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 § 1-21-1201
Definitions.
Operative Text
1-21-1201. Definitions.
(a) As used in this article:
(i) "Owner" means the owner, lessor or sublessor of a
residential rental unit and for purposes of notice and other
communication required or allowed under this article, "owner"
includes a managing agent, leasing agent or resident manager
unless the agent or manager specifies otherwise in writing in
the rental agreement;
(ii) "Rental agreement" means any agreement, written
or oral, which establishes or modifies the terms, conditions,
rules or any other provisions regarding the use and occupancy of
a residential rental unit;
(iii) "Renter" means any renter, lessee, tenant or
other person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a
residential rental unit to the exclusion of others;
(iv) "Residential rental unit" means a renter's
principal place of residence and includes the appurtenances,
grounds, common areas and facilities held out for the occupancy
of the residential renter generally and any other area or
facility provided to the renter in the rental agreement,
excluding a mobile home lot or recreational property rented on
an occasional basis;
(v) "Termination" means the lawful ending or
cessation of a rental agreement for any reason including
expiration of the rental period, voluntary termination by mutual
agreement of the parties, termination in accordance with W.S.
1-21-1203(d), abandonment of the leased premises by the renter
prior to expiration of the rental period or termination
resulting from court order.Wyoming Statute § 1-21-1201 establishes the core vocabulary used throughout Wyoming's residential rental article. It defines who counts as an 'owner' (including managing and leasing agents for notice purposes), what qualifies as a 'rental agreement' (written or oral), who is a 'renter,' what constitutes a 'residential rental unit' (a renter's principal residence, including common areas, but excluding mobile home lots and occasional-use recreational property), and what 'termination' means (any lawful ending of a rental agreement, from expiration to court order). These definitions shape how all other provisions in the article are interpreted and applied.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 1-21-1201, property owners and their agents should be aware that managing agents, leasing agents, and resident managers are treated as 'owners' for the purpose of notices and communications unless the rental agreement explicitly states otherwise in writing. Operators who want to limit an agent's authority to receive or send legally significant notices under this article generally document that limitation clearly in the rental agreement itself. Because 'rental agreement' covers both written and oral arrangements, compliant operators typically maintain written records of all terms to avoid ambiguity about what was agreed upon.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 1-21-1201 defines the key terms that determine whether Wyoming's residential rental protections apply to a given living situation. Renters whose principal residence is covered—including access to common areas and facilities listed in their rental agreement—generally fall within the article's protections, while those renting mobile home lots or occasional-use recreational property do not. Tenants who are uncertain whether their arrangement qualifies as a 'residential rental unit' or whether a communication was properly directed to the right party under the 'owner' definition may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with 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.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation