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Gifting a Car in Wyoming: What Changed in 2026

Wyoming just became meaningfully friendlier to family car gifts. Effective July 1, 2026, transfers to an immediate family member - spouse, parent or child (including step-relations), grandparent or grandchild, or sibling - are exempt from Wyoming sales and use tax. The catch: the exemption only applies if the giver already paid Wyoming sales or use tax on the vehicle at some point in its life, and you'll need proof - a past receipt or registration record - at the county treasurer's window.

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Your numbers

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Wyoming taxes a vehicle at the rate of the buyer's county of residence (the address on the title) - not the county where you bought it.

Official fees

Wyoming gift a car fee chart

Immediate-family gift, proof of prior tax paid

$0 tax

new exemption, effective 7/1/2026

Immediate-family gift, no proof available

4%–7% of fair market value

Gift to a friend, cousin, or partner (not immediate family)

4%–7% of fair market value

exemption does not apply

Certificate of title

$15

due regardless of exemption status

VIN inspection (out-of-state title)

$10

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county treasurer (WYDOT) - counties can add small local fees.

Official Wyoming forms you'll need

  • MV-300AApplication for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form

    No gift-specific form on WYDOT's titles/forms list; titles are issued by county clerks using the standard title application, with any gift/sales-tax question handled by the county treasurer.

Get the current version of each form from your county treasurer (WYDOT) before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.

Step by step

How to gift a car in Wyoming

  1. 1

    Confirm the recipient qualifies as immediate family: spouse, parent/child, step-relation, grandparent/grandchild, or sibling.

  2. 2

    Locate proof the giver already paid Wyoming sales or use tax on the vehicle - an old registration receipt or the prior title transaction works.

  3. 3

    Sign the title over, noting the transfer as a gift and recording the odometer reading.

  4. 4

    Take the title and proof of prior tax payment to the county treasurer within 65 days.

  5. 5

    Pay the $15 title fee; if the exemption applies, no sales tax is owed. If not, tax is assessed on fair market value.

New rule
Effective 7/1/2026
Eligible
Immediate family
Requires
Proof giver paid tax before
Without proof
Taxed on fair market value
Title fee
$15 either way

Overview

Without that proof, or if the recipient isn't immediate family, Wyoming taxes the transfer at the vehicle's fair market value, the same as it always has for gifts. Either way, the title transfer itself still costs the standard $15. The calculator below runs both scenarios so you know what to bring to the counter.

Same state, other costs

More Wyoming vehicle costs

Common questions

Wyoming gift a car FAQ

Is gifting a car to my child now tax-free in Wyoming?
Yes, as of July 1, 2026 - as long as you (the giver) already paid Wyoming sales or use tax on the vehicle at some point, and you bring proof of that to the county treasurer. Without proof, the county falls back to taxing the transfer on the vehicle's fair market value.
What counts as 'immediate family' under the new exemption?
Spouse, parent or stepparent, child or stepchild, grandparent or grandchild, and sibling or stepsibling. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, and unmarried partners don't qualify - those transfers are taxed at fair market value regardless of intent.
What if I never actually paid Wyoming tax on the car - I inherited it or moved here with it?
Then the family exemption's proof requirement isn't met, and the county treasurer taxes the gift at the vehicle's fair market value, same as before the law changed. Bring whatever documentation you have - a prior state's tax receipt sometimes satisfies the county's request; ask before assuming you don't qualify.
Does the $15 title fee ever get waived for gifts?
No - the title transfer fee applies to every ownership change regardless of whether sales tax is owed. Only the tax itself can be exempted.
Can I just sell the car to a friend for $1 instead of calling it a gift?
It won't reduce your tax bill - Wyoming counties assess tax on fair market value whenever the stated price looks token or nominal, and the family exemption doesn't extend to friends no matter how the paperwork is worded.
Does the recipient owe anything else after the gift?
Just the standard annual registration: the $30 state fee (car) plus the county fee based on the vehicle's original factory price and age - the gift exemption only covers the one-time sales/use tax, not ongoing registration.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by your county treasurer (WYDOT). Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.