Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 1-21-403, 1-21-1001 to 1-21-1017, 1-21-1201 to 1-21-1211, 1-21-1301 to 1-21-1304, 1-21-1401 to 1-21-1403 § 1-21-1403
Vacation of unauthorized persons; cause of action for wrongful removal.
Operative Text
1-21-1403. Vacation of unauthorized persons; cause of
action for wrongful removal.
(a) After law enforcement provides notice to immediately
vacate, the owner or the owner's authorized agent may request
that law enforcement stand by to keep the peace while the owner
or agent changes the locks and removes the personal property of
the unauthorized person from the premises to or near the
property line.
(b) Law enforcement shall not be liable to the
unauthorized person or any other party for the loss, destruction
or damage of property removed under this section. The owner or
the owner's authorized agent shall not be liable to an
unauthorized person or any other party for the loss, destruction
or damage to any removed personal property unless the removal
was wrongful or unless the personal property is wantonly
destroyed or damaged.
(c) A person may bring a civil cause of action against an
owner or the owner's authorized agent for wrongful removal. A
person harmed by a wrongful removal under this article may be
restored to possession of the residential dwelling and may
recover:
(i) Actual costs and damages incurred;
(ii) Statutory damages equal to triple the fair
market value of renting the residential dwelling during the
period of wrongful removal;
(iii) Court costs;
(iv) Reasonable attorney fees.
(d) Nothing in this article shall be construed to limit:
(i) The rights of an owner;
(ii) The authority of any peace officer to arrest an
unauthorized person for trespassing, vandalism, theft or any
other criminal offense;
(iii) Remedies available under title 1, chapter 21 of
the Wyoming statute or any other provision of law.Wyoming Stat. § 1-21-1403 establishes a process by which a property owner or authorized agent, after law enforcement has issued a notice to vacate, may request that officers stand by while locks are changed and an unauthorized occupant's belongings are moved to or near the property line. Law enforcement and the owner are generally shielded from liability for property damage during this process, unless the removal was wrongful or the property was wantonly destroyed. If a removal is later found to have been wrongful, the displaced person may sue in civil court to regain possession and recover actual damages, triple the fair-market rental value for the period of wrongful removal, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 1-21-1403, compliant property owners and their authorized agents coordinate with law enforcement before changing locks or moving an unauthorized occupant's belongings — they do not act unilaterally without first obtaining a law enforcement notice to vacate. Operators who follow the statutory process generally benefit from the liability protections the section provides, but those protections do not extend to removals that are later deemed wrongful or to wanton destruction of personal property. Keeping thorough records of the law enforcement notice, the timeline of events, and the condition of removed property is a practice consistent with operating within the bounds this statute sets.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 1-21-1403 gives people who believe they were wrongfully removed from a residential dwelling the right to bring a civil cause of action against the owner or the owner's agent. If a court finds the removal was wrongful, a displaced person may be restored to possession and can seek actual damages, statutory damages equal to three times the fair-market rental value for the period of wrongful removal, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees. Individuals who believe their removal was not authorized under this article may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand the options available under § 1-21-1403 and related provisions of Wyoming law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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