Nevada Security Deposit Limits and Deadlines

Most residential leases and rental agreements in Nevada require a security deposit. This is a dollar amount, usually one month's rent, that's intended to cover damage to the premises beyond normal wear and tear, and to cushion the financial blow if a tenant skips out early on the lease without paying. Here's a summary of Nevada landlord-tenant laws that cover the use and return of security deposits.

Does Nevada law limit how much a landlord can charge a tenant for a security deposit?

Yes. Under Nevada landlord-tenant laws, a landlord may charge a tenant the equivalent of three months' rent for the security deposit. Also, if both the landlord and the tenant agree, the tenant can use a surety bond for all or part of the deposit.

To learn more about steps that tenants can take to protect their security deposit after they've paid it, check out Nolo's article Protect Your Security Deposit When You Move In.

What about when a tenant moves out? What is the deadline in Nevada for returning a security deposit?

Under Nevada law, a landlord must return the tenant's security deposit within 30 days after the tenant has moved out.

Learn more about tenants' rights and landlords' obligations when it comes to the return of the security deposit in Nolo's chart Cleaning and Repairs a Landlord Can Deduct from a Security Deposit and Nolo's article Get Your Security Deposit Back.

Is there additional information that Nevada landlords must provide to tenants when it comes to security deposits in Nevada?

Yes. In addition to complying with Nevada laws on security deposit limits and how (and when) the deposit must be returned to tenants, landlords in Nevada must explain, somewhere in the lease or rental agreement, the conditions under which the landlord will refund the security deposit.

Where can I look up Nevada law on security deposits?

If you want to go right to the source and look up Nevada law on security deposits—or if you're writing a letter to your landlord or tenant and want to cite the applicable law—the relevant statute(s) can be found at Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated sections 118A.240 to 118A.250 (2020). To access Nevada's statutes, visit the Nevada Legislature's website, or check out the Library of Congress's legal research site.