Judgment Liens on Property in Nevada

You went to court and got a judgment that says you're entitled to money from the party you sued, now called a "judgment debtor." What comes next? How can you—the judgment creditor—collect the money you're due? That's the focus of this article.

One way to collect is by putting judgment liens on the judgment debtor's Nevada property. After a quick review of how judgment liens differ from judgments, we'll turn our attention to the specifics of Nevada law. In particular, we cover:

• the kinds of property subject to Nevada judgment liens
• how you put judgment liens on Nevada property
• how long your judgment lien lasts, and
• the ways you can turn your judgment lien into money.

If you want some background information, here's more about how court judgments are collected.

What's the Difference Between a Judgment and a Judgment Lien?

A judgment is a court order that says a judgment creditor is legally entitled to a sum of money from a judgment debtor. But a judgment, standing alone, isn't self-enforcing. That is, you can't take a judgment to your county sheriff's office and demand that the judgment debtor's real estate be sold to pay you.

If you want to seize and sell the judgment debtor's property, you first have to attach your judgment to specific items of property. That's what a judgment lien does. As we discuss later, once your judgment is recorded in the county recorder's office, it becomes a lien against the judgment debtor's nonexempt real estate in that county. Once that's done, you can look for ways to turn your judgment into cold, hard cash.

Kinds of Property Subject to Nevada Judgment Liens

In Nevada, you can attach judgment liens only to real estate, meaning land, buildings, and other improvements. A judgment that's properly recorded by the county recorder attaches a lien to real estate the judgment debtor:

• presently owns, and
• acquires later, as long as your judgment lien is still good.

No Liens on Personal Property

You can't put judgment liens on Nevada personal property—cars, artwork, antiques, electronics, household furnishings, and the like. But that doesn't mean a judgment debtor always gets to keep their autos, boats, and other big ticket items. Even without judgment liens, there's a way to have the sheriff seize personal property.

If you're considering this step, speak to a Nevada collection lawyer first. They can tell you whether it's worth your time and expense to go after the judgment debtor's personal property—and there's a good chance it won't be. If it's likely to be worthwhile, they'll guide you through the process.

Property Exempt From Nevada Judgment Liens

Like all states, Nevada exempts some property—both real and personal—from the reach of creditors. Exempt amounts mentioned here represent the maximum value of the debtor's equity in the property, which might not be the same as the property's market value.

Here are a few examples:

• a homestead worth up to $605,000, consisting of a house, condo, townhouse, or mobile home
• one motor vehicle valued at up to $15,000, except that a vehicle modified for a disabled judgment debtor isn't subject to any equity limit
• household goods, furnishings, electronics, clothing, and personal effects, with an aggregate value of not more than $12,000
• up to $1,000,000 held in a qualified retirement plan, including an individual retirement account, and
• books, equipment, supplies, tools, and inventory used by the judgment debtor in a trade or business, all worth as much as $10,000.

How to Attach Nevada Judgment Liens

When you get a judgment from a Nevada district court, or from any federal court sitting in Nevada, follow these steps to attach a judgment lien.

• Get a certified copy. Go to the court clerk's office for the court that entered your judgment. Tell the clerk you need a certified copy of the judgment, or a certified copy of a transcript or abstract (both are summaries) of the judgment. You'll need one certified copy for each county where you want to record a judgment lien. The clerk will make a copy of the judgment, transcript, or abstract, and attach to it a certificate attesting that the attached document is authentic.
• Prepare an affidavit of judgment. You must prepare an affidavit of judgment that includes: (1) the judgment debtor's name and address, (2) when the judgment debtor is a natural person, the last four digits of their driver's license or state identification number, plus the state that issued it, or the last four digits of their social security number, (3) the county assessor's parcel number and the address of each real estate parcel subject to the lien, plus a statement that you've confirmed the judgment debtor's ownership, and (4) if the lien attaches to a manufactured or mobile home, the serial number and location of the home, plus a statement that you've confirmed the judgment debtor's ownership.
• County recorder's office. Take the certified copy of the judgment, transcript, or abstract and the affidavit of judgment to the county recorder's office, and ask them to record both documents. Once they're recorded, you've got a judgment lien on all the judgment debtor's real estate in that county.

In Nevada, a judgment lien expires six years from the date judgment was entered or was last renewed. What happens if you haven't collected the judgment before your lien expires? You must renew your judgment and extend your liens, as described below.

How Long Does a Nevada Judgment Last?

A Nevada judgment expires six years from the later of:

• the date it was entered, or
• the date it was last renewed.

Once it expires, a judgment is legally dead. Barring extraordinary circumstances, you're not allowed to collect on it. You've lost the right to the money you're due.

You can renew a judgment, but you must act before the six-year term expires.

Renewing a Nevada Judgment

Within 90 days before your Nevada judgment expires, you can renew it by filing an affidavit with the clerk of the court where it was entered. The affidavit must satisfy all the requirements of Nev. Rev. Stat. § 17.214 1(a) (2025). Check the court clerk's website to see if there's an online form you can use. For example, here's a form used by the Las Vegas Justice Court.

Within three days after filing the affidavit with the clerk of the court, you also must:

• have the affidavit recorded by the county recorder for the county where the judgment originally was recorded, and
• send a copy of the affidavit by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the judgment debtor at their last known address.

There's no limit on the number of times you can renew your judgment, as long as you follow the statutory procedure and renew within the 90-day renewal window.

Extend Your Judgment Liens

When you renew your judgment and record the affidavit with the county recorder, your judgment lien in that county is extended. If you want to extend your liens in other Nevada counties where the judgment debtor owns real estate—and you do if you haven't been paid what you're owed—you must prepare an affidavit and have it recorded by each county recorder. Send a copy of each affidavit to the judgment debtor by certified mail, and request a return receipt.

How Do You Turn a Nevada Judgment Lien Into Money?

In general, there are three ways you can try to collect on a Nevada judgment lien:

• negotiate a settlement
• wait for the judgment debtor to sell or refinance the property, and
• execute on your lien.

Negotiate a Settlement

If you want payment sooner rather than later, this is likely your best choice. No, you won't get all the money you're entitled to, but that's the nature of a settlement. You'll collect faster—and more inexpensively—than via the other two options.

Wait for the Judgment Debtor to Sell or Refinance

Most often, a buyer or lender will insist on clear title, free of all judgment liens. To sell or refinance, the judgment debtor will have to approach you to make a deal. Only now, you've got more negotiating leverage. As long as you're willing to sit tight and wait, this too is a low-cost, low-stress way to collect.

Execute on Your Lien

Executing on your lien means having the sheriff sell the judgment debtor's property at auction. This might seem like a tempting option. But before you head down this path, check with a local attorney to find out about the legwork and costs involved. In addition, see who's ahead of you in payment priority, or you might discover—too late—that the sale proceeds aren't enough to pay you in full (or at all).

Lastly, be aware that this step might be just the push the judgment debtor needs to declare bankruptcy. Should that happen, you're likely to be standing in a long, very unhappy line of creditors with little chance of getting paid.

Next Steps

We've covered Nevada judgment lien basics, but of course, the devil's in the details. Now that you're familiar with Nevada law, you might decide that your best option is to get help collecting your judgment. An experienced Nevada creditor's rights or collection attorney can answer your questions and help you chart a collection path that gives you the best chance to maximize your recovery.