Wyoming Background Check Guide · 2025
Whether you're applying for an energy-sector job in the Powder River Basin, a hospital position at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, a teaching license through the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board, or a position with one of the state's major employers, the employer is pulling your record through the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). DCI runs the state's official criminal history repository under the Office of the Attorney General, and they offer a personal self-check for $15.
This guide explains how Wyoming's record system works, what shows up, and how the state's expungement law (W.S. § 7-13-1501) can clear eligible misdemeanors and certain felony convictions from your file.
Wyoming is the least populous state in the country, with just 23 counties spread across some of the largest geographical jurisdictions in the U.S. The DCI database aggregates records from county sheriffs, the Highway Patrol, and municipal police agencies, but rural counties sometimes lag on disposition reporting. Running a self-check is the only way to know exactly what's in your file.
Common Wyoming record errors include cases dismissed at the district court level but never closed at DCI, identity matches with similar names (a real issue in counties with smaller populations), and disposition lag from rural counties. The $15 self-check catches these and DCI has a formal correction process.
A Wyoming expungement order from a district court has to make its way to DCI to actually clear the record from the state file. Running a self-check 30–60 days after the court grants expungement confirms the record was actually removed statewide.
Wyoming's energy sector employers, Wyoming Medical Center, and the state's licensing boards (nursing, medicine, real estate, education) all run thorough background checks. Knowing what's on your record in advance lets you address concerns proactively rather than reacting to a denial.
Wyoming's growth markets, particularly Jackson, where rental costs have surged, use commercial screening services that aggregate DCI and court data. Fixing errors at the source produces cleaner reports going forward.
Felony convictions and most misdemeanor convictions processed in Wyoming district and circuit courts appear on the DCI record unless expunged. The report shows offense, court, conviction date, and sentence.
Arrest records, including arrests not leading to conviction, appear on the DCI record. Non-conviction records may be eligible for expungement through the petition process.
Open and pending charges appear on the DCI record. If a case was dismissed and the disposition wasn't transmitted to DCI, the record may still show "pending" until corrected.
Federal court records, out-of-state convictions, juvenile records (sealed by default), most traffic offenses (excluding DUI), tribal court records, and civil cases fall outside the DCI system. A complete personal check usually combines the state report with federal and multi-state sources.
The official statewide route. Download the Background Check application from wyomingdci.wyo.gov, complete it, get fingerprinted at any Wyoming law enforcement agency, and mail it to the DCI in Cheyenne along with a $15 money order or certified check made payable to the Office of the Attorney General. Turnaround is typically 2–4 weeks.
For licensed professions and the most accurate record, the DCI + FBI combined fingerprint check is what most regulated industries require. Total cost varies depending on the purpose and FBI portion.
Wyoming district courts maintain their own record systems. The Wyoming Judicial Branch provides limited online access at wyomingcourts.gov; for full case detail, visit the clerk of court in the county where the case was filed.
For a single report combining Wyoming DCI data with federal courts, multi-state records, and sex offender registries, a professional service is fastest. Background-Check.com consolidates all of this in one report.
For nationwide coverage based on fingerprints, request an Identity History Summary directly from the FBI. Essential if you've lived in multiple states.
Wyoming's primary misdemeanor expungement statute. A person who has pled guilty, no contest, or been convicted of a misdemeanor may petition the convicting court for expungement. Key provisions:
Expungement is petition-based and judicially discretionary. The court considers the time elapsed, the nature of the offense, and the person's behavior since the conviction.
Felony convictions that have been reduced to misdemeanors may be eligible for expungement after a 5-year waiting period from the date of conviction. This is one of the more limited paths to felony record clearing in Wyoming.
Allows certain first-time offenders to be placed on probation without a formal conviction. Successfully completed first-offender cases may be dismissed and the underlying record may be eligible for expungement.
Wyoming has no statewide Ban the Box law. Private employers can ask about criminal history on initial job applications. Wyoming state agencies and most municipalities also have no specific Ban the Box policies in place.
Third-party background checks in Wyoming are governed by the FCRA: written consent required, pre-adverse-action notice required, right to dispute errors, and 7-year cap on non-conviction reporting.
Wyoming's two federally recognized tribes, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho on the Wind River Reservation, operate tribal courts whose records are not in the DCI state database and not subject to W.S. § 7-13-1501 expungement procedures.
For $15, the answer is yes, particularly if you have any misdemeanor conviction now eligible for expungement under § 7-13-1501, any arrest you're not sure was closed, or an expungement order you've never verified at the DCI level. Wyoming's licensed professions and energy-sector employers run thorough checks, and confirming your record in advance avoids surprises.
For a comprehensive personal report combining Wyoming DCI data with federal records, sex offender registries, and out-of-state convictions, run a multi-source check through Background-Check.com.
The official route is the DCI Criminal History Check: $15 by mail with fingerprints. For broader coverage, request a combined DCI + FBI fingerprint check, search Wyoming Judicial Branch records, or use a professional multi-state service.
Wyoming has no state cap on conviction reporting. The federal FCRA caps non-conviction records (arrests not leading to conviction) at 7 years on third-party employment reports. Expunged records are removed entirely.
Records expunged under W.S. § 7-13-1501 should be removed from the DCI database and should not appear on FCRA-compliant employer background reports. Because Wyoming expungements aren't automatic, verify yours was processed by running a self-check after the court order.
DCI criminal history check: $15 (state portion). Combined DCI + FBI fingerprint-based: varies by purpose, typically $40–$50 total. FBI Identity History Summary: $18. Professional comprehensive multi-state checks: $20 to $80.
Yes, when they use a third-party background check company, the federal FCRA requires written authorization. Wyoming has no statewide Ban the Box law, so private employers can ask about criminal history on initial applications. You always have the right to see any report used in a hiring decision and dispute inaccuracies.