Nevada Landlord-Tenant Law: An Owner’s Guide

Nevada Landlord-Tenant Law: An Owner’s Guide

What NRS 118A requires, in the order it tends to matter

Residential landlord-tenant relationships in Nevada are governed by NRS chapter 118A. It sets the rules for leases, deposits, rent, notice periods, entry and habitability. Most of what costs owners money is in here, and most of it is a deadline rather than a judgment call.

Housing discrimination is not in this chapter — it sits in NRS 118.100, and Nevada protects more classes than federal law does. See fair housing compliance.

Security Deposits — NRS 118A.242

The deposit, any surety bond and last month’s rent combined may not exceed three months’ rent. Within 30 days of the tenancy ending you must provide an itemized written accounting and return the balance. Miss that deadline and the exposure is the entire deposit plus up to another one set by the court — potentially twice the deposit. Only a reasonable cleaning charge may be called non-refundable.

Full detail: Nevada security deposit rules.

Raising the Rent — NRS 118A.300

60 days’ written notice before the first payment at the increased rate; 30 days where the periodic tenancy is under one month. The 45-day figure still circulating online is the pre-2021 rule and has been wrong since the 2021 session. Nevada has no statewide rent control and NRS 118A does not cap the amount of an increase — only the notice.

Full detail: rent increase notice in Nevada.

Late Fees and Paying Rent — NRS 118A.210, .303, .306

A late fee must be in the agreement, may not be charged until three calendar days after rent is due for tenancies longer than week-to-week, must not exceed 5% of the periodic rent, and may not be compounded on a fee already imposed. Since the 2025 session you must also offer at least one fee-free method of paying rent, and application fees must be refunded in defined circumstances.

Full detail: late fees and rent payment rules.

What the Lease Must Contain — NRS 118A.200 and 118A.220

Fifteen subjects are mandatory, from duration and rent through to the tenant’s right to display the flag of the United States. The 2025 session added a requirement that rent be stated as a single all-in figure including mandatory fees, and made using a nonconforming agreement unlawful. Separately, NRS 118A.220 makes certain clauses void even after the tenant signs — rights waivers, confessions of judgment, the landlord’s attorney’s fees, exculpation clauses, and unequal termination notice.

Full detail: Nevada lease agreement requirements.

Entering the Property — NRS 118A.330

A landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours’ notice before entering, and enter at reasonable times during normal business hours, with an exception for emergencies. The tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent for entry to inspect, make repairs, supply agreed services, or show the unit. The right of access may not be used to harass. This section has not been amended since 1977.

In practice this is what makes scheduled inspections work: notice first, on a predictable pattern.

Habitability — NRS 118A.290

The landlord must maintain the unit in a habitable condition at all times during the tenancy. A unit is not habitable if it violates housing or health codes, or substantially lacks effective waterproofing and weather protection, plumbing in good working order, hot and cold running water, adequate heating, electrical lighting and wiring, appropriate garbage receptacles, floors, walls and ceilings in good repair, or ventilation and air conditioning where those are supplied. The section was amended in 2023 and expressly names rodents, insects and vermin among the conditions in issue.

In this climate, air conditioning is the one that matters most — see maintenance and inspections and the seasonal checklist, and pest control for the vermin question.

Unauthorized Occupants — NRS 205.0813, 205.0817, 40.412, 40.414

Unlawful occupancy and housebreaking are criminal offenses in Nevada, and an occupant is presumed to lack permission unless they produce a lease that is notarized or signed by a chapter 645 permit holder and carries the owner’s current contact details. Removal runs through one of two statutory routes. Self-help lockouts are lawful on only one of them, and only after arrests.

Full detail: squatters and unauthorized occupants.

If the Tenancy Has Simply Ended

None of the unlawful-occupancy material applies to a former tenant who entered under a real agreement. That is an eviction and it runs through Nevada’s summary eviction process — see eviction protection.

Where to Go Next

• Security deposit rules
• Rent increase notice
• Late fees and rent payment rules
• Lease agreement requirements
• Squatters and unauthorized occupants
• Fair housing compliance
• HOA rules for rental owners — a separate set of obligations that sits on top of these
• First-time landlord guide and all landlord resources

If keeping track of all of this is the part you would rather not own, property management vs. self-managing sets out the trade honestly, and a free rental analysis is the place to start.

Statutory references on this page were read from the official chapter text at leg.state.nv.us and verified on 24 August 2026. Nevada’s Legislature meets in odd-numbered years; the next regular session is 2027, so figures here can change after that. This is general information for Nevada rental owners and residents — it is not legal advice. For a specific situation, consult a Nevada attorney.