Debt relief in Wyoming: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Wyoming at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Wyoming | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards | 10 years with a written contract; 8 years otherwise |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 25% of take-home pay; nothing if you take home $217.50 a week or less |
| State debt collection law | Collection agency law (Wyo. Stat. 33-11-101 and following) |
| Who licenses debt collectors | Wyoming Collection Agency Board |
| Where to complain | Collection Agency Board, the Wyoming Attorney General, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Wyoming
Collection agencies need a license from the Wyoming Collection Agency Board, which works with the state Division of Banking (Wyo. Stat. 33-11-101 and following). The Board takes complaints about licensed agencies, and you can report a collector that isn't licensed.
The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act sets most of the rules for how collectors behave. A third-party collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., threaten arrest or a lawsuit it doesn't plan to file, or misstate what you owe. It must send you a validation notice, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.
How long creditors have to sue
- 10 years for a written contract (Wyo. Stat. 1-3-105).
- 8 years for a contract that isn't in writing (1-3-105).
Those are among the longest limits in the country, so even an old debt can still lead to a lawsuit. The clock usually starts when you default. A payment or a written promise to pay can sometimes restart it, so get advice before paying anything on a very old debt.
What can be garnished in Wyoming
For consumer credit debts, a creditor with a judgment can take the lesser of 25% of your take-home pay or the amount you earn above $217.50 a week, which is 30 times the federal minimum wage (Wyo. Stat. 40-14-505).
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Wyoming
- Nonprofit credit counseling can combine your card payments into one debt management plan with lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- Smallest balance or highest rate first? Our snowball vs. avalanche calculator compares the two and shows which one costs you less.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Wyoming makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one, including a homestead exemption for the home you live in. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you what you would keep.
Where to get help or complain
- Wyoming Collection Agency Board explains how to file a complaint about a collection agency; call 307-777-3497.
- Wyoming Attorney General, consumer complaints takes consumer complaints; call 307-777-6397.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Legal Aid of Wyoming helps people with low incomes with debt and money problems; call 1-877-432-9955.
General information about Wyoming law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.