In a principal-agent relationship, the principal gives the agent authority to act on behalf of the principal, and to bind or obligate the principal to contracts and other legal obligations, as permitted by the scope of the agency (authority). An agent’s authority may be sufficient to bind or obligate the principal if the authority was expressly given to the agent (actual authority), or if it was implied to other persons that the agent had authority to act on behalf of the principal (apparent authority)—such as by the principal’s adoption of the agent’s prior actions on behalf of the principal.

In Wyoming, as in other states, the principal-agent relationship is governed by common law principles of agency, which dictate that a principal can authorize an agent to act on their behalf and enter into binding agreements. The agent's authority to bind the principal can be actual authority, which is explicitly granted by the principal to the agent, either in writing or verbally. Alternatively, the agent may have apparent authority, which arises when a third party reasonably believes the agent has the authority to act, based on the principal's representations or conduct. If a principal knowingly allows an agent to act in a certain way or fails to repudiate the agent's unauthorized actions, the principal may be bound by the agent's actions under the doctrine of apparent authority or ratification. It's important for principals to clearly define the scope of an agent's authority and for third parties to verify the extent of that authority to avoid disputes. An attorney can provide specific advice on creating and managing principal-agent relationships in Wyoming.