Are Criminal Records Public In Wyoming?

According to Wyoming Statute Section 7–19–106, the state’s criminal records are not public records. The state’s law on criminal records provides that access to these records should be restricted to the following entities:

• The person named on the record
• Criminal justice agencies
• Government agencies authorized by federal law or by executive order
• A person who can prove that the record will only be used for statistical or reporting purposes. The person may only receive a criminal record in a form that does not identify the subject of the record
• Wyoming licensing bodies requesting the records for checks on applicants
• Law enforcement agencies - including the ambulance service and public fire department - to determine the eligibility of a prospective employee
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) may release any criminal records it issues or maintains if ten years have passed since the death of the person named on the record. However, the WDOC may not release the following:

• Information on the victim of a crime
• An inmate’s medical, dental, or psychological records
• Information regarding out-of-state placement of the inmate

Criminal records are available with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), a division of the Wyoming State Attorney General’s Office.

What Is Included In A Criminal Record In Wyoming?

A criminal record is an official record of a person’s criminal history. The record is a detailed description that shows all of a person’s interaction with the state’s law enforcement agencies, providing information on crimes committed. A Wyoming criminal record also shows the case trajectory from an arrest to a judge’s final ruling on the criminal case. A criminal record is sometimes called a RAP (Record of Arrests and Prosecutions) sheet.

Typically, a Wyoming criminal record contains the following information:

• The name of the individual, including any available aliases
• The person’s photograph
• Physical description, including gender, race, height, weight
• Details on all convictions that resulted in a supervision or detention sentence
• Information about the specific sentence in each case of a conviction
• Projected dates for discharge, release or parole eligibility
• The individual’s current location; if still in custody or under supervision
• Date(s) of release from supervision or custody

Note that a Wyoming criminal record will also contain information on all arrests and convictions in the Western Identification Network (WIN). This comprises the subject’s criminal history in seven other states, including Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. Wyoming criminal records contain information on all documented felonies, high misdemeanors, and some specific misdemeanors.

How To Look Up My Criminal Records In Wyoming?

Wyoming residents may request personal and third-party criminal records from the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). However, third-party requests are only processed with the consent of the person named on the record. The person must provide consent in the form of a completed fingerprinting card. Note that the DCI does not offer name-based searches for criminal history records.

Persons interested in a personal or third-party criminal record may visit the DCI for fingerprinting services. These services are also available with local law enforcement agencies. The request for a Wyoming criminal record costs $15, including information obtainable from the Western Identification Network.

In some cases, a Wyoming criminal record could include information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as may be required by the requesting agency. For cases where an FBI background check is necessary, a criminal record request costs $24. However, the FBI background check may only be requested by agencies that have received official authorization. Also, note that request fees are separate from the charge for fingerprinting services, which typically cost $5.

A fingerprint check is the only way to obtain a Wyoming criminal record. Applicants must visit the fingerprinting center with a current government-issued photo identification card, such as a passport, driver’s license, or a state identification card. Note that the DCI will not begin processing a request if payment is not settled.

Requestors may also obtain a fingerprint card from a local law enforcement agency, instead of the DCI. Make sure the fingerprint card contains details about the subject of the record, including a full name, date of birth, the reason for the fingerprint, hair color, eye color, gender, race, current address, and other descriptive information. The requestor must send the completed fingerprint card with a money order, cashier’s check, certified check, or business check for the applicable fee. The money order should be made payable to “The Office of the Attorney General.” Note that the DCI does not accept payments by cash, credit or debit cards, or personal checks. Applicants may call the DCI or law enforcement agency ahead to schedule fingerprint services.

Send the applicable documents to:

Division of Criminal Investigation
Attn: ATS
208 South College Drive
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
Phone: (307) 777–7181
Email: dci-criminalrecords@wyo.gov

A Wyoming criminal history record check typically takes a maximum of two weeks. However, depending on the current volume of requests, the DCI may take between five and six weeks to respond to a request.

If a record is available, the requestor will receive all conviction details about the subject. If there is no criminal record for the person, the DCI will respond accordingly. Note that fees are non-refundable even if no record is found.

How Can I Get My Criminal Records For Free In Wyoming?

Wyoming criminal records are available for varying fees. The fees charged to requestors depend on factors including whether the request is for a state record search or an FBI request. Currently, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation does not allow applicants to request criminal records for free. However, a fee waiver is possible.

A person who volunteers in an organization that provides services to youth, elderly, or victims of domestic violence, may request criminal records for $10. However, note that this reduction may not affect the fee for fingerprinting services. Applicants taking advantage of a fee reduction may still be required to pay the $5 fee to obtain a fingerprint card.

How To Search Criminal Records Online In Wyoming?

In Wyoming, criminal records are only available in person and by mail, from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The state has no online platform where interested persons may search for criminal records without going through the fingerprinting process. However, persons who cannot obtain criminal records may access criminal case files using the search function provided by the Wyoming Supreme Court.

The search function allows requestors to find records by case, issue, or participant search. Interested persons may use the case search by inputting a case number, docket date range, case status, cast type, case subtype, and group.

The issue search allows requestors to find cases by selecting one of several issue options available. Requestors may further filter the search results from the issue search, by inputting the case group, type, subtype, status, and date range.

The search function allows interested persons to search by participants in the case. Using the participant search, requestors may fill in the last name of a participant, or the name of a company or organization involved. Other options to filter the search results include first name, middle name, and docket date.

The search result provides case information, including a case number, docket date, case status, case type, case titles, and the name of the original court that handled the case. The result also shows all parties to the case, including their respective roles and each representing attorney. Furthermore, requestors may find case issues, opinion numbers, and citation details. Specific docket information is also available. It includes the filing date, document description, docket entry type and subtype, and docket status.

Note that Wyoming Court Rules prevent public access to certain criminal case files. Generally, records that contain sensitive information may be exempt from public disclosure. This includes cases that involve child abuse, juvenile proceedings, victim information, domestic violence, medical records, and information on victims.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple record(s). To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or was accused in

Third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

How To Get Criminal Records Expunged In Wyoming?

According to Wyoming Statute Sections 7–13–1401, 7–13–1501, and 7–13–1502, Wyoming residents may apply for the expungement of their criminal records. While the law allows for expungement, these laws provide strict requirements that determine an applicant’s eligibility. The requirements for expunging a record in Wyoming depends on the type of record and the class of offense.

The following are requirements for expunging an arrest record that did not end in a conviction:

• At least six months have passed since the arrest, or since the date the charges were dismissed
• There are no current criminal charges against the arrested person
• One of the following is true:
• The person was not convicted for any offense related to the incident that led to the arrest
• There were no criminal charges filed against the person as a result of the arrest
• The prosecutor dismissed all charges related to the arrest

The following are requirements for expunging a misdemeanor offense:

• At least one year has passed since completing the sentence for a status offense
• At least five years have passed since completing the sentence for a non-status offense
• The offense did not involve the use or the attempted use of a gun
• The individual is not a health care provider who has been convicted of an offense committed against a patient under the individual’s care

Note that a status offense is an offense that is only unlawful for a particular group of people, such as drinking alcohol under the age of 21. Also, applicants may only ever receive one misdemeanor expungement.

The following are requirements for expunging a felony offense:

• At least ten years have passed since completing the sentence, completing any court-ordered programs, and payment of all court-ordered restitution
• The individual has not pleaded guilty, nolo contendere, and has not been convicted of any other felonies
• The offense did not involve the use or attempted use of a gun

Note that applicants are also allowed only one felony expungement for life. Subsequent felony convictions may not be expunged. In addition to the above requirements for expunging a misdemeanor or felony, note that the following offenses are not eligible for expungement:

• Murder
• Manslaughter
• Kidnapping
• Robbery
• First or second-degree arson
• Aggravated burglary
• First or second-degree sexual assault
• Aircraft hijacking
• Sexual assault crimes
• Domestic battery, excluding the first occurrence
• Child abuse
• Aggravated assault or battery on a prison staff
• Sexual exploitation of a minor
• Bribery
• Drug-induced homicide
• Incest
• Disarming a police officer while on official duty
• Escape from detention
• Offenses that involved the use or attempted use of a gun
• Any crime that requires registration of a sex offender

Note that a juvenile criminal record is deleted when the individual becomes 18 years old. However, expungement for a juvenile record is only possible if the person received adjudication for a delinquent act. Furthermore, the person may not have been convicted of a felony and must present evidence of rehabilitation.

To expunge a criminal record in Wyoming, eligible persons may prepare and file a petition for expungement in the court with jurisdiction over the case. Note that filing fees may apply. The petition must contain all relevant information about the case, including arrest details, the alleged offense(s), conviction information, and sentences. The petition must also confirm that the applicant has completed all terms of the received sentence and that the applicable waiting period has elapsed.

After filing the petition in the court with jurisdiction, the petitioner must serve copies to other parties to the case. Parties may include the prosecution attorney, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and all victims of the crimes to be expunged. The court may decide to grant or deny the petition without a hearing. However, the court will hold a hearing if any of the parties object to the expungement within thirty days.

In case of a hearing, the petitioner must appear with an Order for Expungement already prepared, ready for the judge’s signature. If the expungement is granted, the judge will sign the Order of Expungement, after which public access to the record will be prohibited.

Who Can See My Expunged Criminal Record In Wyoming?

After receiving an Order of Expungement, the criminal record is no longer accessible to the general public. Most of the time, persons who lose certain rights due to the conviction may have those rights restored. Also, individuals with expunged records may legally deny any occurrence of the record or the information it contains.

However, expunged records are not destroyed. Law enforcement agencies may still gain access to these records if the access is necessary for criminal justice or investigation purposes. Also, private media and other repositories may still hold copies of expunged records, which may be accessible by the general public.