Rights, Regulations, & Landlord Tenant Laws - Nevada Guide

In the Silver State, landlords and tenants must navigate a set of state and local rental laws. These landlord-tenant laws, as they’re referred to, impact their rights, responsibilities, and relationships. Understanding and following these laws can be overwhelming, even for the most seasoned rental property owners and tenants.

To overcome this challenge, we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide, covering topics like tenant screening, security deposit regulations, lease agreements, and so much more. Both landlords and tenants will develop a strong grasp of Nevada’s rental laws as outlined in the NRS Chapter 118A.

Landlords will learn how to protect their rental properties, plus foster healthy relationships with tenants. Simultaneously, renters will develop confidence in asserting their fundamental rights while living in a rental home.

Let’s dive in!

Nevada landlord tenant law fast facts

Nevada landlord responsibilities & rights

Rights

Nevada landlords have rights that allow them to run efficient rental properties protected from potential legal issues. Those rights include:

• Collecting rent payments when due
• Charging a security deposit at the start of the lease to cover unforeseen costs like property damage beyond normal wear and tear
• Pursuing a legal eviction if the tenant breaches the lease agreement

Responsibilities

Landlords in Nevada also bear a set of duties that ensure a smooth and safe tenancy for renters. Their main obligations are as follows:

• Providing renters with a safe, habitable rental that complies with building and housing codes

• Making repairs within 14 days after getting written notice from tenants
• Returning tenants' security deposits within 30 days of the end of the lease term

Nevada tenant responsibilities & rights

Rights

Nevada state law also grants tenants fundamental rights that serve to safeguard their safety and well-being throughout their tenancy. Some of their main rights include:

• Living in a habitable dwelling unit that meets local health and safety codes
• Having repairs made in 14 days after providing the landlord with written notice
• Taking legal action against the landlord for failure to return the tenant’s security deposit and other breaches in the lease agreement

Responsibilities

Nevada renters also have a set of responsibilities to uphold while renting a property. They must:

• Pay rent on time
• Keep the unit in safe and habitable condition, including cleaning plumbing fixtures
• Perform small repairs and maintenance when necessary
• Not disturb other renters or neighbors
• Not purposefully destroy or damage any part of the rental property

Nevada landlord tenant law through the rental cycle

Nevada tenant screening and rental application laws

Nevada state law has very few statutes governing the tenant screening and rental application process. For instance, the state doesn’t limit rental application fees or require them to be refundable. Landlords are free to ask any questions on the rental application as long as they do not violate the federal Fair Housing Act laws.

Additionally, landlords are free to run background checks, such as credit reports, criminal history, and rental history, but only if the landlord has obtained the prospective tenant’s signed consent.

Nevada rental agreement laws

In Nevada, a lease or rental agreement can be either written or oral, either way, it embodies the terms and conditions of the use of the rental property. However, it’s always advised to document a lease agreement in writing as it grants important responsibilities to both parties.

Nevada law requires a handful of mandatory disclosures to be included in lease agreements (discussed in detail below). But in addition to the disclosures, certain information should always be included in a lease, including the landlord’s and tenant’s names, rent amount and due date, security deposit terms, and so much more. Learn what other information you should include in your rental agreement.

Nevada security deposit laws

Nevada state law permits landlords to collect a security deposit at the start of a lease period to cover unforeseen costs like property damage that exceeds normal wear and tear. However, landlords are limited to charging the equivalent of 3 months’ rent for the deposit.

Landlords in Nevada should also note the following statutes:

• Landlords do not have to provide a receipt for security deposits unless specifically requested by the tenant.
• Landlords are not required to pay interest on security deposits.
• Security deposits do not have to be held in a separate bank account.

At the end of a lease, Nevada landlords have 30 days (21 days for mobile homes) to return the tenant’s security deposit. Allowable deductions include property damage excluding normal wear and tear, cleaning fees listed in the lease, and unpaid rent and late fees. If deductions are made, the landlord must provide an itemized list or written account of the damages.

If the landlord fails to comply with the notice period or wrongfully withholds funds, the tenant can sue for twice the security deposit plus damages.

Nevada rent laws

Nevada does not have rent control laws and also prohibits its cities and towns from creating their own rent control laws. This allows landlords to charge any amount of rent and increase rent as long as it’s not during a lease term (unless the lease agreement allows for it).

Before increasing rent, landlords must provide a certain notice period dependent on the lease length. Month-to-month leases require a 60-day notice and week-to-week leases require a 30-day notice.

If Nevada tenants fail to pay rent on time, landlords must provide a 3-day grace period before charging a late fee. However, there is no grace period law for week-to-week leases. Additionally, the fee cannot be more than 5% of the rent payment.

It’s important to note that in Nevada tenants do have the right to withhold rent to force the landlord to make necessary repairs.

Nevada repair and maintenance laws

Nevada residential landlords must provide tenants with safe and habitable rental units. During the rental period, they must make repairs within 14 days of receiving written notice from tenants.

If the landlord fails to make repairs within that time frame, renters can take a few legal actions: sue for costs, file a court order to force the landlord to make repairs, and in certain cases, cancel the rental agreement. Nevada statutes also allow tenants to use the “repair and deduct” remedy.

Nevada notice of entry laws

Nevada law gives landlords the right to enter rentals for reasons such as maintenance, inspections, and property showings. Unless for an emergency, landlords are required by law to provide at least 24 hours advanced notice before entering the property.

Nevada eviction and lease termination laws

Nevada landlords are allowed to evict tenants for specific legal reasons. Each of the reasons require a notice period before the landlord can move forward with the eviction process. Here are the legal reasons and accompanying notice periods for evictions in Nevada:

• Unpaid rent: If a tenant fails to pay rent on time, the landlord may issue a 7-day notice to pay, after applicable grace periods. If the tenant still fails to pay after the notice period, the landlord can move forward with the eviction.
• Lease violation:

Nevada tenants can also end lease agreements early for the following reasons:

• Active military duty
• Early termination clause
• Uninhabitable unit
• Landlord harassment 
• Domestic violence
• Advanced age or illness

Additional Nevada landlord tenant laws

On top of addressing rental topics like security deposits and repairs, Nevada state law also covers issues like landlord retaliation and housing discrimination. Explore some of those regulations below.

Housing discrimination

Under the federal Fair Housing Act, landlords are prohibited from discriminating against prospective tenants based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), familial status, and disability.

If a landlord violates these laws, tenants can seek legal help and file a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.

Landlord retaliation

Like in most states, it’s illegal for Nevada landlords to retaliate against tenants for taking legal actions like reporting landlords to government authorities for health and safety violations. In Nevada, raised rent, reduced services, threatened eviction, and tenancy termination are all considered forms of retaliation.

Mandatory landlord disclosures

Nevada residential landlords are required to provide tenants with a handful of disclosures at the beginning of the lease term. The disclosures are as follows:

• Lead-based paint: Landlords with dwelling units built before 1978 must provide information about lead paint concentrations in the building.
• Authorized agent: Landlords must provide the names and addresses of all parties involved in owning and managing the property, including any property management companies hired. 
• Utility fees: Landlords must disclose the breakdown of utilities in the rental agreement.
• Security deposit/condition of rental unit: If a landlord collects a security deposit, they must document the condition of the rental unit and provide a signed inventory for the return of the deposit.
• Late fees: If landlords want to charge late fees, they must disclose the fee in the rental agreement.
• Right to fly the flag: Nevada landlords must inform renters that they have the right to display the American flag.
• Nevada Public Nuisance: Landlords must provide a summary of the Nevada Public Nuisance provision (NRS 202.470), including the penalties for creating a nuisance at the rental.

Pending foreclosure: Landlords must provide a written notice if the property is subject to foreclosure at any time during the lease term.

Required landlord disclosures

Nevada residential landlords are required to provide tenants with a handful of disclosures at the beginning of the lease term. The disclosures are as follows:

• Lead-based paint: Landlords with dwelling units built before 1978 must provide information about lead paint concentrations in the building.
• Authorized agent: Landlords must provide the names and addresses of all parties involved in owning and managing the property, including any property management companies hired. 
• Utility fees: Landlords must disclose the breakdown of utilities in the rental agreement.
• Security deposit/condition of rental unit: If a landlord collects a security deposit, they must document the condition of the rental unit and provide a signed inventory for the return of the deposit.
• Late fees: If landlords want to charge late fees, they must disclose the fee in the rental agreement.
• Right to fly the flag: Nevada landlords must inform renters that they have the right to display the American flag.
• Nevada Public Nuisance: Landlords must provide a summary of the Nevada Public Nuisance provision (NRS 202.470), including the penalties for creating a nuisance at the rental.
• Pending foreclosure: Landlords must provide a written notice if the property is subject to foreclosure at any time during the lease term.

Summing up: Understanding Nevada landlord tenant laws

Nevada’s rental laws were crafted to assign rights and responsibilities to both landlords and tenants. While their primary goal is to establish a fair rental process, these laws also promote peaceful landlord-tenant relationships.

It’s crucial for landlords and tenants to understand and follow Nevada’s laws as they apply to their roles. Landlords can learn to protect their real estate investments, and concurrently, renters can discover how to assert their legal rights.

Furthermore, Nevada rental owners and tenants should do their due diligence staying informed about the state's ever-evolving landlord-tenant laws. These laws can change over time, shaping the rental landscape and process.

Nevada landlord tenant law FAQ

Is Nevada a landlord friendly state?

Nevada is known as a relatively landlord-friendly state–evident in its ranking as the 31st most landlord-friendly state. The state doesn’t have rent control, allowing landlords to charge whatever they want for rent, and it has a quick eviction process. However, tenants have broader rights in certain areas such as late fees.

What is the limit a landlord or tenant can sue for in Nevada Small Claims Court?

The Small Claims Court in Nevada handles disputes involving relatively small amounts of money in a simplified, expedited manner. The Small Claims Court will hear rental cases for up to $10,000. Beyond this amount, tenants should seek out legal services. The process takes roughly one to three months.