A Wyoming workers’ comp certificate of good standing is issued by the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) and confirms that your business is current on its workers’ compensation obligations with the state. You request it through the dedicated COGS portal at cogs.wyo.gov, and once DWS verifies your account, the certificate goes directly to whoever you’ve told the state needs it.1Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Certificates of Good Standing
How to Request the Certificate
The state runs a single online system, COGS, that handles both workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance certificates. Go to cogs.wyo.gov, open the “Request a Cert” page, and enter your business information exactly as DWS has it on file, including your legal business name and your workers’ compensation account number.1Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Certificates of Good Standing The DWS Forms and Resources page links to the same portal if you’d rather start there.2Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Forms and Resources
You identify the recipient during the request. The certificate goes to them directly rather than back to you. If you have trouble with your login, email the Division at dws-wccert@wyo.gov. The state describes the process as quick but does not publish a specific turnaround time.
On cost, Wyoming law allows DWS to issue one policy or statement of coverage to each employer at no charge, and after that the Division collects the cost of certifying coverage from whoever requests it.3Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming Statutes Title 27 – Labor and Employment The statute does not set a dollar amount, so if you expect to need several certificates for different contracts, contact the Division to confirm the current fee before you submit.
What Your Account Must Look Like First
DWS will only issue the certificate if your account is in good standing, which comes down to two things: your quarterly payroll reports are filed, and your balance is zero.
Reports and payments go through the WYUI employer portal at WYUI.wyo.gov. The portal lets you file and amend quarterly reports and view your rates, payments, balances, and credits.4Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Wyoming Unemployment Insurance User Portal (WYUI) DWS uses the wages you report to calculate your premiums. You can pay online through WYUI or mail payment to the Workers’ Compensation Division in Cheyenne.5Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Employers
What Blocks a Certificate
Two common problems will stop a request:
- A quarterly payroll report more than 30 days late triggers a $100 penalty per delinquent report, separate from any late-payment penalty, and flags your account until it’s resolved.3Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming Statutes Title 27 – Labor and Employment
- Unpaid premiums accrue interest at one percent per month, including partial months, and any outstanding balance (premium, interest, or administrative penalty) disqualifies you from good standing.3Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming Statutes Title 27 – Labor and Employment
Clear the delinquency, confirm the balance shows zero in WYUI, then submit the COGS request.
If You Have No Employees
Sole proprietors, business owners, and independent contractors with no employees generally don’t need coverage, but they still need something in writing to prove it. In that situation you request an exemption letter from the Division through the WYUI employer portal at WYUI.wyo.gov rather than a certificate of good standing.5Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Employers General contractors routinely ask for one before letting a subcontractor on site, so don’t skip it just because coverage isn’t required.
When Someone Will Ask for It
Contract bidding is the most common trigger. General contractors and project owners require a current certificate before letting subcontractors on site, because a subcontractor’s coverage gap can create liability for the hiring contractor. On federal projects, the Federal Acquisition Regulation requires contractors to have workers’ compensation insurance in place before performance begins, and that clause flows down to subcontractors, so the certificate often gets requested at every tier.6Acquisition.GOV. Workers Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)
Banks and commercial landlords may ask for one during loan or lease negotiations. Buyers conducting due diligence in a merger or acquisition use it to confirm the workers’ compensation account carries no hidden liabilities. And if you want to join the DWS premium deductible program, which trades reduced base rates for a deductible on claims, the statute requires the employer to be in good standing with the Division.3Wyoming Legislature. Wyoming Statutes Title 27 – Labor and Employment
In every one of these situations the answer is the same: get current with DWS, then request the certificate through cogs.wyo.gov and point it at the party who asked.