Wyoming Reckless Driving Laws: Fines, Jail and License Suspension

Wyoming makes reckless driving a misdemeanor under Wyoming Statutes 31-5-229: driving "any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property" is punishable under W.S. 31-5-1201(f) by a fine of up to $750, up to six months in jail, or both. A conviction also requires the state to suspend the driver's license for 90 days, or six months for a second conviction within five years (W.S. 31-7-128), while the lesser offense of careless driving (W.S. 31-5-236) carries the general traffic penalty of a fine up to $200 for a first conviction.

Information last verified on 2026-10-25. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Wyoming state statutes on reckless driving (W.S. 31-5-229 and 31-5-1201(f)), careless driving (W.S. 31-5-236), speed contests (W.S. 24-1-110), the license suspension and revocation rules in W.S. 31-7, fleeing police, and driving without a valid license. It does not cover DUI penalties (see Wyoming DUI laws), homicide offenses (see Wyoming manslaughter laws), leaving the scene of a crash (see Wyoming hit-and-run laws), city or county ordinances, WYDOT administrative rules, or commercial-driver and federal rules beyond a short note. For other states, see reckless driving laws by state.

What is reckless driving in Wyoming?

Wyoming's reckless driving statute is one sentence. W.S. 31-5-229 provides:

"Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving." W.S. 31-5-229

The offense has two parts: driving a vehicle, and doing it with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of people or property. The section lists no specific acts and names no speed.

Wyoming's criminal code defines "recklessly" separately, in W.S. 6-1-104(a)(ix): a person "consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the harm he is accused of causing will occur, and the harm results," where disregarding the risk "constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation." Section 31-5-229 does not use that word or refer to that definition; it uses the phrase "willful or wanton disregard."

Where the reckless driving law applies

Most of Wyoming's rules of the road apply only on highways. W.S. 31-5-103(a)(ii) makes an exception: "The provisions of W.S. 31-5-225, 31-5-229, 31-5-233 and 31-5-1101 through 31-5-1112 apply upon highways and elsewhere throughout the state." Reckless driving (31-5-229), fleeing police (31-5-225) and DUI (31-5-233) therefore reach driving elsewhere in the state, not only on highways.

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Wyoming? Penalties

Yes. Section 31-5-229 does not state its own penalty. The penalty is in a separate section, W.S. 31-5-1201(f):

"Any person convicted of violating W.S. 31-5-229 shall be punished by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both." W.S. 31-5-1201(f)

Two points about that penalty:

• The lower default does not apply. The general traffic penalty in W.S. 31-5-1201(b), a fine up to $200 for a first conviction, covers offenses "for which another penalty is not provided." Reckless driving has its own penalty in subsection (f).
• There is no repeat or injury tier in the criminal penalty. A second reckless driving conviction carries the same fine and jail range. What escalates is the license consequence, covered below.

Wyoming defines felonies as crimes punishable by "imprisonment for more than one (1) year," and "All other crimes are misdemeanors" (W.S. 6-10-101). Reckless driving, with a six-month maximum, is a misdemeanor.

Related offenses that can be more serious

• Fleeing or attempting to elude police. Under W.S. 31-5-225(a) and (b), a driver who "willfully fails or refuses to bring his vehicle to a stop, or who otherwise flees or attempts to elude a pursuing police vehicle" after a visual or audible signal commits a misdemeanor punishable by up to $750, six months, or both. Under subsections (c) and (d), aggravated fleeing (a prior fleeing conviction, attempting to cause or intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to another person, or causing more than $10,000 in damage to another person's property) is a felony punishable by up to $5,000, five years, or both.
• Reckless endangering. Under W.S. 6-2-504(a), a person who "recklessly engages in conduct which places another person in danger of death or serious bodily injury" is guilty of reckless endangering, which subsection (c) makes "a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year." The section does not mention vehicles.
• A death. When driving causes a death, the homicide-by-vehicle statute, W.S. 6-2-106, applies, including its aggravated form for a driver who "operates or drives a vehicle in a reckless manner, and his conduct is the proximate cause of the death of another person"; see Wyoming manslaughter laws.

How fast is reckless driving in Wyoming?

Title 31 of the Wyoming Statutes sets no speed at which driving becomes reckless by itself. The reckless driving section has no speed element, and the speed-limit statute, W.S. 31-5-301, has no reckless threshold.

Speed is governed by two rules instead:

• Reasonable and prudent speed. W.S. 31-5-301(a) provides that "No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing."
• Maximum limits. Except when a special hazard requires a lower speed, W.S. 31-5-301(b) sets maximums including 20 mph in a marked school zone, 30 mph in an urban or residence district, 75 mph on interstate highways (with exceptions in the statute), and, where no other limit is set, 65 mph on paved roads and 55 mph on unpaved roads.

Speeding is fined on a schedule that rises with the speed. For example, W.S. 31-5-1201(d)(vi)(D) fines speeds "more than twenty (20) miles per hour over the legal speed limit" at "ninety-five dollars ($95.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) for each mile per hour in excess of twenty (20) miles per hour over the legal speed limit plus assessed fees and costs." No speed on that schedule is labeled reckless driving.

License suspension for reckless driving in Wyoming

Wyoming has no demerit-point system: Title 31 contains no point schedule, and license consequences are tied to specific convictions instead. For reckless driving, they are mandatory.

Mandatory suspension and revocation

W.S. 31-7-128(a) provides that the licensing division "shall suspend the license or nonresident operating privilege of any driver upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction under W.S. 31-5-229, a similar local ordinance or a similar statute or ordinance in another jurisdiction":

The suspension applies to convictions under a similar local ordinance or another state's similar law as well as under Section 31-5-229. A person whose license is revoked must also, "for a three (3) year period beginning on the date of revocation, file and maintain proof of financial responsibility as required in W.S. 31-9-401 through 31-9-414" (W.S. 31-7-127(c)).

The same one-year revocation applies on conviction of "Any felony which is the direct result of the manner in which a motor vehicle is driven" and on a conviction for homicide by vehicle under W.S. 6-2-106 or a similar statute in another jurisdiction (W.S. 31-7-127(a)(i), (vii), (b)).

Discretionary suspension for repeated violations

Separately, under W.S. 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 ... Is a repeated violator, such fact being established by a record of moving violations, accidents or by other evidence." The statute does not define a number of violations.

Commercial drivers

Wyoming defines a commercial driver's "serious traffic violation" to include "Reckless driving as defined by W.S. 31-5-229" (W.S. 31-7-102(a)(xli)(B)). Under W.S. 31-7-305(f), a person "may be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period of not less than sixty (60) days if convicted of two (2) serious traffic violations or one hundred twenty (120) days if convicted of three (3) serious traffic violations," arising from separate incidents within three years.

Federal motor carrier rules (49 C.F.R. 383.51(c)) set the same 60- and 120-day periods, and count a conviction in a personal vehicle only "if the conviction results in the revocation, cancellation, or suspension" of the license or non-commercial driving privileges. On federal enclaves, the Assimilative Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. 13) applies Wyoming law to acts Congress has not made punishable; the reckless driving laws by state hub covers the federal layer.

Careless driving in Wyoming

Careless driving is a separate and lower offense. W.S. 31-5-236 provides:

"Any person who drives any vehicle in a manner inconsistent with the exercise of due and diligent care normally exercised by a reasonably prudent person under similar circumstances and where such operation of a motor vehicle creates an unreasonable risk of harm to other persons or property is guilty of careless driving." W.S. 31-5-236

The differences from reckless driving:

• Standard. Careless driving measures conduct against "due and diligent care" of a reasonably prudent person. Reckless driving requires "willful or wanton disregard."
• Penalty. Section 31-5-236 has no penalty of its own, so the general traffic penalty in W.S. 31-5-1201(b) applies: a fine of not more than $200 for a first conviction, not more than $300 for a second conviction of the same offense within one year, and not more than $500, up to six months, or both for a third or later conviction within one year after the first. Under W.S. 31-5-1201(a), a violation of the motor vehicle act is a misdemeanor.
• License. The mandatory suspension in W.S. 31-7-128 applies to reckless driving convictions, not careless driving.

The rules of the road in W.S. 31-5 contain no separate aggressive-driving offense.

Street racing and exhibitions of speed in Wyoming

Wyoming's racing statute is in Title 24, the highways title. W.S. 24-1-110(a) provides that "No person shall engage in any motor vehicle speed or acceleration contest, or exhibition of speed or acceleration on any highway without approval of such use by the governing body in charge of said highway," and bars aiding or abetting such a contest. Subsection (b) bars obstructing a highway or placing a barricade "for the purpose of facilitating or aiding or as an incident to" a speed contest without approval.

The penalty is low. Under W.S. 24-1-110(c), a violator "shall upon conviction be fined not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than ten (10) days or both." W.S. 31-18-705 applies the same rule and penalty to operators of commercial vehicles.

The rules of the road in W.S. 31-5 contain no separate street-takeover or drifting offense.

Closure violations treated as reckless driving

One Wyoming statute treats other conduct as reckless driving for license purposes. Under W.S. 24-1-109(d), a person who willfully fails to observe a sign or direction closing a road to light and high-profile vehicles or for other weight-based closures is guilty of a misdemeanor, with a fine of $1,000 and up to 30 days for a first offense. For a second or later offense within three years, W.S. 24-1-109(d)(ii) sets a fine of $2,500 and up to 30 days, and provides: "For purposes of any driver licensing action, a conviction under this paragraph shall be deemed reckless driving under W.S. 31-5-229".

Does Wyoming have a wet reckless?

No. Neither the reckless driving section (W.S. 31-5-229) nor the DUI statute (W.S. 31-5-233) contains a provision on an alcohol-related reckless driving plea, and no DUI provision treats a reckless driving conviction as a prior DUI. The only statute that links the two offenses is W.S. 31-7-134(c), which sets the same enhanced penalty for driving during a suspension that arose from either a reckless driving or a DUI conviction (see below). For impaired-driving penalties, see Wyoming DUI laws.

Driving without a license in Wyoming

• No license. W.S. 31-7-106(a) provides that no person, unless exempt, may drive a motor vehicle on a highway "unless the person has been issued a driver's license for the class and type and applicable endorsements valid for the motor vehicle being driven." Under the general penalty in W.S. 31-7-136, "Except as otherwise provided by this act, any person who violates any provision of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00)."
• License not in possession. W.S. 31-7-116 provides that "no person charged with violating this section shall be convicted if he produces in court a driver's license previously issued to him and valid at the time of his arrest."
• Suspended, revoked or invalid license. Under W.S. 31-7-134(a), driving on a public highway while a license is "cancelled, suspended, deemed invalid or revoked" is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $750, up to six months, or both.
• Driving during a reckless driving or DUI suspension. W.S. 31-7-134(c) applies to a second violation during the same suspension or revocation period, and to "a person convicted of driving during a period of cancellation, suspension or revocation arising from a previous conviction under W.S. 31-5-229 or 31-5-233 or other substantially similar law of any other jurisdiction." That person "shall be imprisoned for not less than seven (7) days nor more than six (6) months," is not eligible for probation, suspension of sentence or other release until at least seven days have been served in jail, and "shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00)."

Because a reckless driving conviction carries a mandatory suspension under W.S. 31-7-128, driving during that suspension falls under the enhanced tier in Section 31-7-134(c).

Wyoming reckless driving and related offenses: penalty table

Wyoming's default misdemeanor penalty is in W.S. 6-10-103: "Unless a different penalty is prescribed by law, every crime declared to be a misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both." Most of the offenses above set their own ranges. For the full class table, see Wyoming felony and misdemeanor classes.

Recent changes

• Reckless and careless driving. No act of the Wyoming Legislature from 2021 through 2026 amended W.S. 31-5-229, 31-5-236, 31-5-1201 or the reckless driving suspension in W.S. 31-7-128.
• 2025: invalid out-of-state licenses. 2025 Wyo. Laws ch. 83 (HB0116), effective July 1, 2025, added "deemed invalid" to the driving-while-suspended offense in W.S. 31-7-134(a) and created W.S. 31-7-143, under which certain out-of-state licenses issued to unauthorized aliens are "deemed invalid as a driver's license or operating privilege document under the laws of this state."
• 2022: other states' convictions. 2022 Wyo. Laws ch. 80 (HB0071), effective July 1, 2022, amended W.S. 31-7-134(c) so that the enhanced driving-while-suspended tier also counts "other substantially similar law of any other jurisdiction."

Related Wyoming laws

• Reckless driving laws by state
• Wyoming DUI laws
• Wyoming manslaughter laws
• Wyoming felony and misdemeanor classes
• Wyoming hit-and-run laws
• Wyoming expungement laws

This article is general legal information about Wyoming law, not legal advice. For a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Wyoming, or the Wyoming Department of Transportation for driver's license questions.

Last updated: 2026-10-25.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Wyoming?

Yes. Reckless driving under W.S. 31-5-229 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $750, up to six months in jail, or both (W.S. 31-5-1201(f)).

What counts as reckless driving in Wyoming?

Driving any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property (W.S. 31-5-229). The section applies on highways and elsewhere in the state (W.S. 31-5-103(a)(ii)).

How fast is reckless driving in Wyoming?

Title 31 sets no speed at which driving becomes reckless by itself. Speeding is a separate offense fined on a per-mph schedule in W.S. 31-5-1201(d).

Does reckless driving suspend your license in Wyoming?

W.S. 31-7-128 requires the division to impose a 90-day suspension for a first reckless driving conviction and six months for a second within five years; a third within five years brings a one-year revocation under W.S. 31-7-127.

How many points is reckless driving in Wyoming?

None. Wyoming's licensing statutes have no point system. License consequences are tied to specific convictions, and the division may suspend a repeated violator for up to 12 months (W.S. 31-7-129).

What is the difference between careless and reckless driving in Wyoming?

Careless driving (W.S. 31-5-236) is driving without the due and diligent care of a reasonably prudent person, with a first-conviction fine of up to $200. Reckless driving requires willful or wanton disregard for safety and carries up to $750, six months, or both, plus a mandatory license suspension.

Is street racing illegal in Wyoming?

Yes. W.S. 24-1-110 bars speed or acceleration contests and exhibitions of speed on a highway without approval of the governing body. The penalty is a fine of $10 to $100, up to 10 days in county jail, or both.

Does Wyoming have a wet reckless?

No. Neither the reckless driving section nor the DUI statute, W.S. 31-5-233, has a provision on an alcohol-related reckless driving plea.

What is the penalty for driving on a suspended license in Wyoming?

A fine of up to $750, up to six months, or both (W.S. 31-7-134(a)). Driving during a suspension that arose from a reckless driving or DUI conviction carries seven days to six months, with at least seven days served, and a fine of $200 to $750 (W.S. 31-7-134(c)).