PLEASE NOTE: The presence of this information on our web site is not intended to endorse any particular position with regard to gun rights--nor does every member of our community necessarily agree with the laws listed or referenced here. This "answer" is intended as a strictly factual and useful answer to questions asked multiple times of the ULWSA (asked primarily by prospective buyers of property in the ULWSCS).
Here's a summary of overall Wyoming firearms laws, followed by more specific Wyoming statutes which relate to gun use on private and public lands:
| Subject/Law | Long Guns | Hand Guns | Relevant Statutes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State permit required to purchase? | No | No | ||
| Firearm registration? | No | No | ||
| Assault weapon law? | No | No | ||
| Magazine capacity restriction? | No | No | ||
| Owner license required? | No | No | ||
| Permit required for concealed carry? | N/A | No | W.S. § 6-8-104 | Wyoming is a "shall issue" state for citizens and permanent lawful residents who are 21 years or older. Residents of states that have reciprocity with Wyoming and who possess a permit can also apply for a Wyoming permit. Permitless carry took effect on July 1, 2011. |
| Permit required for open carry? | No | No | May carry openly without permit. | |
| Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground law? | Yes | Yes | W.S. § 6-2-602 | "A person who is attacked in any place where the person is lawfully present shall not have a duty to retreat before using reasonable defensive force pursuant to subsection (a) of this section provided that he is not the initial aggressor and is not engaged in illegal activity." |
| State preemption of local restrictions? | Yes | Yes | W.S. § 6-8-401 | "Except as authorized by W.S. 15-1-103(a)(xviii) and 21-3-132, no city, town, county, political subdivision or any other entity shall authorize, regulate or prohibit the sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use, carrying or possession of firearms, weapons, accessories, components or ammunition except as specifically provided by this chapter. This section shall not affect zoning or other ordinances which encompass firearms businesses along with other businesses. Zoning and other ordinances which are designed for the purpose of restricting or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer or manufacture of firearms or ammunition as a method of regulating firearms or ammunition are in conflict with this section and are prohibited." |
| NFA weapons restricted? | No | No | W.S. §§ 6-8-402 to 6-8-406 | Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act, passed in 2010, prohibits any government servant from enforcing the NFA if a personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition is owned or manufactured commercially or privately in Wyoming and remains within the borders of Wyoming. A firearm manufactured in Wyoming must have the words "made in Wyoming" clearly stamped on a central metallic part, such as the receiver or frame. While federal enforcement is still possible, the law penalizes federal agents from enforcing such laws. |
| Background checks required for private sales? | No | No |
W.S. 23-3-112. Firearms; automatic weapon or silencer prohibited.
(a) No person shall take into or possess in the game fields or forests of Wyoming any fully automatic weapon or device designed to silence or muffle the report of any firearm.
(b) Violation of this section constitutes a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii).
W.S. 23-3-305. Hunting from highway; entering enclosed property without permission; penalty; hunting at night without permission prohibited.
(a) No person shall hunt, shoot, or attempt to kill any wildlife from any public road or highway.
(b) No person shall enter upon the private property of any person to hunt, fish, or trap without the permission of the owner or person in charge of the property. Violation of this subsection constitutes a low misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(v).
(c) No person shall fire any firearm from, upon, along, or across any public road or highway.
(d) No person knowingly shall fire any rifle from the enclosed lands of one person onto or across the enclosed lands of another without the permission of both persons.
(e) No person shall hunt at night upon privately owned or leased lands except with written permission of the landowner or lessee.
W.S. 23-3-306. Use of aircraft, automobiles, motorized and snow vehicles and artificial light for hunting or fishing prohibited; exception; penalties.
(a) No person shall harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, or kill any Wyoming wildlife except predatory animals with, from, or by use of any aircraft, automotive vehicle, trailer, motorpropelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow. No person shall use any aircraft, to aid in the taking of any Wyoming wildlife, except predatory animals, whether by spotting or locating the wildlife, communicating with any person attempting to take the wildlife, or by providing other aid to any person taking the wildlife. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to the use of any aircraft by governmental agencies, their employees, contractors or designees performing any lawful duties. The commission may exempt handicapped hunters from any provision of this subsection.
(b) No person shall take any wildlife with the aid of or by using any artificial light or lighting device except that predators may be taken with the aid of an artificial light or lighting device by:
(i) A public officer authorized to control predators;
(ii) A landowner, resident manager, or person with the landowner's or a resident manager's written permission, on land under the landowner's control for the protection of his property.
(c) It is prima facie evidence of a violation of subsection (b) of this section if a person uses an artificial light in an area which may be inhabited by wildlife while having in his possession and control any device for taking wildlife.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the hunting on foot of raccoon with the aid of a handlight provided the hunter is accompanied by a raccoon hunting dog and if hunting on private lands, has the written permission of the landowner or his agent.
(e) Violation of this section constitutes a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii).
W.S. 36-8-104. Use of firearms, fireworks, explosives and weapons prohibited; exceptions.
(a) The use of firearms, fireworks, explosives and weapons of all kinds is prohibited in all state parks, campgrounds, recreational grounds, historic landmarks or historic sites providing, however, that:
(i) Firearms and weapons that otherwise comply with state law may be used at such times and in such places as the Wyoming game and fish commission may designate; and
(ii) A supervised public fireworks display may be held in a state park that is not subject to an open fire ban if the fireworks operator has obtained both a special use permit from the superintendent of the park, pursuant to department rules and regulations, and a permit for the display pursuant to W.S. 35-10-203.