Landlord & Housing · free generator
Wyoming Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In Wyoming, that is not a judgment call: under Wyoming Statutes section 1-21-1208, your former landlord generally has 30 days (60 if damage) to return your deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions. This generator produces a demand letter that cites Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where Wyoming hears claims up to $6,000 — is the next stop. You do not need perfect English or a lawyer for this; the statute does the arguing. Fill in the blanks below, send it by certified mail, and keep a copy — the letter that cites the actual law is the one that gets answered.
[Date]
[Your former landlord's name]
Re: Demand for return of security deposit — [Rental property address]
Dear [Your former landlord's name],
I am writing to formally demand the return of my security deposit of [Deposit amount] for the property at [Rental property address], which I have vacated and returned to your possession.
Under Wyoming Statutes section 1-21-1208 (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208), you were required to return my security deposit, or provide a written itemized statement of any lawful deductions, within 30 days (60 if damage). A written itemization of any deductions, together with the reasons for each, must be delivered or mailed with the deposit balance within the deadline. Deductions for normal wear and tear are not permitted.
As of the date of this letter, I have received neither my deposit nor a lawful accounting for it. Please send the full amount of [Deposit amount] to my forwarding address: [Forwarding address for payment].
If I do not receive payment or a lawful written response within 10 days, I will file a claim in small claims court, where Wyoming law allows claims up to $6,000, and I will pursue every remedy available under Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208, including any statutory damages for wrongful retention.
I would prefer to resolve this without litigation. Prompt payment will close the matter.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
Know your rights
Security deposit law in Wyoming
- Return deadline
- 30 days (60 if damage)
- Governing statute
- Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208
- When the clock starts
- The deposit balance and itemization are due, without interest, within 30 days after the rental agreement terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later; if there is damage to the unit, the period is extended by 30 days. The tenant must notify the landlord of a mailing address within 30 days of termination.
- Itemized deductions
- A written itemization of any deductions, together with the reasons for each, must be delivered or mailed with the deposit balance within the deadline.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- If the landlord unreasonably fails to comply, the renter may recover the full deposit plus court costs — Wyoming has no multiplier, and if the owner prevails and the court finds the suit was brought unreasonably, the owner can recover court costs from the tenant.
- Small claims limit
- $6,000 (small claims procedure in Circuit Court, Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201)
Worth knowing: Wyoming puts an affirmative duty on the tenant: send the landlord a forwarding address within 30 days of moving out, or the 15-day-after-address clock may push the refund far later. Deposits are returned 'without interest' by statute, and cleaning costs to restore the unit to its condition at the start of the tenancy are an expressly allowed deduction. A separately identified utilities deposit runs on its own track — refundable within 10 days of a satisfactory showing that all utility charges are paid. The article also expressly bars claims against the landlord for mental suffering or anguish.
Last reviewed August 2026 · General information, not legal advice · Read the statute
Field notes
Three tips before you send
- Send it by certified mail with a return receipt — that dated record is the first exhibit a Wyoming small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- The deposit balance and itemization are due, without interest, within 30 days after the rental agreement terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later; if there is damage to the unit, the period is extended by 30 days. The tenant must notify the landlord of a mailing address within 30 days of termination.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($6,000 (small claims procedure in Circuit Court, Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201)) usually costs under $75, and most landlords pay between the summons and the hearing.
Other states
Deposit letters for every state
Straight answers
Questions people ask
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Wyoming?
The deposit balance and itemization are due, without interest, within 30 days after the rental agreement terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later; if there is damage to the unit, the period is extended by 30 days. The tenant must notify the landlord of a mailing address within 30 days of termination. The governing statute is Wyoming Statutes section 1-21-1208. A written itemization of any deductions, together with the reasons for each, must be delivered or mailed with the deposit balance within the deadline.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in Wyoming?
If the landlord unreasonably fails to comply, the renter may recover the full deposit plus court costs — Wyoming has no multiplier, and if the owner prevails and the court finds the suit was brought unreasonably, the owner can recover court costs from the tenant. These cases are built for small claims court — the Wyoming limit is $6,000 (small claims procedure in Circuit Court, Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201), filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else Wyoming renters should know about deposits?
Wyoming puts an affirmative duty on the tenant: send the landlord a forwarding address within 30 days of moving out, or the 15-day-after-address clock may push the refund far later. Deposits are returned 'without interest' by statute, and cleaning costs to restore the unit to its condition at the start of the tenancy are an expressly allowed deduction. A separately identified utilities deposit runs on its own track — refundable within 10 days of a satisfactory showing that all utility charges are paid. The article also expressly bars claims against the landlord for mental suffering or anguish.
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