Wyoming has no dedicated self storage lien act, so operators rely on the general personal property lien in W.S. 29-7-101 to 29-7-106, which expressly covers self storage. The statutes set no default-day minimum; if you follow the warehouse procedure they incorporate, the sale falls at least 10 days after notice and at least 15 days after the first of two weekly ads.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Because the law is unusual, have Wyoming counsel review your lease and notice forms before you act.
Wyoming lien timeline at a glance
Wyoming's lien is in W.S. title 29, chapter 7, with enforcement in 29-7-105. Section 29-7-105(h) allows enforcement under the warehouse procedure in W.S. 34.1-7-210(b). Whether that procedure is mandatory or optional is unclear, so safe practice is to follow both. (Section 29-9-101 is a state lien on real property and does not apply.)
| Step | Earliest timing | What the law requires | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Charges due | Day 0 | Time runs from the date charges become due and payable. | 29-7-102(a) |
| 2. Vehicles only | Within 30 days of the due date | Certified mail, return receipt requested, notice of intent to file, enforce and foreclose. | 29-7-102(e)(i) |
| 3. Notice | No day count from default | Certified mail, return receipt requested, to everyone known to claim an interest. Amount due, nature of sale, time and place. Warehouse procedure: itemized claim, goods description, demand to pay within at least 10 days of receipt. | 29-7-105(b); 34.1-7-210(b)(i), (ii) |
| 4. Advertise | After the notice period ends | Once a week for two consecutive weeks. | 29-7-105(h); 34.1-7-210(b)(v) |
| 5. Sale | At least 15 days after first publication | At the nearest suitable place to where the goods are stored, on commercially reasonable terms. | 29-7-105(b), (d), (h); 34.1-7-210(b)(iii) to (v) |
| 6. Start foreclosure | Within six months of the due date | The right to hold property ends six months after charges become due unless foreclosure has begun. | 29-7-102(a) |
Worked example
Say a tenant has not paid $80 due on March 1. You decide to enforce and mail a certified notice with return receipt on March 20. The tenant signs for it on March 24. The demand gives 10 days after receipt, so payment is due April 3. You run the ad on April 4 and April 11. The earliest sale is April 19, 15 days after the first ad. The six month mark from March 1 is September 1, so foreclosure has begun well within that. These dates are an example based on the warehouse procedure.
Notice requirements
Send notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of everyone known to claim an interest in the property. Under section 29-7-105(b) it states the amount due, the nature of the proposed sale, and the time and place of any public sale. Under the warehouse procedure it also includes an itemized claim, a description of the goods, a demand for payment within a specified time not less than 10 days after receipt, and a conspicuous statement that unless paid the goods will be advertised and sold at auction. We found no electronic notice provision, so do not rely on email.
Alternate contact
Wyoming has no alternate contact rule. Notice must go to all persons known to claim an interest in the goods, such as lienholders.
Advertising the sale
Under the warehouse procedure, after the notice period ends, publish once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation where the sale will be held. The ad describes the goods and gives the name of the person on whose account they are held, and the time and place. If there is no such newspaper, post at least 10 days before the sale in not fewer than six conspicuous places. Section 29-7-105(b) alone requires only a commercially reasonable time, place and terms, but following both is the safe approach.
Late fee limits
There is no statutory late fee limit. The lien secures reasonable charges for work or services performed, including storage (W.S. 29-7-101(a)). Fees come from your lease. Because the lien is for reasonable charges, keep late fees modest and clearly written, and confirm with counsel what you may include in the claim.
Sale rules, surplus and records
The sale may be public or private, en bloc or in parcels, on commercially reasonable terms (29-7-105(b)). The warehouse procedure calls for an auction at the nearest suitable place to where the goods are held. Any claimant may pay the lien and expenses before the sale. The lien claimant may buy at a public sale. A good faith purchaser takes free of the rights of persons against whom the lien was valid, despite noncompliance. A better price at another time or method does not by itself make a sale unreasonable. The lien claimant is liable for damages from noncompliance.
Online sales are not addressed. That reflects no authority in the text, not a prohibition, so ask counsel before you list a Wyoming unit online.
Surplus: satisfy the lien from the proceeds and hold the balance for delivery on demand to the owner or any person entitled, who must furnish reasonable evidence of the right to take delivery. We found no escheat provision. Keep the green cards, ad proof and a full accounting.
Vehicles, boats and trailers
For a vehicle, send the certified mail notice of intent within 30 days from the date payment is due. It must include make, year, model, plate and VIN, plus the information in 29-7-105(b) and 29-1-312(b). Collectable storage fees are capped at 180 days from the date service was completed unless the notice was sent and an action to enforce and foreclose has begun. A lien statement on titled property is valid only if the county clerk notes it on the certificate of title (29-7-102(e); 29-7-103(b)).
Active-duty military (SCRA)
We found no Wyoming servicemember rule in these sections. Federal law adds protections, and you should check a tenant's military status before any sale. See 50 U.S.C. 3958 for the federal rule.
What we could not confirm
- Whether the warehouse procedure in 34.1-7-210(b) is mandatory or optional.
- How 29-7-104(a)(ii) (lien ends 180 days after services unless a lien statement is filed) and 29-7-102(a) apply to ongoing monthly storage. A conservative reading is to start foreclosure within six months of the first unpaid charge and consider filing a lien statement with the county clerk.
- Subsection letters skip "(i)" in the official text of 29-7-105 and 34.1-7-210, so cites may need adjusting.
Common mistakes checklist
- Sending notice by regular mail or email instead of certified mail with return receipt.
- Leaving off a lender or co-owner known to claim an interest.
- Giving fewer than 10 days after receipt to pay.
- Selling less than 15 days after the first ad.
- Waiting past six months without starting foreclosure.
- Missing the 30 day certified notice on a vehicle.
- Listing the unit online without legal advice.
- Not checking active-duty status before the sale.
Tools and next steps
Plan your dates with the lien timeline calculator. Compare other states on the self storage lien laws hub. Read the self storage auction process guide for the full walk-through, and start from the lien notice template. If you want the dates tracked for you, see lien and auction management.
Sources and review
Last reviewed: October 19, 2026. Laws change, and courts read them differently. This is general information, not legal advice. Review every notice and sale with your attorney before you act.