Wyoming Business License in 2026: Sales Tax License, Trade Names, Contractors and City Licences

Wyoming is known for cheap LLCs and light regulation, and its licensing fits that reputation. There is no general state business licence. Most businesses that sell goods need a one-time sales tax license from the Department of Revenue, and an entity filing if they form an LLC. Beyond that, licensing is mostly local: cities and counties license particular activities and the construction trades, while the state steps in for electrical work, food, alcohol and the professions. This guide covers each layer with the 2026 fees, checked in October 2026, and what Cheyenne and Casper actually require.

Quick answer

Wyoming has no general state business license. If you sell taxable goods or services, get a sales tax license from the Department of Revenue for a one-time $60. Electrical contractors are licensed by the State Fire Marshal for $400 a year, but other trades are licensed locally. Cities such as Cheyenne and Casper license listed activities, and trade name registration is optional.

• Sales tax 4% state; 4%–8% combined

• LLC: $100 to form, then at least $60 a year in license tax

• Trade name: $100 for ten years, notarized

• Food businesses: Department of Agriculture or local health department

Does Wyoming have a state business license?

No. Wyoming does not issue a licence that every business must hold. The Wyoming Business Council's guidance is that the permits and licences a business needs are issued by the city or county where the work or business is located, and it points new owners to the Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network for one-to-one help with licensing questions.

That leaves a short list of state offices. The Secretary of State registers LLCs, corporations and trade names. The Department of Revenue issues sales tax licenses. The State Fire Marshal's Electrical Safety section licenses electricians and electrical contractors. The Department of Agriculture's Consumer Health Services licenses food businesses in much of the state. Professional boards license occupations such as cosmetology, real estate, nursing and accounting. Cities and counties do the rest, including liquor licences, local business licences, contractor licences for the building trades, building permits and zoning.

So a remote software consultant in Sheridan may need nothing but an LLC filing, while a café in Cheyenne needs a sales tax license, a food licence, city approvals and inspections, and possibly a liquor licence.

The sales tax license

For most shops, cafés and online sellers, the sales tax license is the key state registration. You need one before you make taxable sales in Wyoming. The application fee is $60, it is not refundable, and the licence does not have to be renewed each year. You can apply online through the Department of Revenue's Wyoming Internet Filing System (WYIFS) once you have set up an account, or on paper with a check. The department says online applications usually take about two weeks, so apply before you open, not on opening day.

Once licensed, you charge the 4% state rate plus any county and local taxes, which bring combined rates to 4%–8% depending on where the customer takes delivery. Hotels, motels and short-term rentals also collect the 5% statewide lodging assessment on stays under 30 days, plus any local lodging tax. Licensed vendors file returns even in periods with no sales, and those who file and pay by the 15th keep a vendor compensation of 1.95% of the tax, up to $500 a period.

Out-of-state sellers must license once their gross sales into Wyoming pass $100,000 in the current or previous year. Since July 1, 2024, sellers below that threshold can no longer license voluntarily. Our Wyoming sales tax guide covers rates, exemptions and due dates in detail.

Trade names and your legal structure

Unlike many states, Wyoming does not force sole proprietors to file a DBA before trading under a brand. Trade name registration with the Secretary of State is voluntary, and it does not on its own give you exclusive rights to the name. What it gives you is a public record that ties the name to you, which banks, payment processors and customers can check, and a basis for objecting if someone later tries to register the same name.

If you do register, the Secretary of State's form sets the rules. The fee is $100. The name must already be in use before you apply, the application must be signed and notarized, and an LLC or corporation applying must already be registered and in good standing in Wyoming. Paper filings take up to 15 business days and cannot be expedited. A registration lasts ten years, and the renewal costs $50. Our DBA guide compares Wyoming with states where filing is mandatory.

An LLC costs $100 to form. Each year it files an annual report and pays a license tax of $60 or $0.0002 per dollar (two-tenths of a mill) on Wyoming assets, whichever is greater. Missing the report leads to administrative dissolution, and reinstatement costs $100 plus the past-due tax. Our Wyoming LLC guide explains the costs and the privacy claims that formation websites make.

Registrations vs operating licences in Wyoming

	What it does	Lets you run a regulated activity?
LLC articles	Creates the legal entity	No
Trade name	Records the brand you trade under	No
Sales tax license	Lets you collect and remit sales tax	No
Electrical contractor licence	Lets a company do electrical installations statewide	Yes
City contractor or business licence	Lets you work in a building trade or listed activity locally	Yes
Food or liquor licence	Authorizes a food business or alcohol sales	Yes

LLC articles

What it does

Creates the legal entity

Lets you run a regulated activity?

No

Trade name

What it does

Records the brand you trade under

Lets you run a regulated activity?

No

Sales tax license

What it does

Lets you collect and remit sales tax

Lets you run a regulated activity?

No

Electrical contractor licence

What it does

Lets a company do electrical installations statewide

Lets you run a regulated activity?

Yes

City contractor or business licence

What it does

Lets you work in a building trade or listed activity locally

Lets you run a regulated activity?

Yes

Food or liquor licence

What it does

Authorizes a food business or alcohol sales

Lets you run a regulated activity?

Yes

Contractors: electrical at state level, everything else local

Wyoming has no state licence for general contractors, plumbers or mechanical contractors. Those trades are licensed, if at all, by the city, town or county where the work takes place, and the rules vary widely. Larger cities, such as Cheyenne, run their own contractor licensing with exam, insurance and permit requirements, while some rural areas require far less. A licence in one city does not carry over to the next, so a contractor working across the state may hold several.

Electrical work is the exception. The State Fire Marshal's Electrical Safety section licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide, and Wyoming adopts the National Electrical Code without modification. A company doing electrical installations needs an electrical contractor licence, which costs $400 new or on renewal. Every electrical contractor licence expires on July 1 following the date of issue, so a licence bought in May runs only to the start of July.

The licence rests on a person. An electrical contractor must employ a Wyoming-licensed master electrician full time as its master of record, who is responsible for code compliance on all the company's electrical work, and a master can be master of record for only one company. Low voltage and limited electrical contractors, such as alarm and data cabling firms, hold a separate licence costing $200, with a licensed technician, journeyman or master of record. Individual electricians hold apprentice, journeyman or master licences, and a new apprentice must start the licensing process within 10 days of starting work. Since April 1, 2025, card payments carry a 2.5% processing fee.

Starting an electrical contracting business in Wyoming

Step 1

Master electrician licence (exam)

Step 2

Hire or be the master of record

Step 3

Electrical contractor licence ($400)

Step 4

Local business and permit rules

Step 5

Renew every year

licences expire July 1

Food, alcohol and other regulated activities

Restaurants, food trucks, grocery stores and food processors are licensed and inspected by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture's Consumer Health Services, except where a local health department has taken on that role, as the City-County Environmental Health departments in Cheyenne and Casper have. If you plan a food business, call the right office before you sign a lease, because the premises have to pass inspection before you can open.

Alcohol is split. The state's Liquor Division is the wholesaler, while retail liquor licences for bars, restaurants and liquor stores are issued by cities, towns and counties, so the City Clerk is usually your starting point. Professional and occupational licences, from cosmetology and barbering to real estate, nursing and engineering, come from the relevant state board.

Cheyenne: check with the City Clerk

Wyoming's capital handles business licensing through the City Clerk Department at the Municipal Building, 2101 O'Neil Avenue. The city does not publish a single rule that every business must be licensed. Instead, its guidance asks new owners to contact the Clerk's office to find out whether a licence or permit is needed for their business, whether at a permanent location or as a temporary vendor.

Where a licence is required, the rule is strict: you cannot operate until the licence has been issued and every inspection it needs has been completed. The Clerk's office arranges those inspections for you, and depending on the business they can involve environmental health, agriculture, fire, police, the building department for plumbing, electrical and mechanical work, the Board of Public Utilities and zoning. The Clerk also handles liquor licensing in the city.

Building trades are licensed separately. Cheyenne requires contractor licences for certain building trades, such as construction, electrical and maintenance work, and also licenses some trade employees, such as apprentices and journeymen. Any food service, from pre-packaged snacks to a full restaurant, needs approval from City-County Environmental Health, the state Agriculture Department and the Board of Public Utilities. All business licence, permit and temporary liquor permit applications now go through the city's online portal.

Casper: licences for listed activities

Casper licenses particular activities rather than every business. Its list covers junk dealers, pawnshops, itinerant merchants, door-to-door sellers, secondhand dealers, hotels and rooming houses, and vehicles for hire such as buses, taxi companies and taxi drivers. Fees are modest: an itinerant merchant licence costs $25, and a pawnshop licence costs $100 plus a $1,000 bond. Most licences run from January 1 to December 31, though bus licences run from July 1 and taxi driver licences last a year from issue. If one business offers more than one listed service, it needs a licence for each fee classification.

Casper also issues health licences for businesses that affect public health, including tattoo and body art studios, swimming pools, child care centres, hotels, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds. Most of these must be inspected by the county's environmental health division before the city issues the licence, so allow time for that visit. Applications go through the city's online self-service site, while liquor licences are handled by a licensing specialist in the City Clerk's office.

If your business is not on the list, such as a hair salon, an accountant or a clothing shop, you need no city licence in Casper. You still need zoning approval for the premises, building and sign permits for any work, and a sales tax license if you sell taxable goods.

If you hire employees

Hiring brings registrations with the Department of Workforce Services for unemployment insurance and, where it applies, workers' compensation, which Wyoming runs as a state fund rather than through private insurers. Wyoming has no state income tax, so there is no state withholding account. The state minimum wage is $5.15 (federal $7.25 applies to FLSA-covered employers), and the tipped cash wage is $2.13. Get a free EIN before your first payroll.

Worked examples: first-year costs

A leather goods maker in Lander. Tess sells online and at a shop on Main Street as a sole proprietor. She gets a sales tax license for $60 and charges the local combined rate. She registers "Popo Agie Leather" as a trade name for $100 so her bank and card processor can link it to her. Her first-year state costs are about $160, and she will not pay the trade name fee again for ten years.

An electrical contractor in Casper. Luis, a licensed master electrician, forms an LLC for $100, serves as his own master of record and gets an electrical contractor licence for $400. Because he applies in March, his first licence expires on July 1, and he pays $400 again to renew it. He budgets $60 for the LLC's annual license tax and pulls city permits for each job.

A food truck in Cheyenne. The owners get a sales tax license, a food licence through City-County Environmental Health, and check with the City Clerk about licences and inspections for each location they plan to serve. A $12 meal in Cheyenne carries the 4% state tax plus Laramie County's local taxes.

Getting legally set up in Wyoming

1. 1

   Choose your structure

   Form an LLC for $100, or trade as a sole proprietor; register a trade name if you want a public record of your brand.

   Wyoming LLC guide
2. 2

   Get an EIN

   Free from the IRS; needed for employees and most business bank accounts.

   EIN guide
3. 3

   Get a sales tax license

   Apply through WYIFS for $60 at least two weeks before your first taxable sale.

4. 4

   Get any state licence

   Electrical contractors with the State Fire Marshal; food with Agriculture or the local health department; professions with their board.

5. 5

   Clear city and county rules

   Ask the City Clerk which licences and inspections apply, and get contractor licences and permits where you work.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The first mistake is assuming no state licence means no licence. City licences, local contractor licences and health inspections apply in Cheyenne, Casper and most larger towns. Call the City Clerk before you sign a lease.

The second is applying for the sales tax license too late. It takes about two weeks online. Apply as soon as you have your entity and EIN.

The third is forgetting the July 1 expiry on electrical contractor licences. Whenever you apply, the licence ends on July 1, so plan the renewal and fee at the same time.

The fourth is treating a trade name as protection. Registration records the name but gives no exclusive rights. If the brand matters, look at a state or federal trademark.

The fifth is letting the LLC's annual report slip because Wyoming feels low-maintenance. The $60 report is still due every year, and dissolution and reinstatement cost far more.

Official Wyoming links

• Wyoming Business Council — FAQs
• Secretary of State — Trade name application
• Department of Revenue — Excise tax FAQsSales tax licensing
• State Fire Marshal — Electrical licensing
• City of Cheyenne — Licenses and permits
• City of Casper — Business licenses

What to do next

Choose your structure with our Wyoming LLC guide, check the name with the LLC name checker, and get a free EIN. Apply for your sales tax license early, and use our Wyoming sales tax guide and sales tax calculator to charge the right local rate. Then call your City Clerk about licences, inspections and zoning, and budget the year with the startup cost calculator. For neighbouring states, see our Colorado, Utah and Montana guides, or the business licenses overview.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wyoming require a general business license?

No. Wyoming has no general state business licence. The Wyoming Business Council says the permits and licences a business needs are issued by the city or county where it operates. At state level you register an entity with the Secretary of State, get a sales tax license if you sell taxable goods, and hold a specific licence only for regulated work such as electrical contracting, food or the professions.

How much is a Wyoming sales tax license?

The application fee is $60 and it is not refundable. You apply online through the Department of Revenue's WYIFS system or on paper, and the department says online applications usually take about two weeks. The licence does not need renewing each year. You charge the 4% state rate plus any local tax, for combined rates of 4%–8%.

Do I need to register a DBA in Wyoming?

Registration is optional for most businesses, but it gives you a public record of the name. A trade name costs $100 to register with the Secretary of State and lasts ten years, with renewal at $50. The name must already be in use, the application must be notarized, and an entity applicant must be registered and in good standing first.

Do contractors need a license in Wyoming?

Wyoming licenses electrical work at state level, but not general contracting, plumbing or mechanical work. Electrical contractors pay $400 for a licence that expires on July 1 and must employ a full-time Wyoming master electrician. Other contractors are licensed by the city or county where they work, such as Cheyenne's contractor licensing office, so check each jurisdiction before you bid.

Do I need a business license in Cheyenne?

It depends on what you do. Cheyenne's City Clerk handles business licensing and asks new owners to contact the office to find out whether a licence or permit is needed, for a permanent location or as a temporary vendor. Where one is required, you cannot open until the licence is issued and the inspections it needs, such as fire, health and building, are completed. Applications go through the city's online portal.

Do I need a business license in Casper?

Only for listed activities. Casper licenses businesses such as junk and secondhand dealers, pawnshops, itinerant merchants, door-to-door sellers, hotels and vehicles for hire, plus health-related businesses like tattoo studios, pools and child care. An itinerant merchant licence costs $25. Most licences run from January 1 to December 31, and applications go through the city's online self-service site.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 13 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Frequently Asked Questions — Wyoming Business Council · accessed 13 October 2026
2. 2.Application for Registration of Trade Name and instructions — Wyoming Secretary of State · accessed 13 October 2026
3. 3.Business Division fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 — Wyoming Secretary of State · accessed 13 October 2026
4. 4.Electrical Licensing — Wyoming State Fire Marshal — Electrical Safety · accessed 13 October 2026
5. 5.Starting and Licensing a Business in Cheyenne, Wyoming — City of Cheyenne City Clerk · accessed 13 October 2026
6. 6.Licenses and Permits — City of Cheyenne · accessed 13 October 2026
7. 7.Business Licenses and Health Licenses — City of Casper · accessed 13 October 2026
8. 8.Excise Tax FAQs — Wyoming Department of Revenue · accessed 13 October 2026
9. 9.Wyoming: Assumed-Name (DBA) Registration Requirements — Ezel (secondary) · accessed 13 October 2026