Short answer: Wyoming Section 8 rules leave the decision to accept a voucher with the landlord. The Wyoming Fair Housing Act, W.S. 40-26-103, bars refusals based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin, and source of income is not on the list, so a landlord may lawfully decline a Housing Choice Voucher as long as the policy is not a cover for one of those traits.
Because state law adds little, your day-to-day protections in Wyoming come mostly from your housing authority’s rules and federal regulations. In Cheyenne, those rules are changing in 2027, so this guide spends time on what participants there need to do.
| Rule | Wyoming | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Source-of-income protection | None in state law | W.S. 40-26-103(a) |
| “No vouchers” advertising | Not barred by state law unless tied to a protected class | W.S. 40-26-104 |
| Fair housing complaint deadline | On or before the first anniversary of the practice | W.S. 40-26-118(a) |
| Standard income deductions | $480 per dependent; $525 for elderly or disabled families (base amounts, adjusted by HUD) | 24 CFR 5.611 |
| Eviction of a voucher tenant | Good cause, and only through court | 24 CFR 982.310 |
What the Wyoming Fair Housing Act covers
Chapter 26 of Title 40 is the Wyoming Fair Housing Act. Section 40-26-103(a) says a person may not refuse to rent after a bona fide offer, refuse to negotiate, or otherwise make a dwelling unavailable “because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.” Subsection (b) applies the same list to rental terms and services, and §§ 40-26-104 and 40-26-105 apply it to advertising and to false claims that a unit is not available.
Source of income, receipt of public assistance and housing vouchers do not appear in any of those sections. A Wyoming landlord who turns away every voucher holder evenly is not violating state fair housing law. The rule changes if the landlord accepts vouchers from some groups and not others, or uses “no Section 8” to screen out disabled applicants or families with children.
Where complaints go
The Act routes complaints to an “enforcing authority,” which § 40-26-102 defines as a Wyoming state agency or Wyoming nonprofit that HUD has accepted as an enforcing authority for the state. Under § 40-26-118(a), a written complaint must be filed on or before the first anniversary of the alleged discriminatory practice. Because the statute does not name a specific office, ask legal aid where to file before the year runs out.
Wyoming Section 8 rules at the Cheyenne Housing Authority
Vouchers in Wyoming are handled by local housing authorities. The Cheyenne Housing Authority (CHA) uses a single online preliminary application for several programs: tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers, CHA-owned public housing, and senior or disability properties such as Indian Hills Manor and units in Pine Bluffs.
Three CHA policies stand out:
- No list numbers. CHA says it no longer tells applicants their position on the waiting list. You can call to confirm which lists you are on, your application date and your mailing address.
- Returned mail removes you. If any CHA notice comes back undelivered, CHA says the applicant’s name “will be removed from all waiting lists.” Updating your address is not optional.
- 15-business-day reporting from January 1, 2027. CHA announced that, effective that date, participants must report all household and income changes within 15 business days, and that further changes to rent calculations, deductions and asset rules take effect at the same time.
Other Wyoming communities have their own housing authorities, each with separate applications. If you are open to living in more than one town, apply to each one.
How your rent is figured
The rent formula is federal. Your total tenant payment is the highest of several amounts, usually 30% of monthly adjusted income, under 24 CFR 5.628. “Adjusted” means after deductions in 24 CFR 5.611, which lists a base of $480 for each dependent and $525 for any elderly or disabled family, with HUD adjusting those figures annually for inflation. CHA’s notice about new deduction rules in 2027 is a reminder to ask your caseworker which current amounts apply.
If you choose a unit whose rent exceeds the payment standard, your share at initial lease-up cannot exceed 40% of adjusted income (24 CFR 982.508).
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Other federal protections, briefly
Units are inspected before the lease and periodically afterward, with small rural agencies allowed a three-year cycle (24 CFR 982.405). Your income is re-examined at least annually (24 CFR 982.516), on top of CHA’s interim reporting rule. You can port your voucher to another agency’s area, such as Colorado’s Front Range, under 24 CFR 982.353.
Most important in a state without source-of-income protection: once you are in a voucher unit, 24 CFR 982.310 lets the owner end the tenancy during the lease only for serious or repeated lease violations, certain law violations or other good cause, and only by filing in court. The owner must also send the housing authority a copy of any eviction notice. For the state court steps, see our Wyoming eviction process guide.
Worked example: a Cheyenne family’s rent share
Rosa lives in Cheyenne with her two children and earns $30,000 a year. She submits a CHA preliminary application online on March 9, 2026, then moves across town in June and updates her address that week, so a later CHA letter reaches her instead of being returned.
When her voucher is issued, the dependent deduction in 24 CFR 5.611 at its base amount is $480 per child, or $960, so her adjusted annual income is $29,040, or $2,420 a month. Thirty percent of that is $726, her starting share before utility allowances. Two landlords decline the voucher, which Wyoming law permits; the third accepts, and the unit passes inspection. In 2027 Rosa gets a raise and reports it within 15 business days under CHA’s new rule. Run your own figures in our Section 8 rent calculator.
What to gather before applying
- Photo ID for adults and birth certificates for children
- Social Security cards or numbers for every household member
- Pay stubs, benefit letters, child support records and any self-employment records
- Bank statements and records of assets, since asset rules are part of the 2027 changes CHA announced
- Receipts for child-care and medical or disability expenses
- A reliable mailing address, plus a plan to update CHA whenever it changes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal for a Wyoming landlord to advertise “no Section 8”?
Generally yes. W.S. 40-26-104 bars ads that show a preference based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin, and source of income is not one of them.
Why won’t the Cheyenne Housing Authority tell me my place on the list?
CHA says it no longer provides waiting-list position numbers. You can call to confirm which lists you are on, your application date and your mailing address.
What happens if I move while on CHA’s waiting list?
Tell CHA right away. CHA says that if any notice it sends is returned, your name will be removed from all of its waiting lists.
What is changing for Cheyenne voucher holders on January 1, 2027?
CHA says participants must report all household and income changes within 15 business days, and that additional changes to rent calculations, deductions and asset rules take effect then.
How long do I have to file a Wyoming fair housing complaint?
Under W.S. 40-26-118(a), on or before the first anniversary of the discriminatory practice. That deadline matters only if the refusal involved a protected class.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For free help, contact Legal Aid of Wyoming or use the LSC legal help finder. You may also find our Wyoming security deposit law page, the how Section 8 works explainer, and Section 8 rules by state useful. If you are on a CHA list, call this week to confirm your mailing address is current, since one returned letter can end your wait.