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All state guides Wyoming dealer license

How to get a used car dealer license in Wyoming

You apply to WYDOT on form MV-422 for a Wyoming vehicle dealer license, which is required once you sell three or more vehicles in 12 months. Every owner is fingerprinted, and new applicants execute the $25,000 bond only after WYDOT approves the application.

  • Sourced to WYDOT
  • Checked October 2026
  • Free
License
Wyoming Vehicle Dealer License (used vehicle dealer)
Surety bond
$25,000
State fee
$100 ($25 under 12 sales)
Pre-license course
None required
Background check
Fingerprints, every owner
License term
1 year, tied to the bond dates
What the state asks for

Wyoming dealer license requirements

The figures a first-time used car dealer needs before applying to WYDOT. Each row shows how well it is supported.

Surety bond
$25,000Official source

A one year surety bond on WYDOT form MV-424. New applicants wait for WYDOT's approval notice before having it executed. A new bond is filed every year, and continuation certificates are not accepted.

State license fee
$100 ($25 under 12 sales)Official source

Annual license fee on form MV-422: $100 for dealers selling 12 or more vehicles a year, $25 for dealers selling fewer than 12. Fingerprint processing is $39 per owner, paid separately.

Pre-license education
None requiredOfficial source

WYDOT's new license checklist has 15 items and none is a course or an exam. WYDOT sends the statutes and rules with the license and expects you to read and understand them.

Background check
Fingerprints, every ownerOfficial source

Each owner, partner, member or corporate officer files a background questionnaire, a color photo and two fingerprint cards. The $39 processing fee per person is paid in certified funds to the Attorney General's office (DCI).

Insurance
Confirm with WYDOTConfirm with the agency

WYDOT's new license checklist lists a bond but no insurance certificate. Confirm with WYDOT before you assume no coverage is needed to be licensed.

Business location
Permanent building, 5 car displayOfficial source

A permanent building that is not mainly a residence, a permanent exterior sign visible from the road, a business phone published in the dealership name, and display space for five vehicles if you sell 12 or more a year.

License term and renewal
1 year, tied to the bond datesOfficial source

The license is valid for one year, and its effective and expiration dates match the bond. Renew before it expires with a new application, the annual fee and a new one year bond.

Sales allowed without a license
2 vehicles in 12 monthsOfficial source

Anyone in the business of selling or exchanging three or more vehicles in Wyoming in any consecutive 12 months needs a dealer license (W.S. 31-16-103).

Processing time
30 days or more (background check)Official source

WYDOT says the criminal history check may take a minimum of 30 days, and no license is issued until it comes back. You may send the fingerprint cards, fee, questionnaire and photo ahead of the application.

“Official source” means the state agency’s own page, form or law. Where the state’s sources did not settle a point, the row says so instead of showing a guess.

Who issues the license

Wyoming Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Services (Dealer Licensing)

License you apply for

Wyoming Vehicle Dealer License (used vehicle dealer)

Official licensing page

Do not execute the bond before approval

WYDOT tells new applicants not to have the $25,000 bond executed until it has notified them that the application is approved. The bond must then run for one year, match the Secretary of State business name exactly and carry notarized signatures. WYDOT's instructions say a bond with a name mismatch or differing dates is rejected.
Step by step

How to get a Wyoming dealer license

The order that works for a first application. Tick each step off as you finish it.

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  1. Set up the business and get a sales tax license

    Register a corporation, LLC or LP with the Wyoming Secretary of State and keep a copy of the Articles. Get an IRS document that shows your FEIN and legal business name, and a Wyoming Sales/Use Tax License from the Department of Revenue. The bond will later have to match the Secretary of State name exactly.

    Secretary of State and Dept. of Revenue

  2. Start the owner background checks early

    Each owner, partner, member or corporate officer completes the background check questionnaire, adds a color photo and has two fingerprint cards taken by local law enforcement. Include $39 per person in certified funds. WYDOT lets you send these before the application, because processing may take 30 days or more.

    $39 per owner, 30 days or more

  3. Prepare the place of business

    You need a permanent building that is not mainly a residence, a permanent sign visible from the road, a business phone published in the dealership name and posted hours. Dealers selling 12 or more vehicles a year need room to display five. Get a letter of approval from the city or county, and take color photos of the building, sign and display area.

    Form MV-422, step 4

  4. File form MV-422 with the fee

    New applicants complete steps 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 of form MV-422. Attach the Articles, the FEIN document, the sales tax license, the photos, the zoning approval and the lease. Pay $100 if you will sell 12 or more vehicles a year, or $25 if fewer than 12, by check to WYDOT. An application with blank or incorrect answers is returned.

    Form MV-422, $100 or $25

  5. Wait for approval, then execute the bond

    Do not have the bond executed until WYDOT tells you the application is approved. Then get the $25,000 bond on form MV-424 for a one year term. The principal name must match the Secretary of State record exactly, including punctuation, and the signatures must be notarized.

    Form MV-424, $25,000

  6. Receive the license and buy plates and forms

    Take the license to your County Treasurer to buy dealer plates: $25 for each demo plate and $125 for each full use plate. Dealers selling fewer than 12 vehicles a year get one demo plate and no full use plates. Temporary permits are issued through the Secure Online Temporary Tag System and cost $4.50 each, sold in bundles of 25.

    Plates from the County Treasurer

Practical advice

Send the fingerprint cards, questionnaire, photo and $39 fee for every owner first, since that is the slowest part. Have a surety quote ready, but do not sign the bond until WYDOT's approval notice arrives. Check the exact spelling of your business name in the Secretary of State's filing search before the bond is typed. Whether you will sell 12 or more vehicles a year changes the fee, display space and plates.

Before you apply

Seven things to settle before any state application: the business, the owners, the money and the property.

Read the startup playbook
The lot and the office

Wyoming dealer location requirements

What the state checks at the business address.

  • A permanent building (roofed, walled and built for permanent use) that is not used mainly as a residence or as part of one.
  • Space to display at least five vehicles if you sell 12 or more vehicles a year.
  • A permanent exterior sign on the building or land that shows the nature of the business and is clearly visible from the roadway.
  • A business telephone inside the principal place of business, with the number published in the dealership name.
  • Daily inventory records stored at the principal place of business, and business hours posted there.
  • A letter from the city or county stating that the location is approved for vehicle sales.
  • A copy of the lease or rental agreement if you do not own the property, and color photos of the building, sign and display area.

Zoning comes first

A site that meets the state’s rules can still fail local zoning. Get written approval for vehicle sales from the city or county, and ask the landlord for a lease that depends on the license being issued, before you sign.
Once you are licensed

Keeping a Wyoming dealer license

Renewal and ongoing duties

The license lasts one year and must be renewed before it expires. Each renewal needs form MV-422, the annual fee and a newly executed one year bond, because WYDOT does not accept continuation certificates. Use form MV-422 for a name change, an address change or an added location. Your place of business is subject to inspection.

Federal rules that apply here too

  • The FTC Buyers Guide, posted on every used vehicle you offer for sale.
  • The FTC Safeguards Rule: a written plan for protecting customer financial information.
  • IRS Form 8300 when a customer pays more than $10,000 in cash.
  • A federal odometer disclosure on each transfer.
How each federal rule works
FAQ

Wyoming dealer license FAQ

The questions first-time dealers ask most.

How do I get a used car dealer license in Wyoming?

File form MV-422 with WYDOT Motor Vehicle Services, along with your Articles, an IRS document showing your FEIN, your Wyoming sales tax license, photos of the location, written zoning approval and the lease. Every owner submits a background questionnaire, a photo and two fingerprint cards. After WYDOT approves the application you execute a $25,000 bond, and the license is issued.

How much is the dealer bond in Wyoming?

$25,000, with a corporate surety licensed in Wyoming, on WYDOT's bond form MV-424. New applicants wait for WYDOT's approval notice before the bond is executed. The bond runs for one year, and a new one is filed with each renewal.

How much does a Wyoming dealer license cost?

The annual license fee is $100 if you sell 12 or more vehicles a year, or $25 if you sell fewer than 12. Fingerprint processing is $39 per owner. Dealer plates are bought from the County Treasurer at $25 per demo plate and $125 per full use plate. The bond premium is a separate cost.

Do I need a pre-licensing course in Wyoming?

No. WYDOT's new license checklist does not include a course or an exam. WYDOT sends the statutes and rules with the license and holds you responsible for reading and understanding them.

Can I get a Wyoming dealer license without a car lot?

You always need a permanent building that is not mainly a residence, a permanent sign and a business phone. Display space for at least five vehicles is required only if you sell 12 or more vehicles a year. If you apply as a dealer selling fewer than 12 a year, WYDOT allows one demo plate and no full use plates.

How many cars can I sell in Wyoming without a dealer license?

Two. WYDOT says anyone in the business of selling or exchanging three or more vehicles in Wyoming in any consecutive 12 month period must have a Wyoming vehicle dealer license, citing W.S. 31-16-103.

Sources

Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Fees, bond amounts and forms change, and local zoning rules vary. Confirm current requirements with WYDOT or your attorney before you sign a lease or pay a fee.

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