Wyoming Statutes

Wyo. Stat. § 11-28-102 (2026)

Lawful fences generally.

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a)   The following are lawful fences in this state:

          (i) A fence made of steel, concrete or sound wooden
posts and three (3) spans of barbed wire not more than fifteen
(15) inches or less than ten (10) inches apart, or two (2) spans
of barbed wire with a wooden rail on top. Wooden posts shall be
at least four (4) inches in diameter. Posts shall be set firmly
in the ground at least twenty (20) inches deep, at no greater
distance apart than twenty-two (22) feet between the posts or
thirty-three (33) feet with at least two (2) iron or wooden
stays between the posts. Stays shall be placed equal distance
apart from themselves and the post on either side;

          (ii) A post and board fence made of sound posts not
less than four (4) inches in diameter set substantially in the
ground not more than ten (10) feet apart, with three (3) boards
sold as one (1) inch lumber eight (8) inches wide, and not more
than ten (10) inches apart, or four (4) boards sold as one (1)
inch lumber six (6) inches wide, not more than eight (8) inches
apart, securely fastened with nails or otherwise;

          (iii) A four (4) pole fence with round poles not less
than two (2) inches in diameter at the small end, with either
upright or leaning posts not more than sixteen (16) feet apart,
and securely fastened with nails, wires or otherwise.

     (b) All other fences made and constructed of boards,
rails, poles, stones, hedge plants or other material which upon
evidence is declared to be as strong and well calculated to
protect enclosures, and is as effective for resisting breaching
stock as those described in subsection (a) of this section,
shall be considered a lawful fence.

     (c) Any fence enclosing any hay corral situated outside of
any field or pasture enclosed by a lawful fence, shall be at
least six (6) feet high, constructed of boards, poles or wire.
The posts shall not be more than eight (8) feet apart and set
twenty-four (24) inches in the ground. If the fence is
constructed of barbed wire there shall be at least seven (7)
spans of wire, and all wires shall be kept properly stretched.
Any fence better than the above described fence is a lawful
fence.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1984–2007 · leading case: Osborn v. Manning, 798 P.2d 1208 (Wyo. 1990).

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Osborn v. Manning, 798 P.2d 1208 (Wyo. 1990). · cites it 4× “In 1983, Appellant filed suit against Ap-pellee and two of her relatives, seeking one-half of the construction costs for a partition fence under Wyo.Stat. §§ 11-28-102 and 11-28-106 (1977).”

Osborn v. Manning, 685 P.2d 1121 (Wyo. 1984). “” A “lawful fence” is defined in § 11-28-102, W.S.1977, with specificity. For example, this section provides that one form of lawful fence is: “A fence made of steel, concrete or sound wooden posts and three (3) spans of barbed wire not more than fifteen (15) inches or less than…”

Long v. Daly, 156 P.3d 994 (Wyo. 2007). · cites it 3× “Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 11-28-102 (a) (LexisNexis 2005) requires for a lawful fence "three (3) spans of barbed wire.”

Osborn v. Manning, 817 P.2d 889 (Wyo. 1991). “See, W.S. 11-28-102 (June 1989 Repl.). Nothing else has changed.”

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