Nevada’s landlord-tenant law lives in Chapter 118A of the Nevada Revised Statutes, a long, detailed chapter covering deposits, rent increases, and habitability. Nevada is often described as landlord-friendly — there is no rent control anywhere in the state — but Chapter 118A is genuinely procedural: it fixes deadlines, requires written notices, and attaches money penalties to missed ones.
Two things make Nevada stand out. First, a security deposit cannot exceed three months’ rent including any last month’s rent, and a landlord who misses the 30-day return deadline can owe the entire deposit plus a court-fixed sum of up to the same amount. Second, the statute requires every written lease to include a signed inventory-and-condition record of the unit — a built-in move-in checklist that both sides should take seriously (NRS 118A.200).
Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno do not add rent control, but they enforce local housing codes and business-license rules, and evictions run through justice court with local forms. This guide covers deposits, pets, rent increases, repairs, and evictions under Nevada law; it is general information, not legal advice.
| Governing law | NRS Chapter 118A (Landlord and Tenant: Dwellings) |
|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | 3 months’ rent, including last month’s rent (NRS 118A.242(1)) |
| Deposit return deadline | 30 days after the tenancy ends, with an itemized written accounting |
| Wrongful retention penalty | The full deposit plus a court-fixed sum of up to the deposit amount (NRS 118A.242(6)) |
| Rent increase notice | 60 days (30 days for tenancies under one month) (NRS 118A.300) |
| Nonpayment notice to quit | 7 days |
Nevada Rental Law at a Glance
NRS Chapter 118A applies to most residential dwelling rentals in Nevada. It covers rental agreements, deposits, the landlord’s maintenance duties, tenant obligations, access rules, and remedies for both sides. Eviction procedure sits partly in the same chapter and partly in the forcible-detainer statutes (NRS 40.250 and following), and federal law — including the lead-based paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing — applies on top.
The chapter is unusually specific about paperwork. A written lease must cover the duration, rent, fees, deposits and refund conditions, utility payment responsibilities, and a signed inventory-and-condition record (NRS 118A.200). If there is no written agreement, the law presumes no pet restrictions, free maintenance and waste removal, and no late fees — three reasons to use a written lease.
Security Deposits: Three Months’ Rent and a 30-Day Clock
A Nevada landlord may not demand more than three months’ periodic rent as security, a cap that includes any last month’s rent and any surety bond accepted in lieu of a deposit (NRS 118A.242(1)-(2)). The landlord may claim only what is reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, and reasonable cleaning costs, and must provide an itemized written accounting and return the balance within 30 days after the tenancy ends (NRS 118A.242(4)).
- ✓Miss the deadline and the landlord is liable for the entire deposit plus a court-fixed sum of up to the deposit amount (NRS 118A.242(6)-(7)).
- ✓A lease may provide for a nonrefundable cleaning charge in a reasonable amount, but any clause labeling a security deposit nonrefundable is void as against public policy.
- ✓A tenant’s claim to the deposit outranks the landlord’s other creditors, and when the property is sold the deposit obligation passes to the buyer with written notice (NRS 118A.244).
- ✓Practical tip: tenants should give a forwarding address in writing, and landlords should photograph the unit at move-in and move-out and keep receipts for every deduction.
Pet Deposits and Pet Rent in Nevada
Nevada law does not set a separate cap on pet deposits or pet rent. The lease must state whether pets are allowed and what charges apply (NRS 118A.200), and any refundable pet deposit that functions as security should be counted toward the deposit cap — confirm the current reading with an attorney. Monthly pet rent is common in Las Vegas and Reno.
Service and assistance animals are not pets: a landlord may not charge pet deposits or pet rent for them, though a disability-related need can be documented under federal fair-housing rules. Nevada landlords also cannot adopt rules that strip away a tenant’s right to keep a pet that was permitted when the lease was signed (NRS 118A.320).
Rent Increases: 60 Days’ Notice and No Rent Control
Nevada has no statewide or local rent control, so the amount of an increase is not capped by law. What is fixed is the notice: a landlord may not raise rent without a written notice served 60 days before the first increased payment — or 30 days for a periodic tenancy of less than one month (NRS 118A.300). A fixed-term lease locks the rent for the term; an increase applies at renewal under the same notice rules.
Rent increases in retaliation for a tenant complaint, code report, or union activity are illegal (NRS 118A.510), and mobile-home park tenants enjoy separate protections under NRS Chapter 118B. Tenants should confirm the increase is in writing and check the 60-day timing.
Habitability, Repairs, and Disclosures
Nevada landlords must maintain the unit in a habitable condition under NRS 118A.290. For a non-emergency habitability problem, the tenant must give written notice identifying each failure, and the landlord has 14 days to remedy it or make a reasonable effort (NRS 118A.355). If the problem involves an essential service — heat, running water, electricity — the notice is just 48 hours (NRS 118A.380).
If the landlord does not respond, the tenant’s remedies include terminating the lease, recovering damages, seeking court relief, or withholding rent and paying it into the court’s escrow account — a route that protects the tenant from a nonpayment eviction while the case is pending. Nevada also requires landlords to disclose the names and addresses of the manager and owner (NRS 118A.260), to disclose pending foreclosure to prospective tenants (NRS 118A.275), and to provide receipts for deposits and rent (NRS 118A.250).
Evictions and Termination in Nevada
For nonpayment of rent, the landlord serves a written 7-day notice to pay or quit; if the rent is not paid in full, the landlord may file an eviction action in justice court. Other violations and holdovers follow their own statutory notice periods. Self-help is flatly illegal — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities violates NRS 118A.390.
Nevada evictions are carried out by the constable’s office in Clark County and by sheriffs elsewhere, and justice courts provide tenant response forms. A tenant served with an eviction summons should file a written answer by the deadline and contact Nevada Legal Services, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas), or Washoe Legal Services (Reno) immediately.
Resolving Nevada Disputes
Justice courts hear landlord-tenant cases, and their small-claims jurisdiction covers money claims up to $10,000 (NRS 73.010) — enough for most deposit disputes, including the penalty. Some cases are routed to nonbinding arbitration.
Before filing, send a written demand letter citing the statute and giving the landlord a deadline; most deposit disputes settle at that stage. Then file in the township where the property sits, with the lease, the signed inventory-and-condition record, photos, written notices, and proof of mailing. The Civil Law Self-Help Center (Clark County) publishes step-by-step habitability and eviction guides.
Guide reviewed 2026-08-19. Rental laws change frequently; verify the current statute text before relying on any rule on this page. This information is not legal advice.