Closing costs in Wyoming: what buyers and sellers pay

Why there is no single “typical” total

Some closing costs come from a rule: county recording fees, and property taxes prorated by law or by contract. Others are set by private companies and vary: lender charges, title premiums, escrow fees, inspections, surveys and brokerage compensation. So the total depends mostly on your loan, your contract and your closing date.

Two federal forms show the variable pieces. The lender must give you a Loan Estimate “within three business days of receiving your application,” and you must receive the Closing Disclosure “at least three business days before you close” (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). For a general walk-through of each line, see closing costs explained.

Line by line: what each cost is

Lender charges. Origination, appraisal, credit report and underwriting fees are set by the lender and its vendors. Compare them on the Loan Estimate.

Title insurance. Wyoming does not set one price. Each title insurer files its premium rate schedule with the insurance commissioner, who approves it if the rates are not inadequate, excessive or unfairly discriminatory (W.S. 26-23-325 and 26-23-326). Neither insurers nor title agents may charge a premium except under the approved schedule. Each must print and make its current schedule of premiums and charges available to the public (W.S. 26-23-327). So ask two or three providers for their schedule and a quote. See our title insurance guide.

Recording fees. The county clerk collects $12.00 for the first page of an instrument and $3.00 for each additional page, with small extra charges for long lists of names or descriptions (W.S. 18-3-402(a)(xvi)).

Transfer tax. None in the statutes we read. Instead, the buyer files a sworn statement of the price when the deed is recorded (W.S. 34-1-142). Our transfer tax page has the details.

Escrow, closing and survey. We found no Wyoming schedule that fixes these fees, so they depend on the provider and your contract. See what a land survey costs.

Attorney. Whether to involve one is covered in Wyoming real estate attorney.

Property tax proration and escrow deposits. Wyoming taxes are paid in two halves, payable from November 10 and May 10 (W.S. 39-13-107(b)(i)). If the contract says nothing, the seller pays the tax for the year when the property is conveyed on or after January 1 (W.S. 39-13-107(b)(i)(E)). Most contracts handle this by proration instead, so read yours. Lenders often collect tax and insurance deposits in an escrow account. The tax amount depends on your parcel; see Wyoming property tax.

Who pays what in Wyoming

The statutes we read assign only one cost by default: property tax, as described above. Everything else is set by the purchase contract between buyer and seller, and the lender’s charges are the buyer’s by the loan terms. Brokerage compensation is negotiated; see real estate commission. The Closing Disclosure shows who pays each line.