Nevada
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Nevada — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Nevada
Nevada's courts run a statewide Self-Help Center — divorce forms, guides, and instructions you can use on your own. Start there before anything else.
State of Nevada Self-Help Center — Divorce
The official starting point: divorce forms and guides for Nevada's courts.
selfhelp.nvcourts.gov — divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
State Bar of Nevada — Lawyer Referral Service
Free referral service; 30-minute consult for $45. Call 702-382-0504 or 800-789-5747.
nvbar.org — lawyer referral service →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Nevada Legal Services
Free legal help for low-income Nevadans, with statewide intake.
nevadalegalservices.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Nevada reporting is county-based — there is no single statewide number. Washoe County: 833-900-SAFE (24/7, confidential). Clark County: 702-399-0081. Rural counties: 833-571-1041 (DCFS).
dcfs.nv.gov — Division of Child and Family Services →Nevada — Foreclosure Mediation Program
Under Nevada law, owner-occupied homeowners who receive a Notice of Default have 30 days to elect mediation with their lender.
business.nv.gov — homeowner assistance programs →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Nevada Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence
“Find Help” connects you with member programs across the state. Note: the coalition says it is not an emergency shelter or crisis hotline — for immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (free, confidential, 24/7).
ncedsv.org →Unpaid wages in Nevada
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Nevada.
Where to go
Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
$12.00 (2024, single rate)
Changing your name in Nevada
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Nevada.
How it works
petition the District Court in your county
Typical court fee
varies by county — check your local court
Newspaper notice required?
yes — with a safety exception
Small claims court in Nevada
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Nevada.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
$45–$175 depending on claim size
Can you bring one?
yes, but attorney's fees can't be awarded
Clearing your criminal record in Nevada
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Nevada stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — sealing (Nevada doesn't expunge)
What qualifies
most misdemeanors and felonies; sex crimes/child crimes/felony DUI excluded
Waiting period
1–10 years depending on offense
Child support in Nevada
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Nevada.
How it's figured
percentage of obligor income (tiered percentages) Nevada Child Support Guidelines Calculator (selfhelp.nvcourts.gov); tiered formula in NAC 425
When it ends
first day of the month after age 18, or 19 if still in high school
Lemon law in Nevada
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Nevada's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and used vehicles still covered by the manufacturer's express warranty
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts of the same nonconformity or 30+ calendar days out of service within the express warranty or one year
What you get
replacement or repurchase of the vehicle
Tenant rights in Nevada
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Nevada.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 7-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
3 months' rent maximum; returned within 30 days with an itemized list of deductions
When the landlord won't fix things
may repair and deduct after written notice (limits apply)
DUI / DWI in Nevada
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Nevada handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.18 (treatment program ordered at 0.16)
Typical penalties
2 days to 6 months in jail (or 48-96 hours community service), $400-$1,000 fine, 185-day license revocation
How far back DUIs count
7-year lookback
Gun laws in Nevada
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required (Concealed Firearm Permit); shall-issue, age 21 (18 for military)
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required (through a licensed dealer since 2020) No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Recognizes permits from a specific list of states (about 30); does not honor all states.
Filming the police: your rights in Nevada
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 200.650 (in-person); § 200.620 (phone calls))
No buffer-zone law
Nevada has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Nevada is split: face-to-face conversations need only one party's consent (NRS 200.650), while phone calls need all-party consent (NRS 200.620). Nevada goes further than most states to protect filming: NRS 171.1233, enacted 2020, expressly says anyone may record law enforcement activity and bars officers from preventing, threatening, or ordering someone to stop recording.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Nevada
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Nevada
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Nevada
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Nevada
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Nevada
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →