Nevada security deposit law, reviewed November 2026
Nevada security deposit: what your landlord owes you
Nevada landlords have 30 days after your tenancy ends to return the rest of your deposit with an itemized accounting. Miss it, and they can owe you the entire deposit plus up to the same amount again.
Free calculator
Find out what your landlord owes you
Answer a few questions. You'll see your Nevada deadline, whether it has passed, and what the law may let you recover. Everything stays in your browser.
Landlord's deadline
Withheld so far
What the law allows
Your demand letter, ready to send
PREVIEW
Get the full Nevada deposit kit for $19
- Your complete demand letter, filled in and citing NRS 118A.242
- A follow-up letter if they ignore the first one
- Step-by-step Nevada small claims guide (Nevada Justice Court (small claims))
- Sending and deadline checklist
Your kit
Your Nevada deposit kit
Edit the fields above and everything here updates. Download each letter, or print the whole kit.
1. Demand letter
2. Follow-up letter (send only if they don't respond)
3. How to send it
- Keep a copy of the letter for yourself.
- Send it by certified mail with return receipt, or another trackable method, so you can prove when it arrived. Email a copy too if you've emailed your landlord before.
- Put a reminder on your calendar for the pay-by date in the letter.
- Gather your evidence now: lease, move-in and move-out photos, any move-in checklist, rent receipts, and all messages with the landlord.
4. If they still don't pay: Nevada Justice Court (small claims)
- File in the Justice Court for the township where the landlord lives, does business or works. Claims up to $10,000.
- Pay the filing fee, listed by Nevada courts as $55 up to $2,500, $95 up to $5,000 and $145 up to $10,000 (confirm with your court).
- Ask for the withheld amount and, if the 30 days passed, the statutory damages under NRS 118A.242(6).
- Arrange service on the landlord as the court instructs.
- Bring your lease, photos, proof of the move-out date, any accounting you received, your demand letter and proof of mailing. Attorney's fees aren't awarded in small claims.
Nevada security deposit rules at a glance
| Deadline | 30 days after the end of the tenancy (NRS 118A.242(4)). |
|---|---|
| Itemized accounting | Required with any deductions, handed to you or mailed to your present or last known address. |
| Allowed deductions | Unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, and reasonable cleaning. |
| Penalty | If the remainder isn't returned in 30 days: the entire deposit, plus up to the entire deposit again at the court's discretion (NRS 118A.242(6)). |
| Nonrefundable fees | Not allowed except a reasonable cleaning charge. Fees used as deposits count as deposits. |
| Deposit cap | Total deposit, including last month's rent, can't exceed 3 months' rent. |
| Small claims | Justice Court, up to $10,000; no attorney's fees in small claims (NRS 73.010, 73.040). |
Mistakes that cost Nevada renters their deposit
- Expecting an automatic double award. The first full-deposit amount follows from a missed deadline, but the second is up to the court and depends on the landlord's good faith.
- Paying a "nonrefundable" fee and writing it off. Unless it's a reasonable cleaning charge, a fee that works like a deposit is a deposit.
- Not giving a forwarding address. It isn't required, but a refund mailed to your old address counts as delivered.
- Claiming more than $10,000. Twice a large deposit can exceed the small claims limit, and small claims doesn't award attorney's fees.
Common questions
How long does a Nevada landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the end of the tenancy, with an itemized accounting of any deductions (NRS 118A.242(4)).
What is the penalty in Nevada for not returning a deposit?
A landlord who fails or refuses to return the remainder within 30 days is liable for the entire deposit, plus up to the entire deposit again as set by the court (NRS 118A.242(6)).
Can a Nevada landlord keep a nonrefundable deposit?
Only a reasonable cleaning charge can be nonrefundable. Other fees used as deposits count as deposits (NRS 118A.242, 118A.240).
What's the small claims limit in Nevada?
$10,000 in Justice Court (NRS 73.010).
Not legal advice. Deposit Owed is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and no attorney reviews your letter. We summarize the state statute and cite it so you can check it yourself. If your situation is complicated or a lot of money is at stake, talk to a local attorney or legal aid office.