Business Licensing & Operations in Cheyenne, WY: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Cheyenne or are thinking about moving there, business licensing & operations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Cheyenne has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of business licensing & operations, and some of them might surprise you.

Pawnbrokers

Cheyenne pawnbrokers must hold a city license, post a $1,000 bond, and pay a $155 annual fee per location before opening.

Key details: Annual license fee: $155 per location. Required bond: $1,000. State loan license: Also required (UCCC). Licensing office: City Clerk.

Operating as a pawnbroker without the city license or required bond violates Chapter 5.56; the chief of police enforces recordkeeping and inspection duties under the same chapter.

This is one of the stricter rules in Cheyenne's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Towing Companies

Cheyenne requires every towing and wrecker recovery operation to hold a current city clerk business license, undergo a police background check, carry DOT-level insurance, and meet rotation-list equipment and response standards under Chapter 5.78.

Key details: License required: City clerk business license, Ch. 5.78. Annual fee: $90 per business location (5.08.270). General penalty: Up to $750 fine or 6 months jail. First rotation violation: 6-month suspension from tow rotation list. Response time: Arrive within 30-45 minutes of call.

Operating without a license, or violating chapter requirements, is a misdemeanor: up to a $750 fine, six months in jail, or both (5.78.070); rotation-list violations bring separate suspensions.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Cheyenne actively enforces its towing companies requirements.

Adult Entertainment

Cheyenne requires a $500/year city license for sexually oriented businesses and bans them within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, parks, day cares, homes, or each other.

Key details: License fee: $500 per year. Spacing from schools/churches/parks: 1,000 feet. Spacing between such businesses: 1,000 feet. Max per building: One business. Max penalty: $750 fine, 6 months jail.

Operating without a license, or in violation of the location/spacing rules, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $750 fine, up to six months incarceration, or both; each day is a separate offense (5.64.210).

Compared to other cities, Cheyenne takes a harder line on adult entertainment. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Tattoo & Body Modification

Cheyenne requires every body art establishment and each individual body artist to hold a separate city license or permit, pass police and health department review, before any tattooing, piercing, or branding is performed for pay.

Key details: Establishment license: $165 per year. Body artist permit: $75 per year. Temporary establishment license: $100 per 14 days. Minimum patron age: 18 years. Minimum work room size: 100 square feet.

Operating or performing body art without a valid license/permit is a misdemeanor under City Code § 1.24.010, with each day of violation a separate offense; existing licenses/permits also face suspension or revocation for noncompliance.

This is one of the stricter rules in Cheyenne's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Tobacco Retail License

Cheyenne requires every vape and nicotine product retailer to hold an annual city license per location under Chapter 5.77: selling without one is a misdemeanor, and mobile or foot-based sales are barred outright.

Key details: License fee (per location): $65 per year (5.08.240). Mobile/foot vending: prohibited entirely. Minimum sale age: 21 years old. Vending machines: adults-only premises only. 1st violation fee: $100, up to $750 repeat.

Selling without a license is a misdemeanor under the general penalty chapter; repeat convictions add administrative fees of $100 to $750 and can trigger license suspension or revocation.

This is one of the stricter rules in Cheyenne's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Secondhand Dealers

Cheyenne requires an $80 annual license for anyone buying, selling, or exchanging used personal property, with detailed transaction records and hold periods before resale.

Key details: Annual license fee: $80 per location. Hold period, general items: 3 days minimum. Hold period, coins/jewelry: 7 days minimum. Records inspected by: Chief of police / officers. Pawnbrokers: Exempt from this license.

Operating as a secondhand dealer without the license, or failing to keep and produce the required purchase records, violates Chapter 5.60 and is enforceable under the city's general penalty provision (Chapter 1.24).

Massage Establishments

Cheyenne requires a separate city license for every massage business establishment plus an individual permit for each massage therapist, both backed by a police background investigation.

Key details: Business license fee: $135 per location, annual. Therapist permit fee: $115, annual. Allowed hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. only. Background check: Police investigation required. Max penalty: $750 fine, 6 months jail.

Operating or working without the required license/permit, or violating chapter operating rules, is a misdemeanor under the city's general penalty: up to a $750 fine and/or 6 months in jail, each day a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Cheyenne actively enforces its massage establishments requirements.

The Bottom Line

Cheyenne is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 6 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Cheyenne, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Cheyenne's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.