Is Lane Splitting Legal in Wyoming? Rules and Penalties (2026)

Lane splitting and lane filtering are illegal in Wyoming. W.S. 31-5-115(g) says "No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." The section exempts only police officers performing their official duties and motorcyclists in an officially authorized parade. A violation is a misdemeanor; because 31-5-115 sets no penalty of its own, the default in W.S. 31-5-1201(b) applies, a fine of up to $200 for a first conviction. For how other states handle the practice, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Wyoming state law in Title 31 of the Wyoming Statutes: the motorcycle operation rules in 31-5-115, the definitions in 31-5-102, the passing and lane rules in 31-5-206 and 31-5-209, careless driving in 31-5-236, reckless driving in 31-5-229, the basic speed rule in 31-5-301, the penalties in 31-5-1201, the licensing-act provisions in 31-7-102 and 31-7-129, and the Wyoming Supreme Court's 2026 Uniform Bail and Forfeiture Schedules. It does not cover city or county ordinances, Wyoming Department of Transportation administrative rules, insurance consequences, fault in a crash, or the law of other states.

What W.S. 31-5-115 says

Wyoming's motorcycle operation section, W.S. 31-5-115, "Operation of motorcycles, autocycles and pedestrian vehicles," contains the state's lane rules for motorcycles. Three subsections decide the lane splitting question:

"(f) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass any vehicle in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken, except another motorcycle. The operator of a motorcycle overtaking another motorcycle in the same lane shall first match the speed of the motorcycle being overtaken."

"(g) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles."

"(h) Subsections (f) and (g) of this section do not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties."

The section covers each practice riders ask about:

• Lane splitting. Riding between lanes of moving traffic is operating "between lanes of traffic" under 31-5-115(g).
• Lane filtering. Riding between rows of cars stopped at a light is operating "between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." Subsection (g) has no exception for stopped or slow traffic.
• Passing a car inside its own lane. Subsection (f) bars a motorcycle from overtaking and passing a vehicle in the same lane that vehicle occupies, unless it is another motorcycle, and then only after matching its speed.

Two exemptions apply. Subsection (h) covers police officers on official duty, and subsection (q) exempts "Operators of motorcycles operating in an officially authorized parade" from subsections (e) through (o), which includes (f) and (g).

Full use of a lane and riding two abreast

Subsection (e) protects a motorcycle's place in its lane and sets the side-by-side rule:

"(e) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. Two (2) motorcycles may be driven abreast in the same lane by consent of both motorcycle drivers. One (1) autocycle may be driven per lane."

Subsection (j) adds: "Motorcycles shall not be operated three (3) or more abreast in a single lane."

The definitions in 31-5-102(a) apply "Except as otherwise provided, as used in this act." A "motorcycle" there "means any motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, excluding off-road recreation vehicles as defined in W.S. 31-1-101(a)(xv)(K) and electric bicycles, but including a motor vehicle designed as a recreational vehicle primarily for off-road use to be ridden astride and to travel on four (4) wheels."

The lane and passing rules for every vehicle

Staying in a lane. On a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes, W.S. 31-5-209(a)(i) provides that "A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until the driver has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety." Under 31-5-209(a)(iv), official traffic-control devices may prohibit lane changes on sections of roadway, and drivers must obey them.

Passing on the right. W.S. 31-5-206 reads:

"(a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (i) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; (ii) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle. (b) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting the movement in safety. The movement shall not be made by driving off the roadway."

Can you ride on the shoulder in Wyoming?

Start with the definition. Under W.S. 31-5-102(a)(xl), "Roadway" means "that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk, berm or shoulder." The traffic act has no separate definition of "shoulder"; the word appears inside the roadway definition.

Passing on the right is allowed only in the two situations 31-5-206(a) lists, and 31-5-206(b) says "The movement shall not be made by driving off the roadway." Because the shoulder is outside the roadway, passing on the right by riding on the shoulder is barred.

What happens if you are caught

The misdemeanor penalty

Sections 31-5-115, 31-5-206 and 31-5-209 do not set their own penalties, so the traffic act's general penalty section governs. W.S. 31-5-1201(a) says "It is a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of this act or rules and regulations authorized under this act unless the violation is by this act or other law of this state declared to be a felony." Subsection (b) sets the default punishment:

Under 31-5-1201(h), a person convicted of a violation for which a fine or penalty is set under that section also pays "a police officer continuing education and training fee of five dollars ($5.00)," in addition to the fine and any court fees (except as provided in 31-5-1201(d)(v)).

Bail on a traffic citation

Many Wyoming traffic tickets are resolved by posting bail under the Wyoming Supreme Court's Uniform Bail and Forfeiture Schedules (Appendix I to Rule 3.1 of the Wyoming Rules of Criminal Procedure, revised July 1, 2026). Unless the schedule lists a specific amount, bail is set by category, "including $20.00 court costs, a $40.00 court automation fee, and a $10.00 civil legal services fee":

The schedule lists 31-5-115 ("Motorcycle, autocycles and pedestrian vehicle operation"), 31-5-206 ("When overtaking on right is permitted") and 31-5-209 ("Two- and three-lane traffic") in category B ($100.00, of which $70.00 is court costs and fees). Speed too fast for conditions under 31-5-301(a) is category D ($250.00). Reckless driving under 31-5-229 has no bail line of its own. The schedule lists 31-5-115 as a whole, with no separate line for subsection (g), and it says "ANYTHING NOT LISTED ON THIS SCHEDULE IS A 'MUST APPEAR.'" Check the amount printed on your citation with the court. Bail is a posted amount, not the fine a judge imposes; a person who appears and is convicted faces the 31-5-1201(b) ranges above.

Paying the ticket and your license

Paying counts as a conviction for licensing purposes. Under W.S. 31-7-102(a), "Conviction" includes "(B) An unvacated forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure the person's appearance in court; (C) A plea of guilty or nolo contendere accepted by the court; (D) The payment of a fine or court cost," among other outcomes, "regardless of whether the penalty is rebated, suspended or probated."

Wyoming's licensing act, Title 31 chapter 7, contains no point scale. Instead, under 31-7-129(a)(i), "The division may suspend the license of any driver for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months if the licensee: (i) Is a repeated violator, such fact being established by a record of moving violations, accidents or by other evidence." Wyoming Department of Transportation rules on how that power is used are outside this page.

Work zones

The penalty section, 31-5-1201, sets a separate fine schedule for speeding in a construction zone (31-5-1201(d)(vii)), starting at $65 plus $2 for each mile per hour over the limit. It sets no separate construction-zone penalty for lane or passing violations.

Speed, careless driving and reckless driving

Each of these is a separate charge with its own elements; whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts.

Subsection 31-5-301(a) also requires "a safe and appropriate speed" when approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, going around a curve, approaching a hillcrest, traveling on a narrow or winding roadway, and when special hazards exist.

Aggressive driving. The section headings of Article 2 (31-5-201 through 31-5-238) and Article 3 (31-5-301 through 31-5-306) of the traffic act include no aggressive-driving or road-rage offense.

Has Wyoming changed the law recently?

None of the bills of the Legislature's 2025 general session or 2026 budget session carries "motorcycle" or "lane" in its short title, and the traffic-related acts enacted in those sessions dealt with subjects such as accident reporting, commercial and regular driver's licenses, and speed limits on unpaved roads. The 2025 unpaved-roads act (Senate File 32) amended 31-5-303, not 31-5-115.

Federal law and lane splitting

We found no federal statute or regulation that addresses lane splitting; the rules come from state traffic law.

If a crash happens

How a lane violation bears on fault and an injury claim is covered in our guide to Wyoming motorcycle accident laws. For the crash rules that apply to every driver, see Wyoming car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Wyoming motorcycle accident laws
• Wyoming car accident laws

This article provides general legal information about Wyoming law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Wyoming or the court named on your citation.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Wyoming?

No. W.S. 31-5-115(g) says no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. The exemptions are for police officers performing official duties (31-5-115(h)) and motorcycles in an officially authorized parade (31-5-115(q)).

Is lane filtering at a red light legal in Wyoming?

No. The ban in 31-5-115(g) covers riding between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles and has no exception for stopped traffic.

What is the fine for lane splitting in Wyoming?

It is a misdemeanor punished under W.S. 31-5-1201(b): a fine of up to $200 for a first conviction, up to $300 for a second of the same offense within one year, and up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both for a third or later within one year. A $5 training fee is added under 31-5-1201(h).

Can two motorcycles ride side by side in Wyoming?

Yes, by consent of both motorcycle drivers (31-5-115(e)). Three or more abreast in a single lane is prohibited by 31-5-115(j).

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Wyoming?

Passing on the right may not be made by driving off the roadway (31-5-206(b)), and 31-5-102(a)(xl) defines the roadway to exclude the sidewalk, berm or shoulder.

Does Wyoming use a driver's license point system?

The licensing act, Title 31 chapter 7, contains no point scale. Under 31-7-129(a)(i), the licensing division may suspend a repeated violator's license for up to 12 months based on a record of moving violations, accidents or other evidence.