Wyoming Lemon Law: Your Complete Legal Guide

What Vehicles Are Covered

Wyoming's lemon law covers a range of vehicles meeting specific criteria.

Covered Vehicle Types

• New motor vehicles: Self-propelled vehicles under 10,000 pounds unladen weight
• Vehicles sold in Wyoming: Purchased from dealers within the state
• Vehicles registered in Wyoming: Including vehicles purchased elsewhere but registered in Wyoming
• Passenger cars: Sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and similar vehicles
• Trucks: Light-duty trucks meeting the weight requirement
• SUVs and crossovers: Under the 10,000 lb. unladen weight limit
• Vans: Including minivans for personal use

Vehicles NOT Covered

• Vehicles moved solely by human power
• Motor vehicles with an unladen weight of 10,000 pounds or more
• Used vehicles (vehicles previously titled to a consumer)
• Vehicles purchased primarily for resale

Key Definitions

Consumer: Wyoming defines a consumer as any person who:

• Purchases a motor vehicle (other than for resale) to which an express warranty applies, OR
• To whom a motor vehicle is transferred during the term of an express warranty, OR
• Is entitled by the warranty terms to enforce it

Express Warranty: The written warranty, so labeled, of the manufacturer of a new motor vehicle, including any terms or conditions precedent to enforcement.

Wyoming's Lemon Law Presumption

Wyoming law creates a presumption that a reasonable number of repair attempts have been made when certain conditions are met within one year following the original delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer.

The Lemon Law Presumption Applies When:

Condition	Requirement	Details
Repair Attempts (Same Problem)	More than 3 times	Same nonconformity subject to repair and continues to exist
Days Out of Service	30 or more cumulative BUSINESS days	Vehicle out of service due to repair (note: business days, not calendar days)
Coverage Period	1 year following original delivery	From date of first delivery to the consumer

Important: Wyoming counts business days rather than calendar days for the out of service calculation. This means weekends and holidays are typically not counted, effectively requiring more total time out of service before the presumption applies.

Prior Written Notice Requirement

The presumption does not apply against a manufacturer unless:

• The manufacturer has received prior direct written notification from or on behalf of the consumer
• The manufacturer has had a reasonable opportunity to cure the alleged defect

What Qualifies as a "Nonconformity"?

While Wyoming's statute does not provide an explicit definition, nonconformity generally refers to any defect or condition that:

• Does not conform to the applicable express warranties
• Substantially impairs the use and fair market value of the motor vehicle

Consumer Remedies: Refund vs. Replacement

When a vehicle qualifies as a lemon under Wyoming law, the consumer has the right to choose between a replacement vehicle or a full refund.

Option 1: Replacement Vehicle

The manufacturer must provide:

• A new or comparable motor vehicle of the same type
• Similarly equipped to the original vehicle

Option 2: Full Refund

The manufacturer must provide:

• Full purchase price: The complete amount paid for the vehicle
• All collateral charges: Fees and charges associated with the purchase

Refunds are made to the consumer and any lienholder, as their interests may appear.

Usage Deduction: The manufacturer may deduct a "reasonable allowance for consumer's use." This is defined as the amount directly attributable to use of the motor vehicle:

• Prior to the first report of the nonconformity to the manufacturer, agent, or dealer, AND
• During any subsequent period when the motor vehicle is NOT out of service due to repair

Unlike many states, Wyoming does not specify a formula for calculating this allowance (such as a per-mile calculation). The allowance must simply be "reasonable."

How to File a Lemon Law Claim in Wyoming

Filing a successful lemon law claim in Wyoming requires careful documentation and compliance with notice requirements.

Step 1: Document Everything

• Keep all repair orders and invoices
• Record the dates your vehicle was in the shop (tracking business days)
• Document the symptoms you experienced
• Save all correspondence with the dealer and manufacturer
• Take photos or videos of defects when possible

Step 2: Report the Nonconformity

Report the problem to the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer within one year following the original delivery of the motor vehicle to you. This triggers the manufacturer's obligation to make necessary repairs.

Step 3: Allow Repair Attempts

Give the manufacturer, its agents, or authorized dealers the opportunity to repair the nonconformity. The manufacturer's repair obligation extends even if the one-year period has expired, as long as the nonconformity was first reported within that period.

Step 4: Provide Written Notice to Manufacturer

Before the presumption can apply, you must provide prior direct written notification to the manufacturer and give them a reasonable opportunity to cure the defect.

Step 5: Check for Informal Dispute Settlement Procedure

If the manufacturer has an informal dispute settlement procedure that complies with applicable federal statute and regulation, you must exhaust that remedy before filing suit.

Step 6: Consider Civil Action

If remedies are not satisfactorily provided, you may bring a civil action to enforce the lemon law.

Written Notice Requirements

Wyoming's lemon law places significant importance on written notice to the manufacturer.

Notice Requirements

The presumption of reasonable repair attempts does not apply unless:

• The manufacturer has received prior direct written notification from or on behalf of the consumer
• The manufacturer has had a reasonable opportunity to cure the alleged defect

Content of Notice

While the statute does not specify exact contents, effective written notice should include:

• Consumer's name and contact information
• Vehicle identification (year, make, model, VIN)
• Description of the nonconformity
• History of repair attempts
• Request for remedy

Method of Delivery

While the statute does not specify a delivery method, consumers should use certified mail or another method providing proof of receipt to document that the manufacturer received the notice.

Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures

Wyoming's lemon law incorporates informal dispute settlement procedures by reference to federal requirements.

When Required

The lemon law presumption provisions do not apply to any consumer who has failed to exhaust remedies under a manufacturer's informal dispute settlement procedure if:

• Such a procedure exists, AND
• The procedure is in compliance with applicable federal statute and regulation (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and 16 CFR Part 703)

FTC Requirements

To be valid, manufacturer dispute settlement procedures must meet federal standards including:

• Independence from manufacturer control in decision-making
• Adequate record-keeping and reporting
• Timely resolution of disputes
• No charge to consumers beyond shipping costs
• Decisions not binding on consumers (consumers may still pursue court action)

Manufacturer Defenses

Wyoming provides manufacturers with specific affirmative defenses against lemon law claims.

Defense	Manufacturer's Argument	Consumer's Counter
No substantial impairment	Alleged nonconformity does not substantially impair use and fair market value	Document how defect affects daily use and resale value
Abuse or neglect	Nonconformity resulted from consumer abuse or neglect	Provide maintenance records showing proper care
Unauthorized modification	Nonconformity resulted from unauthorized modification or alteration	Show defect existed before modifications or is unrelated
No written notice	Manufacturer did not receive prior written notification	Provide proof of notice delivery (certified mail receipt)

Extensions to Time Periods

Wyoming's lemon law includes provisions for extending time periods under certain circumstances.

Grounds for Extension

Any period of time provided in the lemon law presumption section may be extended by any period of time during which the vehicle could not reasonably be repaired due to:

• War
• Invasion
• Act of terror
• Civil unrest
• Strike
• Fire
• Flood
• Natural disaster

This provision ensures that consumers are not penalized when external circumstances beyond anyone's control delay repairs.

Other Remedies Available

Wyoming's lemon law explicitly preserves consumers' rights under other laws.

Preservation of Other Rights

The statute states that nothing in the lemon law shall be construed to limit the rights or remedies which are otherwise available to a consumer under any other statute. This means consumers may also pursue:

• Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claims: The federal lemon law may provide additional remedies
• Breach of warranty claims: Under the Uniform Commercial Code
• Consumer protection claims: Under Wyoming's consumer protection statutes
• Common law claims: Such as fraud or misrepresentation

Attorney Fees

Any consumer injured by a violation of Wyoming's lemon law may bring a civil action to enforce the law and may recover reasonable attorney's fees from the manufacturer who issued the express warranty.

More Wyoming Laws

• Wyoming Whistleblower Laws
• Wyoming Car Seat Laws
• Wyoming Recording Laws
• Wyoming Statute of Limitations
• Wyoming Sexting Laws
• Wyoming Dog Bite Laws
• Wyoming Child Support Laws