State suppressor law

Wyoming Suppressor Laws in 2026: Legal to Own, Legal to Hunt, Extra Penalty for Poaching

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Oct 26, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

Wyoming's criminal code doesn't mention suppressors, so there's no state registration tie to worry about now that ATF has stopped enforcing NFA registration. Where Wyoming law does name them is the game code. Since July 1, 2013, suppressors have been allowed in the field, and the 2026 Game and Fish regulations say plainly: "Firearm suppressors may be used during the legal taking of any game animal." Using one while poaching big or trophy game is a separate crime.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes the Wyoming Statutes, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations, a multistate Attorney General letter and federal guidance as of the date above. Talk to your dealer or a Wyoming attorney if your situation is unusual.

The short answer

Suppressors are legal to own in Wyoming. We searched Title 6 (Crimes and Offenses) of the 2026 Wyoming Statutes and found no provision on silencers, suppressors or short-barreled rifles and shotguns. Wyoming has no state offense that turns on NFA registration.
Suppressors are legal for hunting. Wyoming Game and Fish's 2026 antelope, deer and elk regulations say suppressors "may be used during the legal taking of any game animal."
Poaching with one adds a charge. W.S. 23-3-112(c) makes using a suppressor while taking big or trophy game without a license, out of season, wantonly, or by trespass a separate high misdemeanor: up to $10,000 and up to a year in jail.
Wyoming was a plaintiff in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF, and its Attorney General signed the August 13, 2026 letter pressing ATF to stop enforcing registration in the plaintiff states.
Federal rules that didn't change still apply: Form 4473 and a background check at the dealer, and Form 20 approval before taking an SBR or SBS across state lines.

What Wyoming's hunting law says

Until 2013, W.S. 23-3-112 kept suppressors out of the field. Enrolled Act No. 28 of the 2013 General Session (Senate File 132) changed that. Its title describes it as "repealing provisions prohibiting the possession of silencers, suppressors or automatic weapons in the game fields and forests" and "providing an additional penalty for use of silencers or suppressors in the commission of specified hunting violations." It took effect July 1, 2013.

The current section, as compiled in the 2026 Wyoming Statutes, reads in part:

(a) "No person shall take any wildlife with any fully automatic weapon."
(b) "Violation of this section is separate and additional to any other violation and constitutes a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii)."
(c) "No person shall use a device designed to silence or muffle the report of any firearm in the commission of" a violation of 23-3-102, a violation of 23-3-107, a violation of 23-3-305(b) "which results in the taking of a big or trophy game animal," or "Taking of a big or trophy game animal out of season."

Those cross-references cover the main poaching offenses. Section 23-3-102 is taking a big or trophy game animal "without the proper license or authority." Section 23-3-107 says "No person shall wantonly take or destroy any big or trophy game animal." Section 23-3-305(b) bars entering private property to hunt "without the permission of the owner or person in charge of the property." The penalty in 23-6-202(a)(ii) for a high misdemeanor is a fine of up to $10,000, and up to one year in jail may be added.

Big game in Wyoming's code means "antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose or mountain goat" (W.S. 23-1-101). If you're hunting legally, with a license, in season and with permission, the suppressor isn't an issue.

What the Game and Fish regulations say

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission's 2026 Antelope, Deer and Elk Regulations, in the general hunting information section headed "Automatic Weapons and Suppressors," say: "No person shall take any wildlife with any fully automatic weapon. Firearm suppressors may be used during the legal taking of any game animal." The 2025 edition said the same thing. That rule covers game animals generally, not just big game, but the regulations for your species still control caliber, season and method, so read them before you go.

The Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act

You'll see W.S. 6-8-402 through 6-8-406, the "Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act," come up in suppressor discussions. Section 6-8-404(a) says a personal firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition "that is manufactured commercially or privately in Wyoming and that remains exclusively within the borders of Wyoming is not subject to federal law, federal taxation or federal regulation, including registration." Section 6-8-405 bars state public servants and in-state dealers from enforcing federal law on those items.

Two cautions. First, the statute's definition of "firearms accessories" in 6-8-403 lists items like sights, magazines, stocks and lights. It doesn't name suppressors. Second, a state declaration that an item isn't subject to federal law doesn't bind federal prosecutors or federal courts. Don't treat this act as a reason to skip federal requirements. The reason Wyoming buyers no longer need NFA approval is ATF's October 9 policy and the Silencer Shop judgment, not this statute.

Wyoming in the NFA litigation

Wyoming was one of the 15 plaintiff states in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF in the Northern District of Texas, which ended in an August 5, 2026 judgment against the NFA's registration rules for untaxed items. See our case explainer.

On August 13, 2026, Attorney General Keith Kautz and attorneys general from other plaintiff states wrote to the government's counsel asking ATF to say "what steps it is taking to immediately stop the enforcement in the Plaintiff states of the challenged NFA provisions." The letter says they were seeking clarity "for any person within the Plaintiff states trying to make a purchase that the relevant provisions of the NFA are enjoined and no additional paperwork will be required other than the normal Form 4473." It was later filed in the case as an exhibit. Wyoming's Attorney General also signed the September 4, 2026 letter, co-led by Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas, urging Congress to repeal the NFA provisions the court struck down. See our NFA lawsuit tracker.

What federal law still requires

ATF's October 9 open letter stops enforcement of NFA approval and registration for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs. It doesn't touch the Gun Control Act, so:

Dealers still run a Form 4473 and NICS check and keep records, and prohibited persons still can't possess these items.
Interstate travel with an SBR or SBS still needs Form 20 approval under 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(4), registered or not. Suppressors don't need a Form 20, which matters for out-of-state hunters coming to Wyoming. See SBR rules 2026.
Machine guns are unchanged. The NFA still applies in full, and 23-3-112(a) separately bars taking wildlife with a fully automatic weapon.
A voluntary Form 4 or Form 1 is still available at $0 tax. ATF says it will keep processing them. See NFA wait times.

What to do if you live or hunt in Wyoming

Buying a suppressor: a dealer can sell on a Form 4473 and NICS check. Wyoming law adds nothing on top.
Hunting: run your suppressor on any lawful hunt. The legal risk is only if something else about the hunt is illegal, because 23-3-112(c) stacks a high misdemeanor on top.
Coming from another state to hunt: your home state's law governs what you can own there. Wyoming's rules govern the hunt. A suppressor needs no Form 20, but an SBR does.
Short-barreled rifles and shotguns: we found no Wyoming SBR or SBS statute. Federal rules, including the dealer-sale gap explained on our SBR page, still apply.

Wyoming has 40,536 registered suppressors, according to ATF registry data obtained by the American Suppressor Association. For comparison, see how Colorado next door treats a silencer as a "dangerous weapon" unless you hold a "valid permit and license," check Montana to the north, or compare every state in the 2026 State Gun Law Scorecard.

Frequently asked questions

Are suppressors legal in Wyoming in 2026?

Yes. Title 6 of the Wyoming Statutes has no suppressor offense, and nothing in state law ties ownership to NFA registration. Federally, ATF stopped enforcing NFA approval and registration for suppressors on October 9, 2026; a Form 4473 and background check are still required at the dealer.

Can you hunt with a suppressor in Wyoming?

Yes. Wyoming Game and Fish's 2026 regulations say "Firearm suppressors may be used during the legal taking of any game animal." Using one while taking big or trophy game without a license, out of season, wantonly or by trespass is a separate high misdemeanor under W.S. 23-3-112(c).

What is the penalty for poaching with a suppressor in Wyoming?

W.S. 23-3-112 makes it a high misdemeanor that is separate from and additional to the underlying poaching charge. Under W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii), that's a fine of up to $10,000, and up to one year in jail may be added.

Does the Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act cover suppressors?

The act (W.S. 6-8-402 to 6-8-406) covers firearm accessories made and kept in Wyoming, but its definition of accessories doesn't name suppressors, and a state law can't bind federal prosecutors. Don't rely on it to skip federal requirements.

Are SBRs legal in Wyoming?

We found no short-barreled rifle or shotgun provision in Title 6 of the 2026 Wyoming Statutes. Federal rules still apply, including Form 20 approval before taking an SBR or SBS across state lines.

Sources

Supplementary sources

News reports, advocacy groups, dealer practice and unofficial copies. They add context or report statements; the primary sources above control.

American Suppressor Association via NASGW: The Suppressor Map, state counts from ATF FOIA request 2026-01285 (May 2026) (industry group)