Squatters Rights in Wyoming: 10-Year Adverse Possession Law
Wyoming requires 10 years of continuous, open, hostile, exclusive possession. A 2025 law reclassified squatting as a criminal offense, with property destruction during unlawful occupancy elevated to a felony.
Last reviewed July 8, 2026 — statutes and case law independently verified against official sources
Wyoming vs Neighboring States: Quick Comparison
- Statutory Period
- 10 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
- Statutory Period
- 10 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
- Statutory Period
- 20 years
- Tax Payment Required
- No
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Yes 2024–2025
- Statutory Period
- 7 years
- Tax Payment Required
- Yes
- Color of Title
- Not required
- Expedited Removal Law
- Standard process
Data verified for 2026. Laws subject to change, verify with official state statutes.
The Path to Adverse Possession in Wyoming
A visual summary of what a claimant must complete, start to finish.
How Adverse Possession Works in Wyoming
To claim ownership of property through adverse possession in Wyoming, a claimant must possess the land for 10 years while meeting the legal requirements established under state law.
Legal Basis and Statutory Period
Wyoming’s adverse possession law is codified under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-103; SF0006 of 2025. The standard statutory period is 10 years of continuous, open, and hostile possession.
Property Tax Requirements
Wyoming's adverse possession statute does not offer a tax-based reduction.
Color of Title Rules
Wyoming does not require color of title for its 10-year adverse possession claim.
Key Legal Requirements
- Actual possession
- Open and notorious possession
- Hostile possession
- Exclusive possession
- Continuous possession for 10 years
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Recent Law Changes in Wyoming
2025: Senate File SF0006 became law on February 24, 2025 (allowed to pass without the Governor's signature), letting a property owner or authorized agent request immediate law-enforcement removal of an unauthorized occupant and creating new criminal trespassing offenses. Squatting involving property destruction is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. This is a criminal-enforcement change and does not alter the 10-year adverse possession period.
Wyoming Adverse Possession Procedures
Making an Adverse Possession Claim
To establish adverse possession in Wyoming, a claimant typically must:
- Show actual, open, notorious, exclusive, and continuous possession that is hostile and under claim of right, for 10 years under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-103
- File a quiet title action in the district court of the county where the property is located
- Note that, unlike some states, Wyoming does not require color of title or payment of property taxes for the standard 10-year claim
- Present evidence such as fencing, grazing or cultivation records, surveys, and witness testimony showing possession consistent with ownership
- Be prepared to rebut evidence that possession was permissive, since permission defeats hostility
- Obtain a court judgment and record it with the county clerk to establish clear title
Wyoming courts, going back to cases like Doenz v. Garber, have long recognized that a fence maintained as a boundary for the statutory period can establish adverse possession even where a later survey shows it deviates from the recorded line.
Defending Against Squatters
Wyoming property owners, especially those with rural or vacant land, can protect against adverse possession claims by:
- Regularly inspecting property boundaries, fence lines, and remote parcels
- Posting "No Trespassing" signage
- Maintaining accurate surveys and title records
- Providing written, revocable permission for any allowed use, which defeats hostility
- Keeping property tax payments current
- Taking prompt legal action against unauthorized occupants before 10 years elapse
- Documenting inspections, especially for land not visited regularly
Because Wyoming's 10-year period requires no color of title or tax payment, undeveloped and rural land is particularly exposed; interrupting possession before the 10-year mark resets the clock.
Removing Squatters
Wyoming enacted SF0006 in 2025, effective July 1, 2025, which strengthened property owners' options for removing unauthorized occupants:
- Law enforcement removal: under SF0006, owners can request immediate law enforcement assistance to remove an occupant who has no lease, was never a prior tenant, and is not a family or household member of the owner
- Felony property-destruction penalty: SF0006 also created a felony offense — up to 10 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine — for a person who unlawfully occupies or trespasses on property and knowingly defaces, damages, or destroys it
- Forcible entry and detainer: for occupants with a colorable tenancy claim, owners must use Wyoming's eviction process under Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 1-21-1001 et seq., which requires at least 3 days' written notice to vacate before filing
- If the court rules for the owner, the sheriff executes a writ of restitution to remove the occupant
Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or cutting off utilities — remains illegal in Wyoming. Governor Mark Gordon allowed SF0006 to become law without his signature, citing due-process concerns about erroneous removal requests, so owners should still document their ownership carefully before requesting removal.
Notable Wyoming Adverse Possession Cases
Cook v. Eddy (2008)
2008 WY 111, ¶ 25, 193 P.3d 705, 713 (Wyo. 2008)
The Wyoming Supreme Court clarified that the "exclusive possession" element of adverse possession does not mean absolutely exclusive use, but only the kind of use an owner would be expected to make under the circumstances. The decision remains a standard citation for how Wyoming courts apply the exclusivity requirement in boundary and land-use disputes.
Mueller v. Hoblyn (1994)
887 P.2d 500 (Wyo. 1994)
In a dispute over an easement, the Wyoming Supreme Court held that maintaining boundary fencing, growing crops, and drilling a water well within the easement did not terminate the easement holder's rights by adverse possession. The case set a high bar for extinguishing another party's property interest through adverse use.
Cordova v. Gosar (1986)
1986 WY 118, 719 P.2d 625 (Wyo. 1986)
This Wyoming Supreme Court decision addressed a claim of adverse possession alongside allegations of mutual mistake and failure of consideration in a land dispute. It is frequently cited for its multi-factor framework for evaluating summary judgment in property disputes, including adverse possession claims.
Doenz v. Garber (1983)
1983 WY 70, 665 P.2d 932 (Wyo. 1983)
The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld a quiet-title judgment for landowners who had used a fenced 3.01-acre strip of a neighbor's land — for grazing cattle and having — for more than the statutory ten years, even though a later survey showed the long-standing fence line sat inside the true deed boundary. The case is a foundational Wyoming ruling on boundary-by-fence adverse possession.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wyoming Adverse Possession
How long must someone occupy my property in Wyoming to claim adverse possession?
Wyoming requires 10 continuous years of actual, open, notorious, exclusive, and hostile possession under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-103. Unlike many states, Wyoming does not require color of title or tax payment for this standard claim. The "30-day squatter's rights" idea is a myth — short-term occupancy creates no ownership rights.
Does a squatter have to pay property taxes to claim adverse possession in Wyoming?
No. Wyoming's 10-year adverse possession statute does not require the claimant to have color of title or to have paid property taxes, which distinguishes it from states like Wisconsin that offer a shorter period in exchange for tax payment.
What did Wyoming's new squatter law (SF0006) change in 2025?
SF0006, effective July 1, 2025, lets property owners request immediate law enforcement removal of an occupant who has no lease, was never a legitimate tenant, and isn't a family or household member — without going through a full eviction. It also created a new felony for unlawfully occupying property while knowingly damaging or defacing it.
Can I legally remove squatters from my property in Wyoming?
Yes. Under SF0006 (2025), a true squatter with no lease or prior tenancy can be removed with direct law enforcement assistance. An occupant with a colorable claim of tenancy must instead be removed through Wyoming's forcible entry and detainer (eviction) process, which requires written notice and a court order. Self-help evictions, like changing locks, remain illegal.
Can a fence line establish adverse possession in Wyoming even if it's not the legal boundary?
Yes. In Doenz v. Garber (1983), the Wyoming Supreme Court upheld a claim to land enclosed by a decades-old fence even though a later survey showed the fence sat inside the true deed line, because the fence-line possession met all the elements of adverse possession for over 10 years.
Can someone claim adverse possession against government-owned or federal land in Wyoming?
No. Adverse possession does not run against land owned by the state of Wyoming or the federal government, which is significant given that roughly half of Wyoming's land is federally owned.
Will law enforcement remove a squatter from my property in Wyoming?
Wyoming police can arrest and remove a person for criminal trespass under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-3-303 — a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months and a $750 fine — if they entered or remain after being notified to leave and have no lease or claim of tenancy. Effective July 1, 2025, Senate File SF0006, which Governor Mark Gordon allowed to become law without his signature over due-process concerns, went further: it lets an owner request immediate law-enforcement removal of an occupant who has no lease, was never a prior tenant, and isn't a family member, and it created a new felony — up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine — for a trespasser who knowingly damages or destroys the property, plus a misdemeanor for presenting false residency documents. Occupants with a colorable tenancy claim fall outside SF0006 and must still be removed through Wyoming's forcible entry and detainer process under Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-21-1001 et seq., which requires written notice to vacate before the owner files, followed by a sheriff-executed writ of restitution. Self-help removal remains illegal, and given the governor's own due-process concerns about the new law, owners should document their ownership carefully before invoking it.
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Adverse possession claims are highly fact-specific. Consult a licensed attorney in the relevant state before relying on this information.