Whether your Wyoming business needs workers compensation comes down to your industry, not how many people you employ. Wyoming requires it, from your very first employee and before work begins, if the kind of work you do is on the state's extra-hazardous list, which covers most construction and skilled trades, and you buy it only from the state fund at the Department of Workforce Services (DWS). If your industry is not on that list, coverage is optional, and you can elect to cover your whole team. The part that surprises owners is that you cannot shop for it, because DWS is the only seller, so the real work is opening your account correctly and covering the right people.
Who this is for: Any Wyoming owner trying to figure out whether the law requires a policy, who has to be on it, and how the state-only system changes the usual advice.
The short version
- Wyoming goes by industry, not headcount. Extra-hazardous work needs coverage from the first employee; other industries can elect in.
- You buy from the state fund at DWS only, because private companies cannot sell the mandatory coverage in Wyoming.
- Owners are left off by default and file a state form to opt in, unlike states where owners are automatically covered.
- Part-time and seasonal workers in covered work count; there is no hours minimum. Only true casual labor is left out.
- The state fund pays a hurt worker's benefits but will not defend you if a worker sues, so many owners add a private coverage for that, called stop-gap employers liability.
When Wyoming requires coverage
The trigger is the type of work, set by your industry code. Wyoming lists certain industries as extra-hazardous, and an employer in one of those industries must carry coverage from its first employee, with no waiting period and no size below which you are exempt. Full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers in that work all count. A narrow set of workers sits outside the rules no matter the industry: a spouse or dependent who lives in your household, a private household worker, a private-duty nurse, a professional athlete, someone you have correctly classified as an independent contractor, and true casual labor, meaning work that lasts less than two weeks in a row and is not part of your normal business. If your industry is not on the extra-hazardous list, you are not required to carry state coverage, but you may elect to cover all of your employees.
Who has to be covered
| Person | Covered in Wyoming? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Your employees in extra-hazardous work | Yes, from the first day | No headcount minimum; part-time and seasonal count |
| You, the owner | Not by default | Sole proprietors, partners, officers, and LLC members file a state form to opt in |
| A worker you call a 1099 contractor | Often yes | Treated as your employee unless the state's three-part contractor test is met |
| A spouse or dependent living in your home | Generally not | Household and domestic workers sit outside the rules; you may still elect coverage |
Why the state-only system changes your plan
In most states you would compare carriers and prices. In Wyoming there is nothing to compare, because DWS is the only place to buy. That shifts where the savings are: making sure your people are reported in the correct kind of work, since rates vary a lot by trade, and reporting payroll accurately so you are not billed for more at audit. It also means one coverage is missing from the state policy. DWS pays an injured worker's medical care and lost wages, but it does not hire a lawyer to defend you if someone sues you over a workplace injury, so many employers add a stop-gap employers liability endorsement to their general liability policy to fill that gap.
A Laramie example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Laramie cafe owner hires two part-time cooks. Restaurant kitchen work falls on the extra-hazardous list, so Wyoming requires coverage before their first shift even though nobody is full-time, and the owner opens a DWS account and reports their wages. The owner also adds stop-gap employers liability to the shop's general liability policy so a lawsuit over an injury would be defended. See our workers comp for restaurants page.
Real questions Wyoming owners ask
Do I really need workers comp in Wyoming with just one worker?
If your industry is extra-hazardous, yes. Wyoming requires coverage from your first employee in that work, with no headcount minimum. Part-time and seasonal workers count, and you buy the coverage from the state fund at DWS.
Can I buy Wyoming workers comp from a private insurance company?
No, not the mandatory coverage. Wyoming is a state-fund state, so it is sold only through the Department of Workforce Services, known as DWS. You open a state account instead of shopping carriers, and there is no assigned-risk pool, the last-resort coverage other states use for businesses no insurer will take.
How does Wyoming decide if I need coverage?
By your industry, not your headcount. The state lists certain industries as extra-hazardous based on your industry code. If your work is on that list, coverage is required from the first employee. If not, you can elect to cover everyone.
Do I need to cover myself as the owner?
Usually not by default. Sole proprietors, partners, corporation officers, and LLC members are left off unless they file a state form to opt in. Your employees in covered work must always be covered.
Are part-time or seasonal workers exempt in Wyoming?
No. Wyoming has no part-time or seasonal exception. Anyone doing extra-hazardous work for pay is generally a covered employee from day one. Only true casual labor, under two weeks and outside your normal business, is left out.
What is not covered by the state workers comp policy?
DWS pays a hurt worker's medical bills and lost wages, but it does not defend you if you are sued over an injury. Owners add a stop-gap employers liability endorsement to their liability policy to cover that.
Does hiring my first worker change my insurance?
If you do extra-hazardous work, yes. The first employee triggers the duty to open a DWS account and report payroll, and it is a good time to add stop-gap employers liability and confirm your general liability limits with the people you contract with.
Why Wyoming owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Wyoming, mandatory workers compensation is sold only through the state, by the Department of Workforce Services (DWS), with no private carrier selling that mandatory coverage, so we help you open and run your state account correctly and place the stop-gap employers liability and other business coverages the state fund does not include.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Wyoming guides
Every Wyoming business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Wyoming (start here)
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- Remote or out-of-state staff: do I need coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- Workers comp vs employers liability
- Wyoming restaurant workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Wyoming rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS), Workers' Compensation Division or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.