Wyoming Property Taxes

Overview of Wyoming Property Taxes

---

Every property in Wyoming, unless expressly exempted, is subject to property taxes. Wyoming property taxes are administered at the local level with the County Treasurer's Office tasked with collecting the taxes. Property taxes are a major source of funding for local government services including schools, health departments, maintenance of infrastructure, and public schools.

The state and its local governments collect $8.6 billion in total revenue each year. Of that, $1.2 billion or 14.59% comes from property taxes. Wyoming is a tax-friendly state for homeowners. Homeowners pay $5.67 for every $1,000 of home value in property taxes. The average Wyoming property tax bill adds up to $1,349 which is among the lowest in the country. However, the amount you pay as a homeowner in Wyoming largely depends on the location of your property. Homeowners in Weston County pay an average of $963 while those Johnson County in pay $1,449.

Wyoming property taxes are based on your property's value. County Assessors are tasked with appraising properties within their jurisdiction at their fair market value, or the amount a buyer would willingly pay for the property. The assessors are only required to physically visit properties at least once in six years. Your property's value is based on that appraisal, which is updated using mass appraisal techniques. The appraised value is then multiplied by the assessment ratio to get the assessed value. The state of Wyoming requires that residential properties be assessed at 9.5% of their appraised value. Assuming your home has an appraised value of $100,000, the assessed value would be ($100,000 x 9.5%) $9,500. Tax rates are applied to that amount to get your annual Wyoming property tax bill.

Wyoming property tax rates are set by the local taxing districts depending on their budgetary requirements and the total amount of assessed values in the districts. The rate you pay is the sum of the tax rates from the various taxing districts where your property is located. Taxing districts include cities, counties, and school districts. The rates are expressed in mills where one mill is equivalent to $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value or $0.001. If your assessed value is $10,000 and your mill rate is 80 mills, your annual Wyoming property tax bill would add up to ($10,000 x 0.08) $800.

If you are planning to buy a home in Wyoming and want to understand how much your property tax bill could potentially cost, check out our Wyoming Property Tax Tool to see what your bill would be.

Wyoming Property Tax Due Dates

---

The fiscal year in Wyoming starts on July 1 and ends on June 30. Properties are valued for taxes as of January 1. On the 4th Monday in April, Assessment Notices are mailed to homeowners. On the 3rd week in August, you receive your Wyoming property tax bill from the County Treasurer. The tax bill contains details about your property, the assessed value, and mill levies. If you fail to receive a tax bill, your Wyoming property taxes and accrued interests are still due. Contact your County Treasurer if you have not received your tax bill by the second week of September.

You can appeal property taxes if you disagree with the assessor's valuation of your property. Appeals are filed within 30 days of receiving the Notice of Assessment. You can only appeal within the 30-day period. Property tax appeals are filed with the County Board of Equalization. If you disagree with the County Board's decision, you can appeal to the State Board of Equalization Appeal within 30 days of the County Board rendering their decision. More details regarding the appeal process will be provided in subsequent sections.

But when are property taxes due in Wyoming? Property taxes are billed and become due on September 1. The state offers you the option of paying your Wyoming property taxes in full on December 31. Alternatively, you can pay in two installments. The first half is due on November 10 and becomes delinquent on November 11. The second half is due on May 10 and becomes delinquent on May 11. Taxes that remain unpaid after Wyoming property tax due dates result in interest computed at 18% per annum. If the taxes remain unpaid, you risk losing your property in a tax sale.

Wyoming Property Tax Exemptions

---

Besides the option to appeal property taxes if you disagree with the assessor's valuation of your property, the state of Wyoming offers several exemptions to qualified homeowners. They include the homestead and senior exemptions. Eligible homeowners can save hundreds of dollars in Wyoming property taxes. However, you are still subject to Wyoming property tax due dates regardless of your eligibility.

Wyoming Homestead Exemption

Wyoming's homestead exemption exempts up to $40,000 of the appraised value of your primary residence from Wyoming property taxes. Because residential properties are assessed at 9.5% of market value, this exemption is equivalent to around $4,000 of your property's assessed value. You must own and occupy the property to qualify for this exemption. You also have to be a Wyoming resident for at least three years.

Wyoming Senior Citizens Exemption

Wyoming's senior exemption is known as Tax Refund for Elderly and Disabled. This program provides a tax refund for qualified senior citizens depending on how they fulfill certain income limit requirements. The amount refunded can range from $100- $900. The benefit is disbursed as a direct payment to the taxpayer. Eligible homeowners must be aged at least 65 years.

Other Exemptions

Other Wyoming property tax exemptions include the Veterans Exemption. This provision exempts up to $3,000 of the assessed value of a qualified veteran's primary residence from property taxes. To qualify, the veteran must be a resident of Wyoming for at least three years, have served in any arm of the U.S armed forces, and have a written discharge from active military duty. Veterans with a service-connected disability also qualify under this exemption. Veterans must contact their local County Assessor's office each year after January 1st or before the 4th Monday in May.

How to Appeal Your Property Taxes in Wyoming

---

The state of Wyoming allows you to appeal property taxes if you disagree with the assessor's valuation of your property. A successful appeal can lower your Wyoming property taxes. The first step of appeal is contacting the County Assessor's Office with your issues within 30 days of receiving your Notice of Assessment. The assessor reviews the information you provided disputing the valuation. Many issues are solved at this level without the need for an official appeal. However, if there is still a difference of opinion, you can file an official appeal with the County Board of Equalization, which consists of County Commissioners. You can withdraw the appeal anytime by writing to the County Clerk's and Assessor's Offices. If the County Board doesn't rule in your favor, you can file your appeal with the State Board of Equalization within 30 days of the County Board rendering its decisions.

The process of filing an assessment appeal varies across Wyoming though it generally follows the same steps from county to county:

1. Obtain your assessment
2. Determine if you are overassessed
3. Complete forms needed to appeal
4. File property tax appeal
5. Prepare for hearing
6. Attend hearing
7. Appeal the decision

How to Appeal Your Property Taxes in Laramie County

---

To help you understand how to appeal your property taxes in Wyoming, the following is a breakdown of the process in Laramie County, the most populous county in Wyoming.

Obtain your assessment

If you are a homeowner in Laramie County, you can obtain details of your assessment from the Notice of Assessment, your tax bill, or contact the Laramie County Assessors Office.

Determine if you are over-assessed

The best way to determine if your property's valuation is a fair reflection of its market value is by checking the appraised values of properties with similar characteristics to your property. Use TaxProper's search tool to conduct the search and compare the values to your property's appraised value. Alternatively, you can request a copy of the comparable sales from the County Assessor.

Complete forms needed to appeal

Official Appeal of Assessment forms will be provided to you at the Assessor's Office. Copies of the forms must be filed with the County Assessor within 30 days of receiving your Notice of Assessment.

File property tax appeal

Property tax appeals in Laramie County are filed with the County Board of Equalization.

Prepare for hearing

Simply stating that the valuation of your property is too high is not sufficient testimony. With the burden of proof on you as the homeowner, preparing for an appeal hearing means collecting evidence supporting your opinion of value. This includes but is not limited to recent appraisals, market analysis, and special conditions that you feel may affect the property's value.

Attend hearing

The County Board of Equalization requires you to attend the appeal hearing to present evidence or witnesses. You may also be required to answer questions from the Assessor, the Assessor's attorney, or members of the Board.

Appeal the decision

If you disagree with the County Board of Equalization's decision, you can appeal to the State Board of Equalization within 30 days of the County Board's decision.

Property Tax Information for Wyoming Counties

---

The table below provides county-level information about how property taxes work in each Wyoming county.

Want to learn more? Click the county links to learn more about a specific Wyoming county.