Getting The Deposit Back
NRS 118A.242 — back within 30 days with an itemized accounting, or the deposit and up to as much again
30 days. No later than 30 days after a Nevada tenancy ends, for whatever reason, the landlord gives the tenant an itemized, written accounting of the deposit and returns what remains, in person where rent is paid or by mail to the tenant's present or last known address.
- Rent the tenant has not paid.
- Repairing damage the tenant caused to the premises, other than normal wear.
- The reasonable cost of cleaning the premises.
Those are the only things a landlord may claim from the deposit or a surety bond, and only in amounts reasonably necessary.
The whole deposit, and up to as much again. A landlord who fails or refuses to return the remainder within 30 days is liable to the tenant for damages equal to the entire deposit, plus a sum the court fixes of not more than the entire deposit. In setting that sum the court considers whether the landlord acted in good faith, the course of dealing between them, and the harm to the tenant.
The deposit and any surety bond together, including the last month's rent, may not exceed 3 months' periodic rent. A landlord may accept a surety bond in place of a deposit but may neither require one nor be required to take one.
A lease may provide for a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge, but no other term may make a deposit nonrefundable or waive these rights, and such a term is void. A tenant's claim to the deposit comes ahead of the landlord's creditors. Whether a particular deduction was reasonable is for a court and a licensed Nevada attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- NRS 118A.242 — Security deposit: Limitation on amount or value
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Nevada attorney.