Nevada · NV · updated 2026
In Nevada, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A Nevada landlord has 30 calendar days after the tenancy ends to return your deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Miss it in bad faith and the landlord can end up owing you more than the deposit itself.
Under Nevada security deposit law, a Nevada landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, the deposit is capped at 3 months' rent. If the landlord misses the deadline or keeps money you are owed, you can push back in writing and, if needed, in small claims court.
- Return deadline
- 30 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Required of the landlord
- Maximum deposit
- 3 months' rent
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Nevada deadline
Enter your move-out date to see the exact calendar date the deadline lands on. It runs on your device, so nothing you type is uploaded.
What a Nevada landlord can deduct
- Unpaid rent and unpaid utilities you owe under the lease
- Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (not normal aging, fading, or minor marks)
- An itemized written statement of every deduction (Nevada requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
A landlord who fails or refuses to return the deposit within 30 days is liable for the entire deposit plus an additional sum fixed by the court up to the entire deposit amount (effectively up to 2x), weighing good faith, conduct, and harm to the tenant (NRS 118A.242(6)-(7)).
How to get your deposit back in Nevada
- Document the unit's condition at move-out with dated photos of every room (a move-in / move-out checklist keeps it organized).
- Confirm your exact return deadline with the deadline calculator.
- If the deadline passes, send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed.
- If it is still ignored, you can file in small claims court.
Common Nevada deposit disputes
- The deadline passed and you have heard nothing
- Send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed. Keep proof you sent it.
- You got money back but disagree with the deductions
- Nevada requires an itemized statement, so ask for it in writing first, then dispute anything charged as ordinary wear and tear.
- You are still deciding whether the case is worth it
- Confirm the exact deadline below, gather your dated move-out photos, and read the penalty your state allows before you commit.
Frequently asked
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Nevada?
- In Nevada, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Nevada?
- Nevada caps the security deposit at 3 months' rent.
- Can my Nevada landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Nevada requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Nevada landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Nevada does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Nevada landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- A landlord who fails or refuses to return the deposit within 30 days is liable for the entire deposit plus an additional sum fixed by the court up to the entire deposit amount (effectively up to 2x), weighing good faith, conduct, and harm to the tenant (NRS 118A.242(6)-(7)).
The 3-month cap counts any surety bond and last month rent combined. NRS 118A.200(3)(k) requires a signed inventory/condition record in any written lease - a genuine statutory move-in checklist. Text confirmed via a Wayback snapshot of the official page.