for identifying the correct licensing authority.

Charity and Nonprofit Records

Wyoming does not have a mandatory charitable solicitations registration requirement for nonprofits raising funds in the state. Wyoming nonprofit corporations are registered with the Secretary of State and are searchable through the business entity search portal. Federal Form 990 filings — the primary source for nonprofit financial disclosures, officer compensation, and program activity — are publicly available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (projects.propublica.org/nonprofits) and the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (apps.irs.gov/app/eos).

How to Submit a Wyoming Public Records Request

1. Identify the designated records person for the agency. Each Wyoming governmental entity is required to designate a public records custodian. The Wyoming Department of Administration and Information maintains a directory of Designated Public Records Persons for state agencies at ai.wyo.gov/about-us/transparency/public-records. For county offices, contact the county clerk or the head of the relevant department directly. Use the Wyoming State Archives (wyoarchives.wyo.gov) for records more than ten to twenty years old that may have already been transferred.
2. Submit a written request. Written requests are strongly recommended even though Wyoming law allows inspection requests to be made in person during business hours. A written request documents the date of submission, the specific records sought, and any fee parameters you want to establish. Describe the records with enough specificity for the agency to identify what you need. The requester’s purpose cannot affect access rights under Wyoming law.
3. Understand there is no mandatory response deadline. Wyoming’s WPRA does not specify a response timeline. Agencies must respond within a “reasonable time,” but this is undefined and varies widely. If you do not receive a response or acknowledgment within five to ten business days, follow up in writing and document the non-response. Unreasonable delay can be the basis for an Ombudsman complaint or district court action.
4. Be aware of the fee risk — and ask for an estimate upfront. Wyoming is one of only a small number of states with no statutory cap on staff-time fees. Before a large request, ask for a fee estimate and confirm it in writing before the agency proceeds. If fees appear excessive, contact the Public Records Ombudsman, who has authority to waive fees charged by governmental entities under Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-203(f)(ii). The Ombudsman’s fee waiver authority is a meaningful protection even without a statutory fee cap.
5. Use the Ombudsman or district court for disputes. The Wyoming Public Records Ombudsman (governor.wyo.gov/contact/public-records-ombudsman) provides free mediation services. The Ombudsman can prescribe response timelines, waive fees, and attempt to resolve disputes without litigation. If mediation fails or the agency ignores the Ombudsman’s ruling, the remedy is a district court action. A knowing and intentional violation of the WPRA carries a civil penalty of up to $750 under § 16-4-205, along with the possibility of nominal damages and recovery of the records. Courts generally order production of improperly withheld records as the primary remedy.

Free Government Databases for Wyoming Public Records

Common Mistakes When Researching Wyoming Public Records

Expecting a statewide online court case search system to exist. Wyoming is one of the few states without a centralized public-facing online database covering district and circuit court cases. Researchers accustomed to states like Idaho (iCourt) or Nebraska (JUSTICE) will find no equivalent in Wyoming. District court and circuit court records can only be accessed by contacting the clerk of court directly in the county where the case was filed. Plan for in-person or mail requests, and have the party names and approximate filing date ready when contacting county clerks.

Attempting a name-only criminal background check through DCI. Wyoming DCI does not offer a name-based public criminal history search option. All public background checks require submission of a fingerprint card by mail. Researchers who need criminal history information quickly should use the free sex offender registry for that specific category, check the Wyoming Supreme Court Public Docket for appellate-level criminal matters, or contact the county circuit or district court clerk directly for court-level conviction records in a specific county.

Assuming fees are limited or capped by state law. Wyoming has no statutory cap on staff-time fees. Some county governments and state agencies charge high hourly rates that can make large records requests prohibitively expensive. Always request a written fee estimate before agreeing to production of a large request. If fees appear excessive, contact the Public Records Ombudsman immediately — the Ombudsman has explicit statutory authority to waive fees charged by governmental entities, which is a meaningful check even in the absence of a fee cap.

Not consulting the Wyoming State Archives before filing a WPRA request. State agency records more than ten to twenty years old are routinely transferred to the Wyoming State Archives. If you are researching older government documents, check with the Archives first — the records may already be available there without requiring a formal WPRA request to the originating agency, and the Archives staff can assist with access.

Expecting legislative records to be subject to the WPRA like executive branch records. Wyoming’s Legislature has broadly exempted itself from the WPRA under § 28-8-116. Legislator communications with staff and constituents are confidential unless waived; draft bills and consultant reports are exempt unless waived by the bill sponsor or the Legislature. Researchers seeking legislative records should contact the Wyoming Legislature directly and be prepared for more limited access than applies to executive branch agencies.

Waiting passively after submitting a request with no deadline tracking. Because Wyoming has no mandatory response deadline, there is no automatic trigger for escalation if an agency fails to respond. If you submit a request and hear nothing, take proactive action — follow up in writing after seven to ten business days, document the non-response in a paper trail, and consider filing an Ombudsman complaint if the agency continues to be unresponsive. The Ombudsman can prescribe a response timeline as a mediating measure, which provides more practical leverage than simply waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Wyoming public records open to anyone?

Yes. Under Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-202, all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times during business hours. There is no residency requirement — nonresidents may request records on equal footing with Wyoming residents. No statement of purpose is required, and the requester’s purpose cannot affect access rights. The only threshold is whether a specific statutory exemption applies to the category of record requested.

Does Wyoming have a FOIA law?

Wyoming has its own open records law — the Wyoming Public Records Act, Wyo. Stat. §§ 16-4-201 through 16-4-205 — which is entirely separate from the federal Freedom of Information Act. The federal FOIA applies only to federal executive branch agencies. Wyoming’s WPRA is one of the shorter and less detailed open records statutes in the country, which contributes to the inconsistency in how agencies respond to requests and to the current legislative push for comprehensive reform.

Are Wyoming criminal records public?

Criminal history records maintained by DCI for suspect identification purposes are confidential under § 7-19-106. However, mug shots are expressly public by statute. Court-level criminal case records — charges, dispositions, and case documents — are public and accessible from the clerk of court in the county where the case was filed. Initial arrest records and police reports are generally open unless release would impair an investigation. The DCI background check process requires fingerprints submitted by mail ($15 + $5); there is no name-only public search option.

Where are Wyoming property records searched?

Wyoming property records are maintained at the county level by two offices. The County Clerk (also serving as County Recorder) holds recorded instruments including deeds, mortgages, and liens; the County Assessor holds ownership and valuation records. Both are in separate elected offices in Wyoming’s 23 counties. Start with the Wyoming Department of Revenue (revenue.wyo.gov) for the statewide assessor directory, then contact the County Clerk in the county where the property is located for recorded documents.

Are Wyoming arrest records public?

Arrest records are generally public in Wyoming. Police records are open for inspection unless disclosure would impair an investigation or prosecution. Booking photographs (mug shots) are expressly public by statute. However, the name of the accused and information identifying a crime victim may not be released until the defendant has been bound over to district court for felony proceedings. Contact the county sheriff’s office or the arresting law enforcement agency for arrest-level information.

Can a Wyoming public agency charge fees for records?

Yes — and Wyoming is one of only a handful of states with no statutory cap on staff-time fees. Agencies may charge for staff time spent locating and producing records without any state-imposed ceiling. This has led to documented cases of fees steep enough to effectively deny access. Request a written fee estimate before any large records production and contact the Public Records Ombudsman if fees appear excessive — the Ombudsman has statutory authority to waive fees charged by governmental entities. The Legislature was studying draft fee reform legislation as of 2025, but a statewide uniform fee schedule had not yet been enacted.

Final Thoughts

Wyoming’s public records framework is functional but underdeveloped relative to most states. The legal presumption of openness is clear, the Ombudsman provides a useful free mediation option, and mug shots and initial arrest records are among the most accessible in the region. But three structural gaps — no mandatory response deadline, no fee cap, and no statewide court database — make Wyoming one of the more challenging states for practical records research, particularly for out-of-state requesters or those without personal connections to local county offices.

The 2025 legislative push for fee reform and mandatory timelines reflects growing recognition of these gaps. Researchers tracking Wyoming public records law should watch for legislative developments in 2026 that could introduce a statewide fee schedule and response deadlines — changes that would significantly improve access. Until then, the Ombudsman’s fee waiver authority and the Wyoming State Archives are underutilized resources worth knowing about.

For the most common research tasks: contact county court clerks directly for criminal and civil case records — there is no statewide online search. For property records, identify the correct county and contact both the County Assessor (ownership/valuation) and County Clerk (recorded instruments) separately. For vital records, submit mail requests to the Department of Health in Cheyenne ($15–20 per certified copy), with no online ordering option.

Related Guides

• Montana Public Records: A Complete Research Guide
• Idaho Public Records: A Complete Research Guide
• Colorado Public Records: A Complete Research Guide
• Utah Public Records: A Complete Research Guide
• North Dakota Public Records: A Complete Research Guide
• How to Search Property Records Step by Step
• How FOIA Requests Work
• Best Government Databases for Background Research

Disclaimer

This guide is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Public records laws and agency procedures change over time. Always verify current law and agency requirements directly with the relevant government office or a licensed Wyoming attorney before relying on this information for legal or official purposes.