Wyoming Security Deposit Return: The 30-Day Deadline (2026)

How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it

At a glance

Return deadline: 30 days after vacating
Measured from: Termination of the rental agreement, or 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address — whichever is LATER
Penalty for late or wrongful withholding: no statutory multiplier
Deposit cap: No statutory cap under state law (a landlord may charge whatever amount the lease specifies).
Small claims cap: $6,000

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers residential security deposits in Wyoming, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.

It does not cover:

Commercial leases
Deposits held in an escrow account or with a third party
Disputes about damage charges in an ongoing (not ended) tenancy
Any state other than Wyoming

Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

30days

Measured from Termination of the rental agreement, or 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address — whichever is LATER.

The balance of the deposit and prepaid rent, with a written itemization of deductions and reasons, must be delivered or mailed (without interest) within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement or within 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later. If there is damage to the unit, this period is extended by 30 additional days.

Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a) ↗

Penalties

No statutory penalty beyond returning the deposit.

If the owner UNREASONABLY fails to comply, the renter may recover the FULL deposit and court costs. There is no multiplier and no attorney-fee provision — Wyoming's remedy is relatively landlord-friendly.
Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(c) ↗

Working out your own deadline

The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Wyoming it starts Termination of the rental agreement, or 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address — whichever is LATER — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Find the date you vacated and returned the keys. Write it down; everything else depends on it.
Add 30 calendar days. Count calendar days, not business days.
If the landlord has provided a forwarding address, check the statute for whether the deadline is shortened — in some states it is.
Note the date the deadline falls on. If the deposit has not arrived by then, the clock for the penalty starts running.

Common landlord defences and how to answer them

““I have 60 days because of the damage extension.””

The 30-day extension applies only where there is actual damage, and the deadline is the later of 30 days after termination or 15 days after you received my new address.

Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a)

““I'll keep the deposit and you can sue me.””

An unreasonable failure to comply entitles me to recover my full deposit plus court costs.

Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(c)

““You never gave me your new address.””

Here is my new mailing address now. The deadline runs from the later of 30 days after termination or 15 days after you receive this address.

Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a)

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(c)	2026-10-15	official text ↗

Primary reference: Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208 (Return of security deposit). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:

You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
The amount in dispute exceeds $6,000
Your landlord has filed anything in court already

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Wyoming guides

Wyoming Security Deposit Rules

→ All Wyoming tenant rights topics

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Wyoming?

30 days, counted from Termination of the rental agreement, or 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address — whichever is LATER. Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a).

Can I claim more than my deposit back in Wyoming?

The statute cited for Wyoming does not provide a penalty multiplier beyond returning the deposit and any lawful deductions.

Does the 30-day deadline in Wyoming start when I give notice or when I move out?

It runs from Termination of the rental agreement, or 15 days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address — whichever is LATER — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Do I need a lawyer to file a deposit claim in Wyoming?

No — Wyoming small claims (Circuit Court) handle claims up to $6,000. Attorney representation is permitted but not required.