Wheel ScoutWhat a Wyoming plate lookup shows
A license plate points to one car. We turn the Wyoming plate into the car's 17-character VIN, show you the year, make and model, then read its history: salvage, flood and rebuilt brands, title history by state, odometer readings and theft records. You also see the factory specs and the safety recalls for that model year before you pay. What it never shows is the owner: the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps names and addresses in DMV records private, and we don't sell them.
What a Wyoming plate looks like
Every Wyoming plate number starts with a county number that tells you where the car is registered. WYDOT's current samples show the 2025 plates for passenger cars and trucks. Type the whole plate, county number included; we find the car.
| 1 | Natrona County (Casper) |
|---|---|
| 2 | Laramie County (Cheyenne) |
| 3 | Sheridan County (Sheridan) |
| 4 | Sweetwater County (Green River) |
| 5 | Albany County (Laramie) |
| 6 | Carbon County (Rawlins) |
| 7 | Goshen County (Torrington) |
| 8 | Platte County (Wheatland) |
| 9 | Big Horn County (Basin) |
| 10 | Fremont County (Lander) |
| 11 | Park County (Cody) |
| 12 | Lincoln County (Kemmerer) |
| 13 | Converse County (Douglas) |
| 14 | Niobrara County (Lusk) |
| 15 | Hot Springs County (Thermopolis) |
| 16 | Johnson County (Buffalo) |
| 17 | Campbell County (Gillette) |
| 18 | Crook County (Sundance) |
| 19 | Uinta County (Evanston) |
| 20 | Washakie County (Worland) |
| 21 | Weston County (Newcastle) |
| 22 | Teton County (Jackson) |
| 23 | Sublette County (Pinedale) |
Cars carry two plates, front and rear (W.S. 31-2-205), fastened level and at least twelve inches off the ground. Motorcycles, multipurpose vehicles, trailers and cars built without a front plate bracket carry one.
- Plates stay with the seller. When a car changes hands its registration expires and the seller removes the plates right away. Within 60 days of getting another vehicle, the seller can apply to move the plate number to it.
- Driving it home. State law (W.S. 31-2-201) lets a new owner drive the car for 45 days from purchase without registration while carrying a properly executed title that transfers ownership. County treasurers also issue temporary registration permits, and a 48-hour in-transit permit for driving a car bought from an individual out of the state.
- New specialty plates. Rodeo and Search and Rescue plates went on sale January 1, 2026. Every specialty plate carries a $30 specialty plate fee; Search and Rescue adds $150 the first year and $50 a year after that.
Wyoming title brands: what the lookup can show
Our $5 report reads the car's NMVTIS record, the national title database. In Wyoming that record carries extra weight: WYDOT says it will brand a vehicle based on what NMVTIS shows, even if the current title appears to have no brands. A brand that got lost on the way to a clean-looking title can come back when you title the car, so read the record before you buy.
| Salvage | Declared a total loss by the insurer or, with no insurer involved, damaged more than 75% of the car's actual retail cash value. The owner or insurer sends the title to the county clerk for a title branded "salvage". The rule doesn't apply to cars currently titled in Wyoming with more than eight years of service, commercial vehicles or trailers. |
|---|---|
| Rebuilt | A salvage car that was repaired, carries a "rebuilt salvage vehicle" decal on the driver's door jamb, passed a law enforcement VIN inspection, and was retitled with "rebuilt" across the front of the title. |
| Flood | Water rose over the door sill and into the passenger or trunk compartment, but the damage wasn't enough to make it salvage. The seller has to give the buyer written notice, and the next title is branded "flood". |
| Nonrepairable | An owner who keeps a car after an insurance settlement that calls for a "nonrepairable" or "salvage" brand must title it in their own name with that brand before it's repaired or sold. |
| Earlier brands | A Wyoming title carries a notice whenever state records show an earlier title marked salvage, unrebuildable, parts only, scrap, junk, nonrepairable, reconstructed, rebuilt or flood. |
From salvage to rebuilt. The owner gets a Wyoming salvage title at the county clerk, with the repairer's name and address and the damage before repair filled in. They send WYDOT a copy of the salvage title, a photo of the repaired car and the Rebuilt Decal Application (form MV-600). There's no fee for the decal. The owner puts it on the driver's door jamb, a law enforcement officer inspects the VIN and the decal and signs the Certification of Correct VIN Number, and the county clerk issues the rebuilt title. A car that arrives with another state's salvage title goes through the same steps before it can be registered.
Disclosure. Anyone selling a car with a branded title has to tell the buyer on a Branded Title Disclosure Statement, and the buyer signs it. If the seller skips the buyer's signature, state law lets the buyer void the sale. If the report shows a brand and the seller didn't bring that form, ask why.
What a Wyoming title transfer costs
Wyoming splits the job by county. The county clerk issues the title; the county treasurer collects the sales tax and issues plates and registration, both in the county seat where you live. Fee amounts below are from the Laramie County Clerk and the Wyoming Department of Revenue; the county has the final word.
| Title fee | $15 for a certificate of title. Filing a new lien is $20. |
|---|---|
| VIN inspection | $10, required when the prior title is from a state other than Wyoming. A Wyoming law enforcement officer does it, or a licensed Wyoming dealer for cars in its own inventory. |
| Sales tax | 4% state sales tax plus county option taxes, paid to the county treasurer. On the Department of Revenue's chart effective October 1, 2026, the total is 5% in Laramie, Natrona and Campbell counties, 6% in Albany, Sheridan and Sweetwater, and 7% in Teton. The tax base is the sales price, less a trade-in that's already titled in the buyer's name. |
| Tax deadline | Pay within 65 days of the purchase date. Late, the penalty is 10% of the tax due, at least $25, plus interest of 1% of the tax for each month or part of a month. |
| Registration | Two parts: a county fee figured from the car's factory price and its years of service, so a newer car costs much more to register than an old one, and a state fee. The county treasurer calculates it. |
| Family transfer | No sales tax when a car moves between immediate family members, meaning a parent, child, spouse, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, grandparent or grandchild, if the giver paid the tax when they got it. Both sides sign form WYMVEX-110. |
Wyoming forms and deadlines
| Title application (MV-300A) | The Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form. The buyer files it with the county clerk, with proof of ownership. It asks whether the car has ever had a branded title, or was declared a total loss or damaged 75% of its value. |
|---|---|
| The title | Everyone named on a Wyoming title signs in front of a notary to sell. For Wyoming titles issued on or after January 1, 2020 with owners joined by "or" (and not joint tenants with right of survivorship), one notarized signature is enough. |
| Odometer | The seller completes an Odometer Disclosure Statement. |
| Branded Title Disclosure Statement | Required from the seller of any car with a branded title. |
| Sales/Use Tax Statement (Form 107) | Shows the price, any trade-in and the tax base. The tax is due within 65 days of purchase. |
| Driving period | 45 days from purchase with a properly executed title, per state law (W.S. 31-2-201). |
| Where | The county clerk's title office and the county treasurer, in the county seat of the county you live in. Bring photo ID; the buyer needs a Wyoming physical address on the title. |
| Record search | WYDOT runs title and plate record searches on form MV-220 for $15 each. Federal law may prohibit release of personal information. |
Inspections in Wyoming
The one inspection in Wyoming's title rules is a VIN check. It's required when the car's prior title came from another state, and for homemade, rebuilt and reconstructed vehicles. A law enforcement officer compares the VIN on the car to the paperwork and records whether it was verified with NCIC, the national crime database. It costs $10 and says nothing about the car's condition.
WYDOT's title, plate and registration pages call for no safety or emissions inspection on a personal car. That puts the condition check on the buyer: get an independent mechanic's inspection before you pay, and read the report for salvage, flood and rebuilt brands from every state the car has lived in.
Buying a car titled in another state? Plan for the VIN inspection before the county clerk will title it, and bring the car to the officer, not just the paperwork.
Before you meet a Wyoming seller
- Run the plate or the VIN here first, before any deposit. Then match the year, make, model and trim to the car in front of you.
- Read the county number. It shows where the car is registered. If it doesn't fit the seller's story, ask about it.
- Meet where there's a notary. The seller's signature on a Wyoming title has to be notarized.
- Match the names on the title to the seller's ID, and the VIN on the dashboard, the door sticker and the title.
- Ask for the Branded Title Disclosure Statement if the report shows any brand.
- Budget the tax. 5% to 7% of the price, depending on your county, due within 65 days.
- Out-of-state title? Schedule the $10 VIN inspection before you go to the county clerk.
Where these Wyoming facts come from
Read on the state's own pages on October 31, 2026. Fees and rules change; the county tax office has the final word on the day you file.
- WYDOT: Titles, plates and registration
- WYDOT: Salvage vehicles and rebuilt decals
- WYDOT: County license plate prefixes
- WYDOT: Application for Certificate of Title and VIN Inspection Form
- Laramie County Clerk: Vehicle titles and fees
- Wyoming Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax rate charts
- Wyoming Department of Revenue: Motor vehicle forms (Form 107, WYMVEX-110)
- Wyoming Statutes Title 31, motor vehicles (Wyoming Legislature)
- WYDOT: Rodeo and Search and Rescue specialty plates
- WYDOT: Vehicle record search (form MV-220)
- WYDOT: Branded title disclosure requirement
Look up a plate from another state
The reports
Works for Wyoming plates and every other state. You see the car before you pay.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
Wyoming license plate lookup questions
How do I look up a Wyoming license plate?
Type the whole plate above, county number included, with Wyoming selected. We turn it into the car's VIN and show the year, make and model at no charge, then the $5 report shows its title brands, odometer readings, total-loss records and theft check.
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Wyoming?
In Laramie County the title is $15, a new lien $20, and a VIN inspection $10 if the prior title is from another state. Add 4% state sales tax plus county tax (5% to 7% total) and registration, which the county treasurer figures from the car's factory price and age. Your county has the final word on fees.
When do I pay sales tax on a car in Wyoming?
Within 65 days of the purchase date, to the county treasurer. Late payment costs a 10% penalty, at least $25, plus 1% interest a month. Transfers between immediate family members are exempt if the giver paid the tax.
Does Wyoming require a vehicle inspection?
Not a safety or emissions inspection; WYDOT's title and registration rules call for neither. The only required check is a $10 VIN inspection when the prior title is from another state, or the car is homemade, rebuilt or reconstructed.
How does a salvage car get a rebuilt title in Wyoming?
The owner gets a Wyoming salvage title, sends WYDOT the rebuilt decal application (MV-600) with a photo of the repaired car, puts the decal on the driver's door jamb, and has a law enforcement officer inspect the VIN and decal. The county clerk then issues a title branded "rebuilt".
What does the number at the start of a Wyoming plate mean?
It's the county where the car is registered: 1 is Natrona (Casper), 2 is Laramie (Cheyenne), up to 23 for Sublette (Pinedale). The full list is above.
Can I find the owner of a Wyoming plate?
No. The federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps owners' names and addresses in WYDOT and county records private, and no proper plate lookup shows them. You see the car, not the person.
Who runs vehicle titles in Wyoming?
WYDOT Motor Vehicle Services sets the rules and issues rebuilt decals. The county clerk issues titles, and the county treasurer issues plates and registrations and collects sales tax. The Wyoming Department of Revenue's Excise Tax Division sets the tax rates.
More ways to check a car
Find the deal, then check it.
Wheel Scout alerts you the moment an underpriced car posts on Marketplace, OfferUp or Craigslist near you, and runs the history right in the app.
The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency. Wheel Scout is not affiliated with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), Motor Vehicle Services.