Wyoming Pardon/Expungement Process

⚖️ Wyoming Expungement Laws (2026)

📌 Does Wyoming Allow Expungement?

Yes. Wyoming allows certain criminal records to be expunged, but eligibility is limited and depends heavily on:

  • Whether the offense was a misdemeanor or felony
  • Whether the case was dismissed
  • Whether the offense was violent
  • How much time has passed
  • Your criminal history since the conviction

Wyoming’s laws are narrower than many other states. Relief is available, but not all convictions qualify.

🧹 1. Expungement of Non-Convictions

If you were:

  • Arrested but never charged
  • Charges were dismissed
  • Acquitted at trial
  • Prosecutors declined to file charges

you may petition to expunge the arrest record.

✅ Requirements

  • At least 180 days must have passed since arrest or dismissal
  • No criminal charges can currently be pending
  • The case must not have resulted in a conviction

⚖️ 2. Misdemeanor Conviction Expungement

Wyoming permits expungement for certain misdemeanor convictions under Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-1501.

✅ Eligibility Requirements

⏳ Waiting Period

  • Most misdemeanors:
    • 5 years after completing:
      • jail
      • probation
      • parole
      • court programs
  • Certain “status offenses”:
    • 1 year after sentence completion

🚫 Disqualifiers

You generally cannot qualify if:

  • The offense involved a firearm
  • You have disqualifying subsequent convictions
  • The offense falls into excluded categories

💵 Filing Fee

  • Typically $100

🏛️ 3. Felony Expungement

Wyoming does allow expungement of some felony convictions, but only in limited situations.

✅ General Requirements

⏳ Waiting Period

  • Usually 10 years after completing the entire sentence

📋 Additional Conditions

You generally must:

  • Complete all probation/parole
  • Finish court-ordered programs
  • Pay restitution
  • Have no additional felony convictions
  • Be seeking relief for an eligible nonviolent offense

🚫 Felonies Typically NOT Eligible

Generally excluded:

  • Violent felonies
  • Sexual offenses
  • Crimes involving children
  • Serious assault offenses
  • Homicide-related crimes
  • Certain firearm-related offenses

🧾 4. Deferred Sentences / Deferred Prosecution

Wyoming uses deferred sentencing under Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-301.

✅ What Happens?

If you successfully complete probation:

  • The case may be dismissed
  • No formal conviction is entered

This can be extremely valuable because Wyoming law states the dismissal is “without adjudication of guilt.”

⚠️ Important 2026 Wyoming Supreme Court Decision

In Lynch v. State (2026), the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that a dismissed deferred felony case is not eligible for felony expungement under the felony statute because technically there was never a conviction to expunge.

That ruling created an unusual situation where:

  • the case is dismissed,
  • but some criminal history records may still appear in databases.

👦 5. Juvenile Record Expungement

Wyoming has broader relief for juvenile records.

Juvenile arrests, adjudications, diversions, and dismissals may be expunged under Wyo. Stat. § 14-6-241.

✅ Key Features

  • Records can be permanently destroyed or deleted
  • No filing fee required
  • Applies to many juvenile court matters
  • Includes dismissed juvenile cases

🛡️ 6. Effect of Expungement

In Wyoming, expungement generally means the record is removed from public access.

However:

  • Some law enforcement access may remain
  • Criminal justice agencies may still retain limited internal records
  • Federal databases may not fully update immediately

👑 7. Pardons in Wyoming

🔹 Governor’s Pardons

The Governor of Wyoming has authority to grant pardons.

A pardon:

  • does not erase the conviction,
  • but may restore civil rights and improve employment opportunities.

🔫 8. Restoration of Rights

Wyoming automatically restores some civil rights for certain first-time nonviolent felons after sentence completion.

This may include:

  • voting rights
  • jury eligibility
  • office holding rights

Some firearm rights may be restored after additional waiting periods.

📝 How to File for Expungement in Wyoming

Generally, you must:

  1. File a petition in the court where the case occurred
  2. Serve the prosecutor and state agencies
  3. Pay filing fees (if applicable)
  4. Attend a hearing if objections are filed

The judge ultimately decides whether granting expungement serves justice.

📚 Main Wyoming Expungement Statutes

  • Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-1501
    Misdemeanor conviction expungement
  • Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-1502
    Felony conviction expungement
  • Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-301
    Deferred sentencing
  • Wyo. Stat. § 14-6-241
    Juvenile expungement

⚠️ Important Reality About Wyoming

Wyoming is considered a relatively restrictive expungement state compared with many others.

The strongest relief options are usually:

  • dismissed cases,
  • deferred sentences,
  • juvenile matters,
  • and limited nonviolent convictions after long waiting periods.

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