To title an out-of-state, homemade, rebuilt, or kit vehicle in Wyoming, you complete the Wyoming VIN inspection form — Form MV-300A, officially the “Wyoming Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form.”1Wyoming Department of Transportation. Wyoming Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form You fill in the owner and vehicle information at the top, take the vehicle to an authorized law enforcement officer who inspects the VIN and signs the bottom, then submit the finished form with your ownership documents and fees to the county clerk in the county where you live.
When You Need the Form
Wyoming Statute § 31-2-103 requires a completed VIN or HIN inspection for any vehicle, trailer, or watercraft that:
- Is currently titled or registered in another state, whether you bought it, were gifted it, or inherited it.
- Was built by hand (except a trailer made from a pickup box, which is exempt).
- Carries a salvage, rebuilt, flood, or similar brand on a prior title. Wyoming carries that brand forward on every future title.
- Was assembled from parts of two or more factory makes, including kit cars.
- Is going through the bonded title process because ownership documents are missing.
Albany County’s clerk states the rule plainly: unless the vehicle was purchased from a Wyoming dealership, every out-of-state title must arrive with a completed VIN inspection form.2Albany County, WY. Auto Titles There is no family, gift, or estate exception. Watercraft follow the same pattern: boats without a manufacturer-assigned Hull Identification Number must get one from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and boats coming from out of state need a HIN inspection before titling.3Wyoming Game & Fish Department. Boating – Watercraft
Where to Get the MV-300A
Pick up a blank MV-300A at your county clerk’s office, at most law enforcement stations that perform inspections, or download it from the WYDOT website or your county’s website. Older references sometimes call it by a different name, but MV-300A is the current version. If you go to a sheriff’s office or highway patrol post for the inspection, they typically keep blanks on hand and you can fill it out on-site.
Filling Out Your Section
The MV-300A is one document doing two jobs. The top is your title application. The bottom is where the inspector certifies the VIN or HIN. You complete only the owner portion; the inspector handles the rest.
The owner portion asks for:
- Your full legal name and current Wyoming residential address.
- Vehicle year, make, model, and body style. For assembled vehicles, use the year of the oldest major component.
- The VIN (for vehicles and trailers) or HIN (for watercraft), transcribed exactly as it appears on the vehicle. Copy it character by character; a single transposed digit will hold up the title.
- The current odometer reading. Federal regulations require an odometer disclosure statement for vehicles of model year 2011 or newer through 2030; beginning in 2031 the threshold shifts to vehicles 20 model years old or newer. If your vehicle falls outside the applicable window, the field may be marked “exempt.”4Linn County, IA. New Odometer Statement Requirements for Title Transfers on Older Vehicles
The form itself states at the top that proof of ownership must accompany the application. Bring the original out-of-state title, signed by the seller assigning ownership to you, or a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin if the vehicle is new. A bill of sale alone does not substitute for a title, though bring it if you have it.
Before the inspection, wipe down the area around the VIN plate on the door jamb, dashboard, or frame so the numbers read clearly. The inspector has to physically view the number on the vehicle. Photographs and digital scans are not accepted.
Who Can Sign the Inspection
Wyoming restricts who can legally certify a VIN or HIN inspection. The wrong signature voids the title application, and an unauthorized inspector may face criminal penalties.1Wyoming Department of Transportation. Wyoming Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form
Wyoming Law Enforcement
The standard route is a Wyoming law enforcement officer: city police, county sheriff’s deputies, or Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers. Most inspections happen this way. As one example of how counties handle it, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office runs walk-in inspections Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and deputies can also inspect at your location between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. between other calls.5Laramie County, Wyoming. VIN and HIN Inspections Schedules vary widely, so call ahead. Bring your title or bill of sale and your driver’s license.
Licensed Wyoming Dealers
A licensed Wyoming dealer can perform an inspection, but only on vehicles currently in the dealer’s inventory or possession. If you buy from a Wyoming dealership, the dealer handles the inspection as part of the sale. This does not extend to private sellers or vehicles you already own.
Game and Fish for Watercraft
Wyoming Game and Fish Department employees are authorized to verify Hull Identification Numbers.6Natrona County, WY. VIN Inspection Contact your regional Game and Fish office to arrange one. The statutory inspection fee is $10 regardless of who performs it. If you have a vehicle towing a watercraft and both need inspection at the same time, a single $10 fee covers both.1Wyoming Department of Transportation. Wyoming Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection Form
If the Vehicle Is Still Out of State
You do not have to bring the vehicle to Wyoming to get it inspected. The statute allows a VIN inspection to be performed outside Wyoming by an authorized law enforcement officer of a city, county, or state agency, or by a commissioned officer at a federal military installation. The completed form must be notarized and delivered to the county clerk in the county where you are applying for the title. The $10 fee is still owed to the county clerk at submission.7Justia Law. Wyoming Statutes 31-2-103 – Contents of Application; Signature; Vehicle Identification Number; Issuance of Certificate The Washakie County Clerk’s office notes that the original signed document must be in the office; faxes and copies are not accepted.8Washakie County Clerk. Titling Information
Submitting the Form
Wyoming titles are processed through the county clerk’s office in the county where you reside.9Wyoming Department of Transportation. Titles, Plates and Registration Once the inspector signs the MV-300A, take the completed form to the clerk with:
- The original out-of-state title properly assigned to you by the seller, or a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin for a new vehicle.
- The $10 VIN inspection fee, set by statute, payable to whichever agency performed the inspection. You may have already paid this at the inspection site.10Converse County, WY. Titles
- The $15 title fee.
- Sales or use tax. Wyoming requires sales tax to be paid on a vehicle within 60 days of the purchase date. If an out-of-state seller did not collect Wyoming tax, you pay use tax directly at the county treasurer’s office. The treasurer handles registration and tax; the clerk handles the title, so you may need to visit both.11Converse County, WY. New Purchases
The clerk checks the inspection form against the submitted title to confirm the VIN matches, reviews any brands or liens, and issues the new Wyoming title. A salvage, rebuilt, or flood brand on the prior title carries forward permanently.7Justia Law. Wyoming Statutes 31-2-103 – Contents of Application; Signature; Vehicle Identification Number; Issuance of Certificate
When the MV-300A Is Not the Right Form
Some situations need something in addition to, or instead of, the MV-300A.
Homemade, Kit, or Assembled Vehicles
If your vehicle was built from scratch, from a kit, or from components of different factory makes, you need a state-assigned VIN before titling. Only Wyoming residents can apply, and the process goes through WYDOT rather than the county clerk. You complete Form MV-401 (Application for Assignment of Special Vehicle Identification Number) and submit it with proof of ownership for each major component (titles, Manufacturer’s Statements of Origin, or bills of sale, plus a signed statement explaining any component you cannot document), a photograph of the completed vehicle, a law enforcement VIN inspection completing Step 7 of the MV-401 or a separate inspection form, and a $20 fee.12Wyoming Department of Transportation. Application for Assignment of Special Vehicle Identification Number Mail the package to WYDOT, ATTN: Motor Vehicle Services, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009-3340. WYDOT must find you are the lawful owner before assigning a VIN, and a false statement on the application is a felony.13Wyoming Department of Transportation. State Assigned VIN
Missing or Illegible VIN Plate
If the VIN plate is destroyed, painted over, or unreadable, a normal inspection cannot be completed. Use the MV-401 process instead. WYDOT still requires a photograph and a law enforcement VIN inspection: the officer documents what is present or missing on the vehicle. If the vehicle is outside Wyoming, include a signed and dated statement explaining why out-of-state law enforcement completed the inspection.14Wyoming Department of Transportation. Frequently Asked Questions – State Assigned Vehicle
No Title or Broken Chain of Ownership
If you cannot produce a title assigning ownership to you, Wyoming’s bonded title process applies. A VIN inspection is still required, but you also complete an affidavit of ownership, request a WYDOT title search, send certified letters to any lien holders and the previous owner, establish retail value, and purchase a surety bond for twice that value from an insurance provider. Vehicles and watercraft valued under $2,500 are exempt from the bond.15Wyoming Department of Transportation. Bonded Titles Confirm the full checklist with your county clerk before starting.
A Note on VIN Tampering
If the VIN plate on your vehicle looks altered, scratched, or replaced, resolve it with WYDOT before requesting an inspection. Under 18 U.S.C. § 511, knowingly removing, altering, or covering a vehicle identification number carries up to five years in prison, a fine, or both, with narrow exceptions for scrap processors and authorized repairs.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 511 – Altering or Removing Motor Vehicle Identification Numbers An officer who spots tampering during an inspection is likely to flag it rather than sign the form.