Wyoming Statutes
Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301 (2026)
Maximum speed limits.
✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a
speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the
conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards
then existing. Consistent with the foregoing, every person
shall drive at a safe and appropriate speed when approaching and
crossing an intersection or railroad grade crossing, when
approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a
hillcrest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway and
when special hazards exist with respect to pedestrians or other
traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.
(b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires
lower speed for compliance with subsection (a) of this section,
subject to W.S. 31-5-203(b), the limits specified in this
subsection or established as otherwise authorized shall be
maximum lawful speeds and no person shall drive a vehicle on a
highway at a speed in excess of maximum limits:
(i) Twenty (20) miles per hour when passing a school
building, the grounds thereof, within any other area or space in
the vicinity of a school designated by an official traffic
control device as a school zone with a reduced speed limit or a
school crossing if appropriate signs giving notice of a reduced
speed limit are erected;
(ii) Thirty (30) miles per hour in any urban district
and in any residence district or subdivision except on roads
that have been designated a private road pursuant to W.S.
18-5-306(a)(vii);
(iii) Except as provided under paragraph (vi) of this
subsection, seventy-five (75) miles per hour on interstate
highways. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to:
(A) Affect the authority of the superintendent
to otherwise designate lower or higher maximum speed limits on
interstate highways in accordance with other laws; or
(B) Authorize noncompliance with posted speed
limits on interstate highways.
(iv) For all other locations for which a maximum
speed limit is not specified under this subsection, sixty-five
(65) miles per hour where the roadway is paved and fifty-five
(55) miles per hour where the roadway is unpaved;
(v) Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 61, § 2.
(vi) Notwithstanding paragraph (iii) of this
subsection, eighty (80) miles per hour on interstate highways
designated by the superintendent;
(vii) Seventy (70) miles per hour on state highways,
as defined in W.S. 31-18-101(a)(xvii), that are not interstate
highways, as defined in W.S. 31-18-801(a)(xvi).
(c) Subject to W.S. 31-5-203(b), the maximum speed limits
set forth in this section may be altered as authorized in W.S.
31-5-302 and 31-5-303.
(d) Speeding violations of up to eighty (80) miles per
hour where the posted speed limit is at least sixty-five (65)
miles per hour but not more than seventy-five (75) miles per
hour, or less than six (6) miles per hour over the posted speed
limit in all other instances and zones, except violations for
exceeding the speed limit in a school zone, or construction
zone, and violations received while operating a commercial motor
vehicle as defined by W.S. 31-7-102(a)(viii), shall not be made
a part of the abstracts or records kept by the department of
transportation pursuant to W.S. 31-5-1214 or 31-7-120.Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12
cases, 1979–2019 · leading case: Damato v. State, 2003 WY 13 (Wyo. 2003).
Damato v. State, 2003 WY 13 (Wyo. 2003). “The officer activated his patrol car lights to stop Damato after observing on radar that Damato exceeded the maximum allowable speed limit by two miles per hour in violation of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 31-5-301 . Under Wyoming statute, exceeding the maximum allowable speed limit is a…”
Harvey v. State, 596 P.2d 1386 (Wyo. 1979). “) [6] Section 31-5-301, W.S. 1977 provides: "(a) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
Billis v. State, 800 P.2d 401 (Wyo. 1990). “88-312) Facts: Victoria Lowry was arrested and charged with two misdemeanors, speeding, in violation of W.S. 31-5-301(b)(ii) (1977), and driving while under the influence, in violation of W.”
State, Dep't of Revenue & Taxation, Motor Veh. Div. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: “(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
Goodman v. State, 644 P.2d 1240 (Wyo. 1982). “Appellant, Richard Goodman, was convicted in justice court for traveling 67 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone, in violation of § 31-5-301(b)(iii), W.S. 1977. [1] Upon finding Mr.”
Roberts v. Est. of Randall, 2002 WY 115 (Wyo. 2002). “18 YOU ARE INSTRUCTED that Wyoming Statute § 31-5-301[ [4] ] provides in part that no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
State, Dept. of Rev. & Tax., Motor Veh. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: "(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
Nish v. Schaefer, 2006 WY 85 (Wyo. 2006). “(§31-5-301(a)) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic-control device, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on a crosswalk.”
Dawson v. City of Casper, 731 P.2d 1186 (Wyo. 1987). “Appellant was stopped in Casper and charged with violating § 31-5-301, W.S. 1977, as adopted by § 24-1 of the Casper City Code.”
State, Dep't of Revenue & Taxation v. Guadagnoli, 677 P.2d 823 (Wyo. 1984). ““(b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed for compliance with paragraph (a) of this section, the limits specified in this section or established as hereinafter authorized shall be maximum lawful speeds, and no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at…”
Caldwell v. UNUM Life Ins. Co. (10th Cir. 2019). “6 at 902–03, and at least when the speeding happens in Wyoming, where it is wholesale incorporated as a misdemeanor, see Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 31-5-301 (b), 31-5-1201(a) (West 2018).”
Vialpando v. Cooper Cameron Corp., 92 F. App'x 612 (10th Cir. 2004). “Further, Instruction 30 noted that Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 31-5-301 (a) provided that “[n]o person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(a) — 1 case
Nish v. Schaefer, 2006 WY 85 (Wyo. 2006). “(§31-5-301(a)) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic-control device, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on a crosswalk.”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(b) — 2 cases
State, Dep't of Revenue & Taxation, Motor Veh. Div. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: “(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
State, Dept. of Rev. & Tax., Motor Veh. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: "(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(b)(ii) — 1 case
Billis v. State, 800 P.2d 401 (Wyo. 1990). “88-312) Facts: Victoria Lowry was arrested and charged with two misdemeanors, speeding, in violation of W.S. 31-5-301(b)(ii) (1977), and driving while under the influence, in violation of W.”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(b)(iii) — 4 cases
Goodman v. State, 644 P.2d 1240 (Wyo. 1982). “Appellant, Richard Goodman, was convicted in justice court for traveling 67 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone, in violation of § 31-5-301(b)(iii), W.S. 1977. [1] Upon finding Mr.”
State, Dept. of Rev. & Tax., Motor Veh. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: "(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
State, Dep't of Revenue & Taxation, Motor Veh. Div. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: “(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
Roberts v. Est. of Randall, 2002 WY 115 (Wyo. 2002). “18 YOU ARE INSTRUCTED that Wyoming Statute § 31-5-301[ [4] ] provides in part that no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(b)(iv) — 1 case
Roberts v. Est. of Randall, 2002 WY 115 (Wyo. 2002). “18 YOU ARE INSTRUCTED that Wyoming Statute § 31-5-301[ [4] ] provides in part that no person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing.”
— Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-301(c) — 2 cases
State, Dep't of Revenue & Taxation, Motor Veh. Div. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: “(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
State, Dept. of Rev. & Tax., Motor Veh. v. Andrews, 671 P.2d 1239 (Wyo. 1983). “1977, which provides: "(a) Whenever local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted or established under sections 31-130 [§ 31-5-301] and 31-131 [§ 31-5-302], Wyoming…”
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