Security Deposit Return Deadlines & Deductions in Wyoming

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Governing law

Wyoming's deposit rules live in its Residential Rental Property article, specifically Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1207 through 1-21-1209 (with the day-to-day mechanics — deductions, the itemization duty, and the deadline — concentrated in § 1-21-1208).

Deadline to return the deposit

"The balance of any deposit and prepaid rent and a written itemization of any deductions... shall be delivered or mailed without interest to the renter within thirty (30) days after termination of the rental agreement or within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later." And critically, "[i]f there is damage to the residential rental unit, this period shall be extended by thirty (30) days" — meaning a damaged unit's real deadline can run to 60 days (or longer, measured from a late-arriving forwarding address).

Itemized statement required?

Yes, in every case — the same sentence that sets the deadline also requires "a written itemization of any deductions from the deposit together with reasons therefor," delivered or mailed alongside the balance, not on a separate track.

What can be deducted

"Accrued rent, damages to the residential rental unit beyond reasonable wear and tear, the cost to clean the unit to the condition at the beginning of the rental agreement and... other costs provided by any contract." That last category — whatever the lease itself specifies — is broad, similar to how some other states defer entirely to the rental agreement. Wyoming's statute does not define "reasonable wear and tear" anywhere in this article, unlike some states that spell the term out.

Maximum deposit amount

None. Wyoming's statute sets no dollar figure or rent-multiple cap on how much a landlord can collect as a security deposit.

Interest on the deposit?

No. The statute is explicit that the balance is returned "without interest" — there is no interest duty on a held deposit under Wyoming law.

Penalty for a late/bad-faith withholding

A comparatively thin, two-way remedy: "[i]f the owner... unreasonably fails to comply with subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the renter may recover the full deposit and court costs" — no multiplier of any kind. But the same section cuts the other way too: "if the owner is the prevailing party and the court finds the renter acted unreasonably in bringing the action, the owner may be awarded court costs" instead.

Separate account or bond required?

No. Wyoming's Residential Rental Property article contains no escrow, trust-account, or bonding requirement for a security deposit.

What trips people up

A utilities deposit runs on its own separate clock. If any part of what you paid was "separately identified as a utilities deposit," it's governed by its own timeline under § 1-21-1208(b) — a 10-day refund window after you show all utility charges are paid, or a 45-day/15-day/7-day sequence if you don't — not the same 30-day/15-day rule that governs the ordinary security deposit.

The word "interest" shows up twice with opposite meanings in this article. The deposit itself earns you no interest while your landlord holds it. But if you damage the unit and owe more than your deposit covers, a different section (§ 1-21-1211(b)) lets the landlord charge YOU 10% annual interest on whatever you still owe beyond the deposit.

"Unreasonably" is the whole ballgame, and it runs both directions. There's no automatic penalty for a merely late return — you have to show the landlord's noncompliance was unreasonable. And if you're the one who files suit unreasonably, the court can make you pay the landlord's costs instead.

Common questions

How long does my Wyoming landlord have to return my deposit? 30 days after your tenancy ends, or 15 days after the landlord gets your new mailing address, whichever is later — plus another 30 days if the unit was damaged.

Is there a cap on my deposit in Wyoming? No, state law sets no limit at all.

Do I get interest on my deposit? No, Wyoming law returns the deposit "without interest."

What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully withholds my deposit? If the landlord's noncompliance was unreasonable, you can recover the full deposit plus your court costs — but not a doubled or tripled amount.

Statutes and sources

• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207 — the nonrefundable-portion notice requirement. https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll/Statutes%2F2021%20Titles%2F2%2F54%2F66 (accessed 2026-08-13)
• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a) — permitted deductions and the 30-day/15-day-later-of deadline. https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll/Statutes%2F2021%20Titles%2F2%2F54%2F66 (accessed 2026-08-13)
• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(b) — the separate utilities-deposit timeline. https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll/Statutes%2F2021%20Titles%2F2%2F54%2F66 (accessed 2026-08-13)
• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(c) — the full-deposit-plus-costs remedy and its two-way court-costs risk. https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll/Statutes%2F2021%20Titles%2F2%2F54%2F66 (accessed 2026-08-13)
• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1209 — the successor-owner binding provision. https://wyoleg.gov/NXT/gateway.dll/Statutes%2F2021%20Titles%2F2%2F54%2F66 (accessed 2026-08-13)
• Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1211(b) — damage beyond the deposit and ten-percent annual interest on unpaid amounts. https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title01.pdf (accessed 2026-08-13)