Wyoming Has No Statewide E-Verify Mandate for Employers

The Wyoming Legislature has not adopted a general E-Verify mandate covering private sector employers, public employers, or state contractors, in contrast to states such as Arizona, Mississippi, and South Carolina that require enrollment. Wyoming employers must complete the federal Form I-9 for every new hire under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, but participation in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services E-Verify program is optional under state law. Federal contractors operating in Wyoming may be required to use E-Verify under the federal acquisition rule, and individual employers may voluntarily enroll. Because no statewide preemption blocks local action, a Wyoming city or county is not statutorily prevented from imposing its own contractor verification rules, but no broad municipal mandate currently exists, so the practical statewide standard is voluntary use.

Failure to complete the federal Form I-9 or knowingly hiring unauthorized workers exposes employers to federal civil and criminal penalties; Wyoming itself does not impose state penalties tied to E-Verify nonuse.