Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons

Wyo. Stat. Ann. tit. 33, ch. 28
in effect

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-101 Short title; license required.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Real Estate License Act." It is unlawful for any person to engage in or conduct, directly or indirectly, or to advertise or hold himself out as engaging in real estate activity or acting in the capacity of a licensee within this state without first obtaining a license as provided in this act.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-102 Definitions.

(a) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (b) As used in this act: (i) "Active license" means a real estate license that has not been inactivated, suspended or revoked; (ii) "Advance fee" means a fee claimed, charged or received for a listing, advertisement or offer to sell or lease real estate issued primarily for promoting the sale or lease of real estate; (iii) "Aggregate limit" means a provision in an insurance contract limiting the maximum liability of an insurer for a series of losses in a given time period, such as the policy term; (iv) "Associate broker" means an individual who has qualified as an associate broker under this act, is licensed by the commission under a responsible broker and does not have supervisory responsibilities; (v) "Auction," when used as a noun, means a method of sale at a predetermined date and time, by means of one (1) or more exchanges between an auctioneer and prospective purchasers either in person verbally or physically, or by regular mail, telecommunications, the internet or an electronic transmission, the exchanges consisting of one (1) or more offers to sell made by the auctioneer and offers to purchase made by prospective purchasers, with the right to acceptance of offers to purchase residing with the auctioneer. "Auction" includes a sale of real estate in which there has been a solicitation or invitation by advertisement to the public in advance for bidding using sealed bids, provided that the bids are opened and there is a call for an advancement of the bids. "Auction" when used as a verb, means any act or conduct done for compensation or the expectation thereof and designed, intended or expected to affect the bidding or results of a real estate auction, including, but not limited to, serving as an auctioneer or ringman or encouraging, soliciting or receiving bids; (vi) "Branch office" means any office location of a real estate company that is separate from a principal office and supervised by a responsible broker; (vii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 166, § 2. (viii) "Buyer" means a person attempting to acquire real estate and includes a tenant as that term is commonly used in the rental, leasing or management of real estate; (ix) "Buyer's agent" means a licensee who is authorized to represent and act on behalf of the buyer in a real estate transaction; (x) "Commission" means the Wyoming real estate commission; (xi) "Compensation" means any money, item of value or payment which is provided, promised or expected for the performance of any real estate activity; (xii) "Cooperative transaction" means any real estate transaction in which licensees from more than one (1) real estate company participate, regardless of agency representation; (xiii) "Customer" means a person who has expressed an interest in buying, selling or leasing real estate or who attends a showing of real estate without any agency relationship or a party to a real estate transaction who has established no intermediary or agency relationship with any licensee involved in the transaction; (xiv) "Degree in real estate" means a degree from an accredited degree granting college or university, including a junior or community college, with a major course of study in real estate. A degree under this section shall at minimum require the successful completion of four (4) core courses of real estate principles and practices, real estate law, real estate appraisal and real estate finance, plus at least two (2) additional real estate related courses. These courses shall total at least eighteen (18) or more semester hours or twenty-seven (27) quarter hours; (xv) "Designated licensee" means a licensee who is designated in writing by a responsible broker to serve as an agent for a seller or a buyer or as an intermediary in a real estate transaction; (xvi) "Distance education course" means a course where instruction takes place when the teacher and the student are not in a traditional classroom setting and are separated by distance or time; (xvii) "Equivalent coverage" means insurance coverage obtained independently of the group program available through the insurer under contract with the commission and subject to the provisions of this act; (xviii) "Errors and omissions insurance" means professional liability insurance which provides insurance coverage to active licensees for errors and omissions made during the course of real estate transactions subject to the coverages, limitations and exclusions of the specific policy; (xix) "Expired license" means a license for which the license period has expired; (xx) "Extended reporting period" means a designated period of time after a claims-made policy has expired during which a claim may be made and coverage obtained as if the claim was made during the policy period; (xxi) "Funds holder" means a title company, closing agent or attorney licensed in this state who holds items of value in trust for the parties to a real estate transaction; (xxii) "Grace period" means January 1 to March 1 of each year during which an expired license may be renewed; (xxiii) "Group program" means an insurance policy from an insurance provider selected by the commission through the competitive process as specified in this act; (xxiv) "Inactive license" means a license that has been placed on inactive status at the request of the licensee and is not expired, terminated, suspended or revoked; (xxv) "Individual coverage" means insurance coverage other than coverage from the group program which meets the requirements of the commission; (xxvi) "In-house real estate transaction" means a real estate transaction in which the buyer and the seller have an agency, intermediary or customer relationship with licensees from the same real estate company; (xxvii) "Interest in a transaction" means any advantage, benefit or profit, other than the agreed upon compensation, which may be realized by a licensee as the result of a purchase, sale or lease of real estate; (xxviii) "Intermediary" means a licensee who assists one (1) or more parties throughout a contemplated real estate transaction without acting as an agent or advocate for any party to the transaction; (xxix) "License" means the document issued by the commission certifying that the person named by the person's legal name on the document had fulfilled all requirements for licensure under this act; (xxx) "Licensee" means any person issued a license by the commission; (xxxi) "Like-license" means a license from another jurisdiction which is at an equivalent level of experience and responsibility as a comparable Wyoming license; (xxxii) "Material to the transaction" means having importance, relevance or consequence to a person making a decision regarding the purchase, sale or lease of real estate. "Material to the transaction" does not include psychological considerations including, but not limited to, health issues, suicide, murder or crimes which have occurred on the property; (xxxiii) "Offer" means any inducement, solicitation or attempt to encourage a person to acquire an interest in real estate which is made for gain or profit; (xxxiv) "Offeree" means a person to whom an offer is made; (xxxv) "Offeror" means the person making an offer; (xxxvi) "Office" means a responsible broker's place of business where records are maintained; (xxxvii) "Option" is a right that an owner may give to another person to purchase or lease the owner's real estate at a specific price; (xxxviii) "Owner" means a person with a right to convey an ownership or leasehold interest in real estate; (xxxix) "Person" means individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations or other public or private entities, foreign or domestic; (xl) "Prior acts coverage" means insurance coverage for any claim made during a current policy period when the act or acts causing the claim or injuries for which the claim is made occurred prior to the inception of the current policy period; (xli) "Proof of coverage" means a certificate of insurance demonstrating coverage of a policy of insurance equal to or exceeding the group coverage contracted for by the commission; (xlii) "Property management" means the act of management for compensation of real estate for another, including collection of rents, maintenance of the real estate and accounting of fees received for another; (xliii) "Qualified insurance carrier" means an insurance carrier that: (A) For the entire term of its contract shall provide the group plan of errors and omission insurance as provided in this act, maintains an A.M. Best rating of "B" or better and financial size category of class VI or higher; (B) Is authorized by the Wyoming insurance department to do business in Wyoming as an insurance carrier for the policy term; (C) Is and will remain qualified and authorized by the Wyoming insurance department to write policies of errors and omissions insurance in Wyoming for the policy term; (D) After competitive bidding, has been notified by the commission that it is the successful bidder for the group plan to provide the errors and omissions insurance as specified in this act; (E) Has entered into a contract to provide group errors and omissions plan in conformity with the contract, this act, applicable rules of the commission and other applicable law; (F) Will collect premiums, maintain records and report names of those insured and a record of claims to the commission on a timely basis. (xliv) "Real estate" means leaseholds, as well as any other interest or estate in land, whether corporeal, incorporeal, freehold or nonfreehold, and whether the real estate is situated in this state or elsewhere but shall not apply to nor include mineral lands, rights or leases; (xlv) "Real estate activity" occurs when an individual for another and for compensation performs any one or more of the following: (A) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, manages or leases real estate; (B) Offers to sell, exchange, purchase, rent, manage or lease real estate; (C) Negotiates, offers, attempts or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental or leasing of real estate; (D) Lists, offers, attempts or agrees to list real estate for sale, lease or exchange; (E) Auctions, offers, attempts or agrees to auction real estate; (F) Collects, offers, attempts or agrees to collect rent for the use of real estate; (G) Advertises or holds himself out as being engaged in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, auctioning, renting or leasing real estate; (H) Engages in the business of charging an advance fee in connection with any contract undertaken to promote the sale, auction or lease of real estate either through its listing in a publication issued for that purpose or for referral of information concerning the real estate to responsible brokers, associate brokers and salespersons; (J) Buys, sells, offers to buy or sell or otherwise deals in options on real estate or improvements thereon; (K) Assists or directs in the procuring of prospects calculated to result in the sale, exchange, lease or rental of real estate; (M) Assists or directs in the negotiation of any transaction calculated or intended to result in the sale, exchange, lease or rental of real estate; (N) Deals in time shares; (O) Provides a broker's price opinion as provided in W.S. 33-28-125. (xlvi) "Real estate company" means a domestic or foreign business entity that is authorized to conduct business in Wyoming and licensed by the commission to conduct real estate activity; (xlvii) "Real estate transaction" or "transaction" means any real estate activity under this section; (xlviii) "Regular employee" means an individual who is employed by an owner of real estate on a salaried basis or paid wages which are not performance based, is subject to income tax withholding and FICA and whose duties are performed in the ordinary course of the owner's business or the management or operation of the owner's investments; (xlix) "Responsible broker" means an individual who has an active responsible broker's license and who is responsible for the supervision of the activities of licensees associated with the real estate company or a responsible broker who operates a single license office or sole proprietorship; (l) "Retroactive date" means the date when the first real estate errors and omissions coverage was effective insuring the named insured on a claims-made basis and since which time the insured has been continuously insured; (li) "Salesperson" means an individual who has qualified as a salesperson under this act and is licensed by the commission under a responsible broker; (lii) "Seller" means a person who is attempting to sell or exchange real estate and includes a landlord as that term is commonly used in the rental, leasing or management of real estate; (liii) "Seller's agent" means a licensee who is authorized to represent and act for the seller in a real estate transaction; (liv) "Short term rental" means the rental of real estate for thirty-one (31) days or less; (lv) "Single-limit liability" means the maximum limit payable, per licensee, for damages arising out of the same error, omission or wrongful act; (lvi) "Subagent" means a licensee authorized to represent and act on behalf of a real estate company in performing real estate activity for a principal. A subagent shall owe the same obligations and responsibilities to the principal as a responsible broker; (lvii) "Surrendered license" means a license that has been voluntarily terminated or surrendered by a licensee who, at the time of the voluntary termination or surrender, was under investigation or named in a formal administrative complaint and the surrender has been accepted by the commission; (lviii) "Suspended license" means a license that has been temporarily suspended by the issuing authority; (lix) "Time share" means any arrangement, whether by membership agreement, lease, rental agreement, license, use agreement or other means, whereby the purchaser receives a right to use or a freehold interest in accommodations, facilities or other real estate for a specific period of time during any given year, but not necessarily for consecutive years, and which extends for a period of more than one (1) year; (lx) "Transaction manager" means a licensee designated in writing by the responsible broker to supervise a transaction. The transaction manager shall not be involved in the transaction and shall have the duties of an intermediary while supervising the transaction; (lxi) "Written listing agreement" means any real estate employment agreement, including without limitation a buyer's brokerage agreement, a seller's listing contract and a property management contract. The authority created under a written listing agreement may not be assigned to another person without the written consent of all parties to the agreement; (lxii) "Broker's price opinion" means an estimate prepared by a licensee that details the probable selling price of real estate and provides a varying level of detail about the real estate's condition, market and neighborhood and information about sales of comparable real estate; (lxiii) "This act" means W.S. 33-28-101 through 33-28-401

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-103 Exemptions.

(a) The provisions of this act shall not apply to: (i) An owner of real estate or to a member of his immediate family or to his regular employees with respect to property owned by him unless the owner, his immediate family or regular employee is a licensee; (ii) An attorney in fact under a duly executed and recorded power of attorney to convey real estate from the owner or lessor, or the services rendered by an attorney-at-law in the performance of his duties as an attorney unless the attorney is a licensee; (iii) Any individual acting as receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, administrator, executor, or guardian, or while acting under a court order or under the authority of a will or of a trust instrument or as a witness in any judicial proceeding or other proceeding conducted by the state or any governmental subdivision or agency unless that individual is a licensee; (iv) Any officer or employee of a federal agency in the conduct of his official duties, unless that individual is a licensee; (v) Any officer or employee of the state government or any political subdivision thereof performing his official duties, unless that individual is a licensee; (vi) Any person or employee acting as the resident manager for the owner or an employee acting as the resident manager for a responsible broker managing an apartment building, duplex, apartment complex or court, when the resident manager resides on the premises and is engaged in the leasing of real estate in connection with his employment, unless that individual is a licensee; or (vii) A home owner's association formed and acting pursuant to its declaration and bylaws or a resort association formed and acting pursuant to its association agreement and bylaws.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-104 Acts constituting person as licensee.

Any person who, for another, with the intention or upon the promise of receiving compensation offers, attempts or agrees to perform, or performs any single act of real estate activity, whether as a part of a transaction or as the entire transaction shall be deemed to be acting as a licensee within the meaning of this act.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-105 Creation of commission; membership; terms; removal; chairman; powers and duties; director and duties thereof; other employees; compensation; disposition of fees.

(a) The Wyoming real estate commission is created to consist of five (5) commissioners, each of whom shall be a citizen of Wyoming, appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Not less than three (3) or more than four (4) of the membership shall have been engaged in business as a licensee in Wyoming for at least five (5) years immediately preceding appointment. No more than one (1) commissioner shall be appointed from the same county to serve at the same time. The term of the members of the commission shall be for three (3) years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Members appointed to fill vacancies shall be appointed in accordance with W.S. 28-12-101, and no member shall be appointed to succeed himself for more than one (1) full term. The governor may remove any commission member as provided in W.S. 9-1-202. The commission at its first meeting held after September 1 of each year shall select a chairman to serve for the following year. The commission has the power to regulate the issuance of licenses, to revoke or suspend licenses issued under this act, to censure licensees and may do all things necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of this act. The commission may, from time to time, promulgate and amend necessary and reasonable rules and regulations for these purposes. Appointments and terms shall be in accordance with W.S. 28-12-101 through 28-12-103. (b) Repealed by Laws 1983, ch. 156, § 3. (c) The commission shall employ a director. The director is subject to the rules and regulations of the human resources division of the department of administration and information. The director's salary shall be paid from the real estate commission account specified in subsection (g) of this section. The duties of the director shall include the following: (i) Maintain and operate a suitable office for the commission; (ii) Keep books, records and accounts of all activities of the commission; (iii) Issue real estate responsible broker, associate broker, salesperson and real estate company licenses; (iv) Make investigations of complaints and possible violations of the real estate laws and practices of licensees and to furnish information and recommendations to the commission for their action; (v) Assist the commission with examinations to be given applicants for real estate licenses, and to conduct the examinations at the direction of the commission; (vi) Assist the commission in holding educational clinics or meetings when deemed advisable with the aim of promoting higher standards of practice in the real estate profession; (vii) Assist the commission in promulgating rules in compliance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act, for the operation of the commission and the implementation of this law; and (viii) Perform other duties as the commission prescribes. (d) The commission shall employ other staff members to assist in the discharge of the duties imposed upon it by this act and shall prescribe the duties and fix the compensation of its staff members, subject to the rules and regulations of the human resources division of the department of administration and information. The office of the commission shall be maintained in Cheyenne and all files, records and property of the commission shall at all times remain in the Cheyenne office. No commission staff member may be a paid employee of any real estate association, real estate company or real estate licensee. (e) Each member of the commission shall receive compensation from the real estate commission account for each day actually spent on his official duties including per diem and mileage as provided in W.S. 33-1-302(a)(vii) and salary in the amount provided by W.S. 28-5-101(d) for the performance of official duties. (f) The commission shall adopt a seal, including the words Wyoming Real Estate Commission, Office of the Commission by which the acts of the commission shall be authenticated. Copies of all records and papers in the office of the commission, certified by the signature of the director and the seal of the commission, shall be received in evidence in all cases equally and with like effect as the originals. (g) All fees collected by the commission shall be deposited in the state treasury. The state treasurer shall deposit the fees to the credit of the real estate commission account. Disbursements from the account shall not exceed the monies credited to it. (h) The presence of three (3) members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of the chairman, the member of the commission present who is senior in time of service shall serve as the presiding officer. The action of the majority of the members of the commission shall be deemed the action of the commission.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-106 Application for license; qualifications; sworn statement; commission approval of course of study; statement of responsible broker; denial of license; issuing licenses.

(a) Any person desiring to act as a licensee shall file an application for a license with the commission. The application shall be in the form and detail as the commission shall prescribe and the individual applicant shall provide to the commission fingerprints and other information necessary for a criminal history record background check as provided in W.S. 7-19-201(a). (b) Licenses shall be granted only to persons who bear a good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and competence to transact the business of a licensee in a manner which will safeguard the interests of the public, and only after satisfactory proof of the individual applicant's qualifications has been presented to the commission. (c) Each applicant for a responsible broker's license shall: (i) Have reached the age of majority; (ii) Have first served actively for two (2) of the four (4) years immediately preceding the application as a real estate salesperson or associate broker; and (iii) Submit other evidence through the application or otherwise, as the commission deems desirable with due regard to the paramount interests of the public, as to the honesty, truthfulness, integrity and competency of the individual applicant. (d) Every member of a real estate company acting as a responsible broker for that real estate company who engages in any real estate activity shall obtain a responsible broker's license. (e) Every applicant for a responsible broker's or associate broker's license shall state: (i) The name of the real estate company with which he will be associated in the business of real estate; (ii) The location of the place or places for which the license is desired; (iii) The period of time, if any, which he has been engaged in the real estate business; (iv) His present address, both of business and residence; (v) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 96, § 2. (vi) That he has or has not been refused a real estate license in this or any other state; (vii) That his real estate license has or has not been revoked in this or any other state; (viii) Evidence that he has completed not less than sixty (60) cumulative class hours in a course of study approved by the commission, given by instructors approved by the commission and has satisfactorily passed an examination covering material taught in each course. (A) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (B) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (C) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (D) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (f) Each applicant for a salesperson's license shall: (i) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (ii) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (iii) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (iv) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (v) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (vi) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (vii) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (viii) Have reached the age of majority; (ix) Submit other evidence as the commission deems desirable with due regard to the paramount interests of the public as to the honesty, truthfulness, integrity and competency of the individual applicant; (x) Furnish the name of the real estate company with which he will be associated in the business of real estate; (xi) Furnish the period of time, if any, that he has been engaged in the real estate business; (xii) Furnish his present address; (xiii) Furnish the name and address of his previous employer; (xiv) Furnish a statement that he has or has not been refused a real estate license in this or any other state; (xv) Furnish a statement that his real estate license has or has not been revoked in this or any other state; (xvi) Furnish evidence that he has completed not less than thirty (30) class hours in a course of study approved by the commission, given by instructors approved by the commission and has satisfactorily passed an examination covering material taught in each course; (xvii) Include a statement by the responsible broker in whose service the applicant is about to enter stating: (A) The name and address of the responsible broker's real estate company; (B) That in his opinion the applicant is honest, truthful and recommends the license be granted to the applicant; (C) That the responsible broker will actively supervise and train the applicant during the period the requested license remains in effect. (g) The commission may consider prior revocation, conduct or conviction in its determination of whether to grant an applicant a license if the applicant: (i) Has been fined or disciplined or had his real estate license revoked, suspended, censured or placed on probation in any jurisdiction; (ii) Is found to have committed any of the practices enumerated in W.S. 33-28-111 during the term of his prior licensure; or (iii) Has been convicted of any felony that relates to the practice of real estate activity or to the ability to practice the duties of a responsible real estate licensee or any felony sexual offense or violent crime. (h) The commission shall take into account the nature of the offense, any aggravating or extenuating circumstances, the time elapsed since the revocation, conduct or conviction, the rehabilitation or restitution performed by the applicant and other factors as the commission deems relevant. (j) The commission may deny a license to any person who has been determined by the commission after hearing to have engaged in a licensed real estate activity without a license. (k) The commission shall issue licenses in a form and size as the commission shall prescribe. (m) A false statement of material fact made in an application shall in itself be sufficient grounds for the refusal of a license. (n) Each individual applicant for an associate broker's license shall: (i) Have reached the age of majority; (ii) Have first served actively for two (2) of the four (4) years immediately preceding the application as a salesperson or shall furnish to the commission proof indicating that the applicant holds a degree in real estate from an accredited university or college; and (iii) Submit other evidence through the application or otherwise, as the commission deems desirable with due regard to the paramount interests of the public as to the honesty, truthfulness, integrity and competency of the individual applicant. (o) The commission shall: (i) Approve courses that cover real estate principles, real estate law, real estate finance and related topics; (ii) Promulgate rules and regulations to provide a process for challenging a course in lieu of evidence of completion of class hours; (iii) Publish a list of approved real estate courses and keep the list updated annually; (iv) On request, evaluate a specific course or courses which are not on the approved list and approve or disapprove the course.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-107 Examinations; responsible broker, associate broker and salesperson's licenses.

(a) In addition to proof of honesty, trustworthiness and good reputation, each applicant desiring to become licensed as a real estate responsible broker, associate broker or a real estate salesperson shall execute and file an application for examination upon a form prescribed by the commission and shall pass a written examination prepared by or under the supervision of the commission. The examination shall be given at times and at places within the state as the commission shall prescribe. The examination for a salesperson's license shall include business ethics, composition, arithmetic, elementary principles of land economics and appraisal, a general knowledge of the statutes of this state relating to deeds, mortgages, contracts of sale, agency and the provisions of this act. The examinations for responsible broker and associate broker's licenses shall be of a more exacting nature and scope and more stringent than the examination for a salesperson's license. (b) No applicant shall engage in real estate activity until he has satisfactorily passed the examination, complied with the other requirements of this act and until a license has been issued to him. (c) Repealed by Laws 1983, ch. 156, § 3.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-108 Fees.

Pursuant to W.S. 33-1-201, the commission shall establish fees for examinations, original licenses, modified licenses, renewals, certifications, change of place of business and transfers. The fees shall be used to pay the expense of maintaining and operating the office of the commission and the enforcement of this act.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-109 Responsible broker to establish a real estate company, maintain fixed principal office; change of address; branch offices; restrictions on associate brokers and salespersons.

(a) Each resident responsible broker shall lawfully establish at least one (1) but no more than three (3) real estate companies or sole proprietorships within Wyoming and acquire a license for each real estate company. Each resident responsible broker shall maintain a fixed principal office for each company or sole proprietorship within this state. A resident responsible broker operating as a sole proprietorship shall not be required to acquire an additional company license. The address of each office shall be designated on all licenses associated with the office and no license issued under this act shall authorize the licensee to transact real estate activity at any other address except a licensed branch office. In case of removal from a designated address, the responsible broker shall apply to the commission before the removal designating the new location of an office and paying the required fee, whereupon the commission shall issue a license for the new location for the unexpired period if the new location complies with the terms of this act. (b) A responsible broker may conduct business from a branch office. A branch office shall use the same trade name or business name as the licensed real estate company. A company license shall be issued to the responsible broker for each branch office the responsible broker maintains. Every branch office shall be under the direction and supervision of the responsible broker. A responsible broker requesting a branch office license shall also, in addition to the branch office application, submit a plan of supervision for the branch office for approval by the commission. (c) An associate broker or salesperson shall not be associated or engaged under contract to any other responsible broker than is designated upon the license issued to the associate broker or salesperson. Upon termination of an associate broker's or salesperson's association or contractual relationship, his responsible broker shall immediately notify the commission for cancellation of the associate broker's or salesperson's license. Whenever a licensed associate broker or salesperson desires to change his contractual relationship from one (1) responsible broker to another, he shall notify the commission promptly in writing of the facts attendant thereon and pay the required fee. Upon application, the commission shall issue a new license under the new responsible broker. No associate broker or salesperson shall directly or indirectly associate himself with a responsible broker until he has been issued a license to do so with that responsible broker. (d) No more than one (1) license to conduct real estate activity shall be issued to any responsible broker, associate broker or salesperson to be in effect at one (1) time except as provided in subsection (a) of this section.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-110 Unlawful to compensate unlicensed person; licensing of like-licensed nonresidents; service of process on nonresidents.

(a) It is unlawful for any responsible broker to compensate any person who is not a licensee associated with his real estate company or a responsible broker for another real estate company for performing any real estate activity provided, however, that a responsible broker may pay compensation to a licensed broker of another state if the nonresident broker does not conduct any real estate activity in this state for which compensation is paid. (b) A nonresident may be issued a Wyoming responsible broker's license if: (i) The individual holds a like-license in his home state; (ii) The individual is actively engaged in the real estate business and maintains a place of business in his home state; (iii) The individual meets all the other requirements of this act and rules and regulations of the commission; and (iv) The individual furnishes the commission a statement under seal of the commission of his home state evidencing that he is an active licensed responsible broker, or an equivalent, in good standing and has no complaints pending against him in his home state. (c) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (d) A nonresident may be issued a Wyoming associate broker or salesperson license if: (i) The individual holds a like-license in his home state; (ii) The individual is actively engaged in the real estate business in his home state; (iii) The individual meets all the other requirements of this act and rules and regulations of the commission; and (iv) The individual furnishes the commission a statement under seal of the commission of his home state evidencing that he holds an active license in good standing and has no complaints pending against him in his home state. (e) Repealed By Laws 2007, Ch. 171, § 2. (f) Prior to being issued a license, every nonresident licensee shall file with the commission a designation in writing which appoints the director of the commission to act as his licensed agent upon whom all judicial and other process or legal notices directed to the licensee may be served. Service upon the agent so designated shall be equivalent to personal service upon the licensee. Copies of the appointment, certified by the director of the commission, shall be received in evidence in any proceeding and shall be given the same force and effect as the original. In the written designation the licensee shall agree that any lawful process against the licensee which is served upon his appointed agent shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the licensee, and that the authority of the agent shall continue in force so long as any liability of the licensee remains outstanding in this state. Upon the receipt of any process or notice, the director shall mail a copy of the same by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known business address of the licensee. (g) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (h) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (j) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-111 Censure of licensee and suspension or revocation of license; grounds.

(a) The commission shall upon a written sworn complaint or may upon its own motion investigate the actions of any licensee conducting real estate advertising, self promotion as a licensee or real estate activity regarding real estate located in Wyoming, impose an administrative fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) for each separate offense and may censure a licensee, place a licensee on probation and set the terms of probation, suspend or revoke any license issued under this act for any of the following: (i) Making any substantial misrepresentation, false promises or false or fraudulent representation; (ii) Violation of this act or any rule of the commission; (iii) Failing to disclose an interest in the transaction; (iv) Soliciting the breach of a listing or a property management contract; (v) Conducting real estate activity directly with a buyer or seller if the licensee knows the buyer or seller has an outstanding written agreement in connection with the real estate with another responsible broker; (vi) Using advertising which: (A) Is misleading or is inaccurate in any matter material to the transaction; or (B) Uses a trade name, collective membership mark, service mark or logo name, mark or logo without authorization owned by another person unless authorized to do so. (vii) Placing a sign on any property offering it for sale or rent without the written consent of the owner or his authorized agent; (viii) Offering real estate for sale or lease without the knowledge and consent of the owner or his authorized agent or on terms other than those authorized by the owner or his authorized agent; (ix) If a responsible broker, failing to supervise the activities of his associate broker or salesperson; (x) Failing to advise the buyer and seller of all terms of the proposed sale at the time an offer is presented including estimated discounts and closing costs; (xi) Unreasonably failing upon demand to surrender to the rightful owner, any document or instrument in his possession; (xii) Unreasonably failing to produce documents of record in his possession or under his control concerning any real estate transaction under investigation by the commission; (xiii) Failing to submit all offers to a seller or buyer; (xiv) Commingling the money or other property of others with his own; (xv) Accepting, giving or charging an undisclosed compensation, rebate or direct or indirect profit on expenditures made for others; (xvi) Engaging in real estate activity as an associate broker or salesperson involving the representing or attempt to represent a responsible broker other than his responsible broker or a real estate company other than the real estate company under which he is licensed; (xvii) Accepting compensation by an associate broker or salesperson from anyone other than his responsible broker; (xviii) Acting for more than one (1) party in a transaction without the written acknowledgement of all parties for whom the licensee acts; (xix) Guaranteeing or authorizing any person to guarantee future profits which may result from the resale of real estate; (xx) Failing to obtain written listing agreements identifying the property to be sold or acquired and containing all terms and conditions under which the property is to be sold or acquired including the price or price range, the compensation to be paid, the signatures of all parties concerned and a definite expiration date; (xxi) Failing to deliver within a reasonable time a completed copy of any document to all parties; (xxii) Conviction of a felony that relates to the practice of real estate activity or to the ability to perform the duties of a licensee or any felony sexual offense or violent crime; (xxiii) Compensating any unlicensed person for performing real estate activity; (xxiv) Failing to specify he is being compensated by more than one (1) party and failing to notify all parties involved; (xxv) Failing to account for any monies or property received from others; (xxvi) Failing to keep the funds of others in an escrow or trust account, unless each person with an interest in the funds has agreed otherwise in writing; (xxvii) Failing to deposit all financial instruments in an escrow or trust account within one (1) banking day in a financial institution in this state, unless each person with an interest in the funds has agreed otherwise in writing; (xxviii) Failing upon consummation or termination of the transaction to give a full accounting of the monies and property placed in escrow or trust showing dates of deposit, management and withdrawals; (xxix) If a responsible broker: (A) Failing to deliver to the parties in every real estate transaction at the time the transaction is closed a complete, detailed closing statement showing all of the receipts and disbursements handled by the licensees in his office for the parties unless a clear and accurate accounting is furnished by another real estate licensee or a funds holder; (B) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (C) Failing to retain true copies of statements required by this paragraph in his files; (D) Failing to disclose, in every real estate transaction, the names of all real estate companies for which a responsible broker holds a license. (xxx) Representing to any lender, guaranteeing agency or any other interested party, either verbally or through the preparation of false documents, an amount in excess of the true and actual sale price of the real estate or terms differing from those actually agreed upon; (xxxi) Accepting other than cash as earnest money unless: (A) The fact is communicated to the owner prior to the owner's acceptance of the offer to purchase; and (B) The fact is shown in the earnest money receipt. (xxxii) Refusing to appear or testify under oath at any hearing held by the commission; (xxxiii) Receiving more than three (3) censures from the commission within a two (2) year period. (b) Upon receipt from the department of family services of a certified copy of an order from a court to withhold, suspend or otherwise restrict a license issued by the commission, the commission shall notify the party named in the court order of the withholding, suspension or restriction of the license in accordance with the terms of the court order. No appeal under the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act shall be allowed for a license withheld, suspended or restricted under this subsection. (c) All administrative fines collected under this section shall be paid to the state treasurer to be credited to the public school fund of the county in which the violation occurred.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-112 Enjoining violations of chapter; penalties for violation of injunction.

(a) Any person who violates or proposes to violate any provisions of this act, or any rules and regulations promulgated under this act, may be restrained or enjoined from the action at any time by an order issued by the district court. An action may be initiated by the attorney general or the district attorney for the county in which the violation has or is about to occur. (b) Any defendant so enjoined who violates an injunction shall be punished for contempt of court by a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months or both. (c) Repealed by Laws 1983, ch. 156, § 3.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-113 Contested cases; independent hearing officers; appeals.

(a) The commission may contract with independent hearing officers to hear all contested cases arising under this act. The hearing officer shall not be an employee of the office of the attorney general, or an employee or member of the commission. (b) All hearings shall be conducted pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act. A hearing officer has the power specified in W.S. 16-3-112(b). The hearing officer shall make in each contested case and forward to the commission written findings of fact and conclusions of law. (c) Any judicial review of the administrative decision under the Administrative Procedure Act may be in the district court in the county where the violation allegedly occurred. (d) Repealed by Laws 1983, ch. 156, § 3.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-114 Conducting business without license prohibited; penalties; civil liability.

(a) Any individual performing real estate activity without first obtaining a license is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed six (6) months. Upon conviction of a subsequent violation the individual shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year or both. If a corporation, partnership or association is convicted it shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00). (b) If any person receives any money or the equivalent thereof as a fee, compensation or profit by or in consequence of a violation of any provision of this act, he shall, in addition, be liable to a penalty of not less than the amount of the sum of money so received and not more than three (3) times the sum so received as may be determined by the court, which penalty may be recovered in a court of competent jurisdiction by any person aggrieved.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-115 Unlicensed person may not maintain action for fee.

No action or suit shall be instituted, nor recovery be had, in any court of this state by any person for compensation for any real estate activity unless the person was licensed by the commission under this act at the time of engaging in real estate activity.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-116 Real estate institutes and seminars; assistance in sponsoring studies and programs.

(a) The commission may conduct or assist in conducting real estate institutes and seminars and incur and pay the necessary expenses in connection therewith. The institutes or seminars shall be open to all licensees and the public. (b) The commission is authorized to assist libraries and educational institutions in sponsoring studies and programs for the purpose of raising the standards of the real estate business and the competency of licensees.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-117 Directory of licensees.

The commission shall maintain and make publicly available a directory of licensees, including licenses suspended and revoked which shall contain other data as the commission may determine to be in the interest of real estate licensees and the public.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-118 License renewals; continuing education; payment of fees; effect of failure to renew; inactive status.

(a) Licenses issued under this act may be renewed for successive three (3) year periods. The commission may establish a grace period for license renewal not to exceed sixty (60) days. The commission may establish a late fee for license renewal not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75.00). (b) The commission may adopt rules and regulations providing for mandatory continuing education allocable over each three (3) year period not to exceed sixty (60) hours. (c) Failure to timely submit a complete renewal application including proof of required continuing education and renewal fees when due shall automatically cause a license to expire. Presentation of a check to the commission as a fee for either an original or renewal license or for examination for license, which is returned to the state treasurer unpaid, is cause for revocation or denial of license unless it is established that the dishonor of the check was not the fault of the applicant or licensee. (d) Any licensee whose license has expired as provided in this section after the grace period has ended, shall comply with all requirements of a new applicant, including writing the appropriate examination, before a license will be reissued. (e) Any real estate associate broker or salesperson who is not employed by or associated with a responsible broker, or any responsible broker who desires to become inactive, may renew his license in an inactive status prior to the renewal deadline established in this section, by submitting the renewal fee together with a completed renewal application on which he has noted his present inactive status. (f) A license on inactive status for more than three (3) years shall not be reissued on an active status unless the licensee has first met the educational requirements under subsection (b) of this section. (g) A license on an inactive status for less than three (3) years may be renewed on an active status prior to the renewal deadline by submitting the renewal fee together with a renewal application.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-119 Advertising; licensing under one name; trade names; advertisement of licensees.

(a) Every real estate licensee, when promoting himself as a licensee, advertising or promoting his real estate activities, shall use the real estate company name under which he is licensed by the commission and shall use no slogans or phraseology in a manner which would indicate or suggest to the public that real estate may be listed or is being offered for sale, exchange, lease or rent by a private party not licensed by the commission. (b) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (c) No person shall act or advertise as a licensee in this state by use of letterheads, billboards, radio or television announcements or any other media of advertising, without first obtaining a license from the commission. (d) No person shall conduct or promote a real estate company other than the real estate company under which the person or company is licensed by the commission. (e) A trade name, with the permission of the owner of the trade name, may be used concurrently with the licensed name of the real estate company in the promotion or conduct of the responsible broker's business. On promotional materials the real estate company name shall be displayed in a conspicuous manner that the general public may easily identify, as prescribed in commission rules. (f) A licensed responsible broker shall not advertise the sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real estate, unless owned by him, without including in the advertisement the real estate company name under which he is licensed by the commission. (g) A licensed associate broker or salesperson shall not advertise the sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real estate, unless owned by him, without including in the advertisement the real estate company name under which he is licensed by the commission. (h) A licensee shall not advertise the sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real estate owned by the licensee unless the advertisement includes the fact that an owner of the real estate is a licensee. (j) If a licensee uses his individual name in advertising, the first and last name shall be included. A common shortened spelling of the first name of the licensee is permitted. The use of a nickname is permitted if the nickname is reflected on the license.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-120 Assistance of attorney general; independent counsel.

(a) The attorney general shall render opinions to the commission on all questions of law relating to the interpretation and administration of this act. The attorney general shall act as attorney for the commission in all actions and proceedings brought by or against it under this act. (b) In addition to or instead of the attorney general the commission may hire other legal counsel with the approval of the attorney general.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-121 Temporary licenses to complete affairs of deceased brokers.

In the event of the death of a responsible broker who is the sole proprietor of a real estate company, upon application by his personal representative, the director shall issue, without examination and for a specified period of time, a temporary license to the personal representative, or to a licensed individual designated by him and approved by the director. The license shall authorize the holder of the temporary license to continue to transact business for the sole purpose of completing the affairs of the deceased responsible broker.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-122 Responsible broker's trust accounts; disposition of interest; commingling with personal funds prohibited; disputed deposits; cooperative transactions.

(a) Every responsible broker licensed by the commission in this state shall comply with the following provisions for each licensed real estate company he supervises: (i) Maintain an account in a financial institution in this state designated as a trust or escrow account in which all down payments, earnest money deposits, advance listing fees or other trust funds received by him, his associate brokers or his salespersons on behalf of a principal or any other person shall be deposited unless all persons having an interest in the funds have agreed otherwise in writing. The account shall permit immediate withdrawal of the funds deposited therein. In lieu of maintaining a trust or escrow account under this paragraph, a responsible broker may use a funds holder; (ii) Notify the real estate commission on forms it prescribes of the name of the financial institution in which a trust account is maintained and the name of the account. If the responsible broker uses a funds holder and deposits monies with the funds holder, his intention to use a funds holder and the name of the funds holder shall be disclosed to all parties to any contract, purchase agreement, lease or lease agreement negotiated by him. The responsible broker shall identify all funds holders used by the broker and notify the real estate commission in writing that he uses and deposits monies with the funds holder; (iii) Permit the commission or its representative to examine the responsible broker's trust accounting records; (iv) Upon cancellation of his license for any reason, maintain the trust account until all deposits have been properly disbursed. (b) If a responsible broker's branch office maintains a separate trust account, the office shall maintain a separate bookkeeping system. (c) A trust account maintained by a responsible broker under this section may be interest bearing or noninterest bearing. Any interest accrued on any deposit in a trust account shall be paid out as agreed in writing by all persons having an interest in the deposit. In the absence of a written agreement among all persons having an interest in the deposit, at the time all or any portion of any deposit is withdrawn and paid out, all interest accrued upon the funds withdrawn and paid out shall also be withdrawn and paid out to the person from whom the trust funds were received; provided, if the funds are required to be disbursed to more than one (1) person, each person entitled to receive any portion of the deposit shall also be paid a portion of the interest in the same proportion as the funds withdrawn and paid out to each person bears to the total deposit. (d) A licensee is not entitled to any part of the earnest money or other item of value given to him in connection with any real estate transaction as part or all of his compensation or fee until the transaction has been consummated or terminated. (e) No responsible broker shall permit an advance payment of funds belonging to others to be deposited in the responsible broker's personal account or be commingled with his personal funds. It will not be considered commingling if, when establishing the trust account, the responsible broker deposits some of his funds to keep the account open or to avoid charges for a minimum balance, so long as that deposit is identified at the time of deposit. No responsible broker shall use deposits in a trust account for a purpose other than the transaction for which they were provided. (f) In the event of a dispute over the return or forfeiture of any deposit held by a responsible broker, the responsible broker shall continue to hold the deposit in a trust account until he has a written release from the parties consenting to its disposition, until a civil action is filed or the responsible broker interpleads all parties, at which time it may be paid to the court. (g) Unless otherwise agreed by all parties to the contract, in a cooperative transaction in which the responsible broker working with a buyer receives cash or a check as earnest money, the responsible broker shall deliver the contract and the cash or check to the responsible broker working with the seller who shall deposit the cash or check in his trust account. If the responsible broker working with a buyer receives a promissory note, or thing of value, the note or thing of value shall be delivered with the contract to the responsible broker working with the seller, who shall hold the note or thing of value.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-123 Retention of records.

Every responsible broker licensed by the commission in this state shall keep and maintain a full set of records of every real estate transaction in which he participates on behalf of or to assist any party to the transaction. The records shall be maintained not less than two (2) years from the latest date on which the real estate company participated in the transaction.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-124 Act, error or omission in the rendering of real estate services.

A cause of action arising from an act, error or omission in the rendering of services provided by a licensee under this act shall be brought within the time limits provided under W.S. 1-3-107. Nothing in this section shall be construed to extend the limitation period specified in W.S. 33-28-203 for actions for payment from the real estate recovery account.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-125 Broker's price opinions.

(a) A licensee may prepare a broker's price opinion: (i) To a potential seller or third party, recommending a listing price of real estate; (ii) To a potential buyer or third party, recommending a purchase price of real estate; or (iii) To any third party, for any purpose permitted by law. (b) Every printed or electronic broker's price opinion prepared as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall include the statement: "This is an opinion of price and is not a certified appraisal of the market value of the property. If such an appraisal is desired, the service of a certified appraiser must be obtained."

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-201 Real estate recovery account created; funding of account; no liability of state.

(a) There is created a real estate recovery account which shall be under the direction of the commission under W.S. 33-28-201 through 33-28-206. (b) Every person obtaining or renewing a license shall pay an additional fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) which shall be deposited in the real estate recovery fund account. When the balance of the real estate recovery fund account reaches twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) one-half (1/2) of the fee shall be deposited in the real estate recovery fund account and one-half (1/2) of the fee shall be deposited in the educational fund account. When the real estate recovery fund account balance reaches fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) all fees shall be deposited in the education fund account. (c) No monies shall be appropriated from the general fund for payment of any expenses incurred under W.S. 33-28-201 through 33-28-206 and those expenses shall not be paid by the state.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-202 Real estate recovery account created; payments; pro rata distribution when account insufficient; service of process; joinder of account.

(a) If any person obtains a final judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction against any licensee on the grounds of fraud, willful misrepresentation, deceit or conversion of trust funds arising directly out of any transaction which occurred when the licensee was licensed by the commission and in which the licensee performed any real estate activity, that person, within one (1) year of termination of all proceedings, including appeals, may file with the commission a verified petition in the court in which the judgment was entered for an order directing payment out of the real estate recovery account in the amount of actual damages included in the judgment and unpaid, and that a writ of execution has been returned unsatisfied, but for not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). (b) If the payment from the real estate recovery account is insufficient to pay in full the valid claims of all who have claims on file at any time the money in the account shall be distributed among them in the ratio that their respective claims bear to the aggregate of the valid claims or in a manner that a court deems equitable. Distribution of any monies shall be among the persons entitled to share the monies without regard to the order of priority in which their respective judgments were obtained or their claims were filed. (c) Any licensee who cannot personally be served with a copy of a summons and complaint through reasonable diligence, shall be deemed to have appointed the director of the commission as his agent for service of process for purposes of actions filed against him pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Service of process pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be made under the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure. (d) In lieu of the petition under subsection (a) of this section for an order directing payment out of the real estate recovery account, a person filing an action against a licensee of a type described in subsection (a) of this section may join the real estate recovery account as a limited third party defendant and have judgment rendered directly against the account in the amount provided in subsection (a) of this section provided: (i) Service of summons and complaint is made on the real estate commission; (ii) The account may assert all defenses available to defendant licensee; (iii) Plaintiff posts a bond in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the actual damages he seeks from the account to guarantee costs. (e) The commission may defend any action against the fund on behalf of the fund and in the name of the defendant. (f) Recovery against the bond required in paragraph (d)(iii) of this section shall be authorized by the court if it rules in favor of the commission on behalf of the fund.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-203 Limitation on action for payment from account; notice of action; order of payment; showing required.

(a) No order for payment from the real estate recovery account shall be issued unless the suit in which the order subsequently results was commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrued. If any person commences an action for a judgment which may result in an order for payment from the account, the person shall notify the commission in writing of the commencement of the action. The commission, under W.S. 33-28-111, shall investigate the complaint and may hold a suspension or revocation hearing. (b) If any person files a petition for an order directing payment from the real estate recovery account, the court may order payment out of the real estate recovery account under subsection (c) of this section if it finds: (i) The petitioner is not a spouse of the judgment debtor or a person representing the spouse; (ii) The petitioner has obtained a judgment of the kind described in W.S. 33-28-202(a); and (iii) The judgment debtor has insufficient property upon which execution may be levied to satisfy the judgment or that a writ of execution has been returned unsatisfied. (c) Upon receipt of an order by the court directing that payment be made out of the real estate recovery account, the state auditor shall draw a warrant for the payment of the amount directed upon a voucher approved by the commission and the state treasurer shall pay the amount directed out of the real estate recovery account.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-204 Suspension of licenses following payment from account; reinstatement.

If the commission is required to make any payment from the real estate recovery account in settlement of a claim or toward the satisfaction of a judgment, the commission shall immediately suspend the judgment debtor's license. The judgment debtor shall not be licensed by the commission or have his license reinstated by the commission until he has repaid in full the amount paid from the real estate recovery account with interest thereon of eighteen percent (18%) per annum. Repayment under this section shall not prohibit the commission from acting in accordance with W.S. 33-28-111. A discharge in bankruptcy shall not relieve a person from the disabilities and penalties of the section.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-205 Subrogation of commission to rights of judgment creditor.

If, upon order of any court, the commission has caused payment to be made from the real estate recovery account to a judgment creditor, the commission is subrogated to the rights of the judgment creditor with respect to the amount so paid. Any recovery by the commission under this section shall be deposited in the real estate recovery account.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-206 Fund balances; use of education fund and interest from recovery fund.

(a) When the real estate recovery fund and education fund balances exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) each, the commission shall not collect annual fees under W.S. 33-28-201(b). (b) The commission may use the funds in the education fund, plus interest earned on the recovery fund, as appropriated by the legislature, for the purposes of raising the standards of practice in the real estate profession and the competency of licensees by: (i) Promoting the advancement of education and research in the field of real estate for the benefit of those licensed under this act; (ii) Underwriting educational seminars and all other similar forms of educational projects for the benefit of licensees; (iii) Establishing a chair in real estate or courses at Wyoming state institutions of higher learning for the purpose of making those courses available to businesses and the general public; (iv) Contracting for particular education or research projects in the field of real estate to further the purposes of this section.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-302 Relationships between licensees and the public.

(a) A responsible broker shall not be required to offer or engage in more than one (1) of the broker relationships. When engaged in any real estate activity, a licensee, with permission of the licensee's responsible broker, may act in any real estate transaction as an agent or intermediary or may work with the seller or buyer as a customer. The licensee's duties and obligations arising from that relationship shall be disclosed to the seller or buyer pursuant to this article. (b) When engaged in any real estate activity, a licensee may act as an agent only pursuant to a written agreement with the seller or buyer which discloses the duties and responsibilities set forth in W.S. 33-28-303 or 33-28-304. (c) When engaged in any real estate activity, a licensee may act as a subagent with the duties and responsibilities set forth in W.S. 33-28-303(g) only pursuant to a written agreement between the seller and the seller's agent authorizing an offer of subagency to other responsible brokers, or as an intermediary with the seller or buyer, pursuant to a written agreement that discloses the duties and responsibilities set forth in W.S. 33-28-305. (d) Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 20, § 3. (e) A licensee may work with a single party in separate transactions pursuant to different relationships, for example, selling one (1) property as a seller's agent and working with that seller in buying another property as an intermediary or buyer's agent, if the licensee complies with this article in establishing a separate relationship in writing for each transaction. (f) A licensee may complete real estate forms and shall explain to the parties the effects thereof if the licensee is performing real estate activities in the transaction in which the forms are to be used. (g) Every contract, duty or relationship within this article, including intermediary or customer relationships, imposes an obligation of good faith and fair dealing in its performance or enforcement. (h) If a real estate company has more than one (1) licensee, the responsible broker and any licensee associated with or engaged by that responsible broker may be designated to work with the seller or the buyer as a designated licensee. For an in-house real estate transaction, the designated licensee shall be: (i) A responsible broker; (ii) An associate broker; (iii) A salesperson under the direct supervision of a responsible broker, and the responsible broker is not a party to the real estate transaction; or (iv) A salesperson who is under the direct supervision of a transaction manager. (j) Licensees employed or engaged by the same responsible broker or across any companies the same responsible broker supervises may be designated licensees for different buyers or sellers in the same transaction. If the responsible broker is representing a buyer or a seller in an in-house transaction, the responsible broker shall immediately appoint a transaction manager unless the other licensee is an associate broker. If the responsible broker is representing a buyer or seller in a transaction involving two (2) or more companies the responsible broker manages, he shall immediately appoint a transaction manager for each real estate company unless the other licensee is an associate broker. The responsible broker shall disclose in every real estate transaction to all parties involved the names of all real estate companies the responsible broker supervises. The simultaneous designations shall not constitute dual agency or require the responsible broker or licensee to act as an intermediary unless otherwise required by this article. A responsible broker or transaction manager shall have access to all necessary information but shall be prohibited from sharing any confidential information of any party to the transaction that the responsible broker or transaction manager may learn in the process of supervising the licensees or the transaction. (k) A licensee may work as an agent for the seller treating the buyer as a customer or as an agent for the buyer treating the seller as a customer but not as an agent for both the seller and the buyer. A licensee may be designated to work as an intermediary for both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction pursuant to W.S. 33-28-307. The applicable designated relationship shall be disclosed in writing to the seller and buyer at the earliest reasonable opportunity. A designated licensee is not precluded from working with a buyer or seller in a real estate transaction solely because the licensee was precluded from representing that person in an earlier separate real estate transaction. (m) No seller or buyer shall be vicariously liable for an agent's acts or omissions that have not been approved, directed or ratified by the seller or buyer. (n) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the responsible broker's responsibility to supervise licensees associated with the responsible broker or real estate company or to shield the responsible broker from vicarious liability. (o) A licensee shall not establish dual agency with any seller or buyer. (p) A customer relationship shall exist between a licensee and any party to a real estate transaction unless a single agency or intermediary relationship is established through a written agreement between the licensee and the party or parties. When a buyer or seller has a written listing agreement with a licensee, another licensee may work with the other buyer or seller as a customer, having no written agreement, agency or intermediary relationship with any party. A licensee shall not owe any duty of confidentiality to a customer. (q) Proprietary ownership interest of written listing agreements shall be vested in the responsible broker.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-303 Seller's agent engaged by seller.

(a) A licensee engaged by a seller to act as a seller's agent has the following duties and obligations: (i) To perform the terms of the written agreement made with the seller; (ii) To exercise reasonable skill and care for the seller; (iii) To promote the interests of the seller with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity, including: (A) To seek a price and terms which are acceptable to the seller, except that the licensee shall not be obligated to seek additional offers to purchase the property while the property is subject to a contract for sale; (B) To present all offers to and from the seller in a timely manner regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale; (C) To disclose to the seller adverse material facts actually known by the licensee; (D) To counsel the seller as to any material benefits or risks of a transaction which are actually known by the licensee; (E) To advise the seller to obtain expert advice as to material matters about which the licensee knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of the licensee; (F) To account in a timely manner for all money and property received; and (G) To inform the seller that the seller may be vicariously liable for the acts of the seller's agent or seller's subagent that are approved, directed or ratified by the seller. (iv) To comply with all requirements of this article; and (v) To comply with any applicable federal, state or local laws, rules, regulations or ordinances. (b) The following information shall not be disclosed by a licensee acting as a seller's agent without the informed consent of the seller: (i) That a seller is willing to accept less than the asking price for the property; (ii) What the motivating factors are for the party selling the property; (iii) That the seller will agree to financing terms other than those offered; (iv) Any material information about the seller unless disclosure is required by law or failure to disclose the information would constitute fraud or dishonest dealing. (c) A licensee acting as a seller's agent owes no duty or obligation to the buyer, except that a licensee shall disclose to any prospective buyer all adverse material facts actually known by the licensee. The adverse material facts may include adverse material facts pertaining to the title and the physical condition of the property, any material defects in the property and any environmental hazards affecting the property which are required by law to be disclosed. The licensee acting as a seller's agent shall not perpetuate a material misrepresentation of the seller which the licensee knows or should know is false. (d) A seller's agent owes no duty to conduct an independent inspection of the property for the benefit of the buyer and owes no duty to independently verify the accuracy or completeness of any statement made by the seller or any independent inspector. (e) A seller's agent may show alternative properties not owned by the seller to prospective buyers and may list competing properties for sale and not be deemed to have breached any duty or obligation to the seller. (f) A seller may agree in writing with a seller's agent to extend an offer of subagency to other responsible brokers to cooperate in selling the real estate. (g) Any responsible broker acting as a subagent on the seller's behalf shall have the obligations and responsibilities set forth in subsections (a) through (e) of this section.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-304 Agent engaged by buyer.

(a) A licensee engaged by a buyer to act as a buyer's agent shall have the following duties and obligations: (i) To perform the terms of the written agreement made with the buyer; (ii) To exercise reasonable skill and care for the buyer; (iii) To promote the interests of the buyer with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity, including: (A) To seek a price and terms which are acceptable to the buyer, except that the licensee shall not be obligated to seek other properties while the buyer is a party to a contract to purchase property; (B) To present all offers to and from the buyer in a timely manner regardless of whether the buyer is already a party to a contract to purchase property; (C) To disclose to the buyer adverse material facts actually known by the licensee; (D) To counsel the buyer as to any material benefits or risks of a transaction which are actually known by the licensee; (E) To advise the buyer to obtain expert advice as to material matters about which the licensee knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of the licensee; (F) To account in a timely manner for all money and property received; and (G) To inform the buyer that the buyer may be vicariously liable for the acts of the buyer's agent that are approved, directed or ratified by the buyer. (iv) To comply with all requirements of this article; and (v) To comply with any applicable federal, state or local laws, rules, regulations or ordinances. (b) The following information shall not be disclosed by a licensee acting as a buyer's agent without the informed consent of the buyer: (i) That a buyer is willing to pay more than the purchase price for the property; (ii) What the motivating factors are for the party buying the property; (iii) That the buyer will agree to financing terms other than those offered; (iv) Any material information about the buyer unless disclosure is required by law or failure to disclose the information would constitute fraud or dishonest dealing. (c) A licensee acting as a buyer's agent owes no duty or obligation to the seller, except that a licensee acting as a buyer's agent shall not make any material misrepresentation or fraudulent misrepresentation regarding an adverse material fact actually known by the licensee. (d) A buyer's agent owes no duty to conduct an independent investigation of the buyer's financial condition and owes no duty to independently verify the accuracy or completeness of statements made by the buyer or any independent inspector. (e) A buyer's agent may show properties in which the buyer is interested to other prospective buyers without breaching any duty or obligation to the buyer. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a buyer's agent from showing competing buyers the same property and from assisting competing buyers in attempting to purchase or lease a particular property.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-305 Intermediary.

(a) A licensee engaged as an intermediary shall not act as an advocate or agent for either party and shall be limited to providing those services described in subsection (b)(ii) of this section. (b) A licensee engaged as an intermediary shall owe to each party with whom the intermediary has contracted the following duties and obligations: (i) To perform the terms of any written agreement made by the intermediary with any party or parties to the transaction, provided that the terms of the written agreement shall be consistent with this article; (ii) To exercise reasonable skill and care as an intermediary, including: (A) Presenting all offers and counteroffers in a timely manner regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale; (B) Advising the parties to obtain expert advice as to material matters about which the intermediary knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of the intermediary; (C) Accounting in a timely manner for all money and property received; (D) Keeping the parties fully informed regarding the transaction; (E) Obtaining the written consent of the parties before assisting the buyer and seller in the same real estate transaction; (F) Assisting the parties in complying with the terms and conditions of any contract which may include closing the transaction; (G) Disclosing to the parties any interests the intermediary may have which are adverse to the interest of either party; (H) Disclosing to all prospective buyers any adverse material facts actually known by the intermediary, including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the title, the physical condition of the property, any defects in the property and any environmental hazards affecting the property required by law to be disclosed; (J) Disclosing to any prospective seller all adverse material facts actually known by the intermediary, including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the buyer's financial ability to perform the terms of the transaction; and (K) Disclosing to the parties that an intermediary owes no fiduciary duty either to buyer or seller, is not allowed to negotiate on behalf of the buyer or seller, may be required to disclose information he learns about a property to the other party, and may be prohibited from disclosing information about the other party which if known could materially affect negotiations in the real estate transaction. (iii) To comply with all requirements of this article; and (iv) To comply with any applicable federal, state or local laws, rules, regulations or ordinances. (c) The following information shall not be disclosed by an intermediary without the informed consent of all parties: (i) That a buyer is willing to pay more than the purchase price offered for the property; (ii) That a seller is willing to accept less than the asking price for the property; (iii) What the motivating factors are for any party buying or selling the property; or (iv) That a seller or buyer will agree to financing terms other than those offered. (d) An intermediary has no duty to conduct an independent inspection of the property for the benefit of the buyer and has no duty to independently verify the accuracy or completeness of statements made by the seller, or independent inspectors. (e) An intermediary has no duty to conduct an independent investigation of the buyer's financial condition or to verify the accuracy or completeness of any statement made by the buyer. (f) An intermediary may do the following without breaching any obligation or responsibility: (i) Show alternative properties not owned by the seller to a prospective buyer; (ii) List competing properties for sale or lease; and (iii) Show properties in which the buyer is interested to other prospective buyers. (iv) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2. (g) An intermediary may cooperate with other responsible brokers but shall not engage any subagents.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-306 Relationship disclosures.

(a) For purposes of this section, open house showings, preliminary conversations and requests for factual information do not constitute discussions or arrangements incidental to a sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real estate. Prior to engaging in any discussion or arrangement incidental to a sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real estate and, prior to entering into any written agreement with a buyer or seller, a licensee shall make a written disclosure of applicable agency, intermediary or customer relationships that shall contain, at a minimum, all of the following: (i) A description of all the different agency, intermediary and customer relationships allowed by this article and a statement that the compensation for different relationships is negotiable; (ii) An explanation of the duties and obligations owed under each such relationship; (iii) A conspicuous statement of duties and obligations owed by an agent but which are not owed by an intermediary; (iv) A statement that any established relationship cannot be modified without the written consent of the buyer or seller and that the buyer or seller may, but is not required to, negotiate different compensation as a condition of consenting to a change in relationship; (v) A statement that an intermediary is not an agent or advocate for any party and has only the obligations set forth in W.S. 33-28-305; (vi) A statement that the seller or buyer may be vicariously liable for acts of the agent, subagent or intermediary if the seller or buyer approves, directs or ratifies the acts; and (vii) A statement that a customer shall not: (A) Be required to sign any legal written agency agreement to view or tour real estate during house showings; (B) Be afforded any confidentiality in any communication to or with the licensee. (b) The written disclosure shall contain a signature line for the buyer or seller to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure. The disclosure and acknowledgment, by itself, shall not constitute a contract or agreement with the licensee. Until the buyer or seller executes such acknowledgment, no representation agreement shall be executed or valid except, provided if a buyer or seller refuses to sign the disclosure after presentation by the licensee: (i) The licensee may document the refusal with a signed acknowledgement by the licensee and continue with the transaction or with providing services to a customer; and (ii) The disclosure and acknowledgement shall be attached to and may become incorporated into any written agreements with the buyer or seller as prescribed in W.S. 33-28-302(b) and (c). (c) A licensee who has established an agency relationship, a subagency relationship or an intermediary relationship with a seller or buyer shall provide notice of that relationship to any other party to the transaction at the earliest reasonable opportunity. (d) Disclosures made in accordance with this article shall be sufficient to disclose agency, intermediary and customer relationships to the parties to the transaction and to the public.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-307 Change from agent to intermediary.

(a) For in-house transactions, a licensee acting as an agent to a buyer or seller with respect to a particular real estate transaction may instead act as an intermediary to the parties when: (i) Repealed By Laws 2009, Ch. 20, § 3. (ii) Both parties execute a written consent, at the earliest reasonable opportunity after the events creating the potential conflict in agency relationships develops. The written consent shall contain a conspicuous statement of the duties and obligations that would no longer be owed to the parties if the licensee becomes an intermediary and not an agent.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-308 Compensation.

(a) In any real estate transaction, the responsible broker's compensation may be paid by the seller, the buyer, a third party, or by the sharing or splitting of compensation between responsible brokers. (b) Payment of compensation shall not be construed to establish an agency relationship or intermediary relationship between the responsible broker and the party who paid the compensation. (c) A seller may agree that an intermediary, buyer's agent, subagent or a licensee working with a buyer as a customer may share in the compensation paid by the seller with another responsible broker. (d) A buyer may agree that a seller's agent, intermediary, subagent or a licensee working with a seller as a customer may share in the compensation paid by the buyer with another responsible broker. (e) A buyer's agent shall obtain the written approval of the buyer before the buyer's agent may propose to the seller's agent that the buyer's agent be compensated by sharing compensation paid by the seller. (f) Prior to entering into a written agreement with the seller and buyer, or prior to entering into a contract to buy or sell, the responsible broker shall disclose in writing to the seller and buyer to the transaction, the agency, intermediary or customer relationships of all parties, persons and entities paying compensation to the responsible broker. (g) A responsible broker may be compensated by more than one (1) party for services in a transaction, if those parties have consented in writing to the shared payment prior to seller and buyer entering into a contract to buy or sell. (h) An agreement authorizing a responsible broker who originally agreed in writing to act as an agent to a buyer or seller with respect to a particular real estate transaction to act instead as an intermediary to that party, shall provide that the party agreeing to the new relationship shall not be liable for any compensation greater than the compensation the party would have been liable to pay under the initial agreement. Any contract provision in violation of this subsection is void and unenforceable.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-310 Licensees working with buyers and sellers as customers; duties; exceptions.

(a) A licensee working with a buyer or seller who is a customer shall owe the following duties and obligations to the buyer or seller: (i) To exercise reasonable skill and care including: (A) Presenting all offers and counteroffers in a timely manner regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale; (B) Advising the parties to obtain expert advice as to material matters about which the licensee knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of the licensee; (C) Accounting in a timely manner for all money and property received by the licensee; (D) Keeping the parties fully informed regarding the transaction; (E) Assisting the parties in complying with the terms and conditions of any contract which may include closing the transaction; (F) Disclosing to all prospective buyers any adverse material facts actually known by the licensee, including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the title, the physical condition of the property, any defects in the property and any environmental hazards affecting the property required by law to be disclosed; (G) Disclosing to any prospective seller all adverse material facts actually known by the licensee, including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the buyer's financial ability to perform the terms of the transaction. (ii) To comply with all requirements of this article; (iii) To comply with any applicable federal, state or local laws, rules, regulations or ordinances. (b) A licensee has no duty to conduct an independent inspection of the property for the benefit of the buyer and has no duty to independently verify the accuracy or completeness of statements made by the seller or independent inspectors. (c) A licensee has no duty to conduct an independent investigation of the buyer's financial condition or to verify the accuracy of completeness of any statement made by the buyer. (d) A licensee may do the following without breaching any obligation or responsibility: (i) Show alternative properties not owned by the seller to a prospective buyer; (ii) List competing properties for sale or lease; (iii) Show properties in which the buyer is interested to other prospective buyers; and (iv) Serve as an agent, subagent or intermediary for the same or for different parties in other real estate transactions. (e) A licensee working with a buyer or seller who is a customer shall provide the customer an agency disclosure.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-311 Licensees working with landlords and tenants.

(a) For the purposes of this article, a licensee shall be deemed to be working with: (i) The landlord as an agent or intermediary pursuant to a written agreement; and (ii) The tenant who is a customer unless otherwise provided for in writing between the parties.

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-28-401 Errors and omissions insurance; rulemaking authority; commission duties; certificate of coverage; administrative fee.

(a) Beginning January 1, 2008, an applicant for a real estate license pursuant to W.S. 33-28-106, a licensee renewing a license or an inactive licensee activating a license pursuant to W.S. 33-28-118, shall submit proof of insurance coverage through the group program provided pursuant to this section or through certification of individual coverage. All licensees shall obtain and maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage under the group program or individual coverage. (b) The commission shall make errors and omissions insurance available to all licensees by contracting with an insurer for a group program after competitive bidding. Any group program obtained by the commission shall be available to all licensees and shall prevent the insurer from canceling any licensee. Licensees may obtain errors and omissions insurance independently if the coverage complies with the minimum requirements established by the commission. (c) The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to specify the terms and conditions of coverage required under this section, including the minimum limits and terms of the coverage, the permissible deductible and permissible exemptions. Each licensee shall be notified of the required terms and conditions at least thirty (30) days prior to the license renewal date. Each licensee who elects not to participate in the group program administered by the commission shall file a certificate of coverage showing compliance with the required terms and conditions with the commission by the license renewal date. (d) If the commission is unable to obtain errors and omissions insurance coverage to insure all licensees who elect to participate in the group program, at a reasonable annual premium not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00) per licensee, the errors and omissions insurance requirement of this section shall not apply during the year for which the commission cannot obtain the errors and omissions insurance coverage. The maximum premium amount shall be adjusted annually by the annual rate of inflation in this state for the preceding twelve (12) month period as calculated by the department of administration and information. (e) The commission shall charge and collect an administrative fee in addition to the premium paid from each licensee who obtains errors and omissions insurance through the group program. This administrative fee shall be of an amount sufficient to cover the administration of this section and shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the premium. The maximum premium specified in subsection (d) of this section applies only to premium cost and not to any administrative fee charged. (f) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 104, § 2.
Source: Public.Resource.Org WY StatutesURL: https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-wy/transforms/wy/ocwy/r78/gov.wy.code.title.33.htmlFetched: 6/28/2026

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