In Nevada, a rental agreement can be established either orally or through a written document. Once the tenant starts living on your property, the statewide landlord-tenant law automatically kicks in and grants them certain rights and responsibilities. 

As a landlord, understanding your rights and responsibilities is key to running a successful rental investment in Nevada. The following are the basics of the Nevada landlord-tenant law. 

Required Landlord Disclosures in Nevada

As a landlord in Nevada, you must make the following disclosures to your tenant before they move in: 

• Lead paint concentrations – If the rental was built prior to 1978, you must let tenants know about lead paint concentrations in the building. 
• Authorized agents – You, the Nevada landlord, has a duty to let your tenant know your contact information or of anyone managing the property on your behalf. 
• Late fees – If you are charging fees for late rental payments, you must disclose that information on the lease or rental agreement. 
• Utility charges – Nevada landlords are required to provide their tenants with a breakdown of the utilities in the rental agreement. 
• Pending foreclosure – You must notify your tenant in the event that your rental property is subject to being foreclosed upon in the future. 
• The right to fly the flag – You, as the Nevada landlord, must inform tenants that they have a right to display the American flag as long as they do so in a reasonable manner. 
• Nuisance – You must notify your tenants about the penalties associated with causing a nuisance on the premises. 
• Move-in checklist – You must provide your tenant with a checklist that outlines the property’s condition at the time of moving in. 

Failure to provide these disclosures can attract some legal consequences including being fined by a relevant government agency, or being sued for any resulting damages. 

Tenant Responsibilities and Rights in Nevada  

Tenants in Nevada have the following rights under the statewide landlord-tenant law. The right to:

• Be provided the aforementioned disclosures prior to moving into the property 
• Live in peace and quiet 
• Live in a habitable rental property 
• Continue occupying the property until the proper procedure has been followed to remove them 
• Be treated fairly without any form of bias on the basis of protected classes such as race, color, religion, and familial status 
• Have their security deposit returned on time. This is within 30 days after moving out 
• Break the lease early without being penalized for certain reasons such as when joining active military service or when the dwelling unit becomes uninhabitable 
• Be provided a 45-day’ notice prior to an increase to rent payments
• Be served with a notice of at least 24 hours prior to allowing landlord entry 

The list of responsibilities is as follows for Nevada tenants:

• Keep the plumbing fixtures clean and sanitary 
• Ensure the unit is safe and in habitable condition 
• Take care of small repairs and maintenance 
• Respect other tenants or neighbors’ right to peace and quiet 
• Use all the appliances and facilities reasonably 
• Not to cause negligent or deliberate property damage 
• Serve the landlord with proper notice prior to moving out 
• Return the unit in the same condition they found it in, excusing normal wear and tear 
• Allow landlord entry as long as the reason and timing are reasonable 

Landlords’ Rights & Responsibilities in Nevada 

As a landlord in Nevada, you have the following list of rights. A right to:

• Enter your tenant’s rented unit to perform needed or requested maintenance 
• Pursue an eviction when a tenant causes a lease violation 
• Require all prospects to undergo a bias-free screening process 
• Enforce the terms of the lease agreement 
• Raise rent whenever and for whatever reason
• Charge whatever amount of late rent fees 
• Penalize a Nevada tenant for breaking their lease early. Please note, however, that landlords have a responsibility to mitigate damages 
• Make reasonable deductions from a tenant’s security deposit 

The list of responsibilities landlords have as per the statewide landlord-tenant law includes the following:

• Provide a tenant with a habitable dwelling 
• Evict a tenant through a judicial eviction process 
• Abide by the security deposit laws 
• Abide by all terms of the lease agreement 
• Treat all tenants fairly as per the Nevada Fair Housing laws
• Respond to requested repairs within a period of 14 days after being notified 

Overview of the Nevada Landlord-Tenant Law 

Landlord Entry

Nevada landlords have a right to enter their tenants’ rented units. Be that as it may, there are conditions that landlords must first meet. First and foremost, you must have a valid reason to enter your tenant’s rented unit. Valid reasons are as follows: 

• To inspect the unit 
• To respond to a maintenance request 
• Under court orders 
• In the event the tenant abandons it  

Secondly, the timing must be right. The law states that this must be done at “reasonable” times unless otherwise agreed upon with the tenant. And last but not least, Nevada landlords must provide the tenant with a notice of at least 24 hours. 

Security Deposits 

The state has a security deposit law in place. Among other things, the rules stipulate things like:

• The security deposit limit (3 months’ rent) 
• Allowable deductions 
• Penalties if the deposit isn’t returned on time 
• The time limit for returns

Housing Discrimination 

The Fair Housing Act states that it’s illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on certain protected classes. At the federal level, the protected classes under the Fair Housing Act are race, color, religion, nationality, gender, disability, and familial status. The state of Nevada also extends the federal list by adding gender identity and sexual orientation. 

Rent Increases & Related Fees 

The current legislation in Nevada outrightly forbids rent control. Also, the Dillion Rule prohibits all local jurisdictions from instituting rent control laws unilaterally without approval from the state. This means that landlords may be able to charge whatever rent rate they want to their tenants. Landlords may also be able to increase it by whatever amount as long as they serve the tenant a 45 days notice. 

Bottom Line

Having an understanding of the site’s landlord-tenant laws will ensure that your rental business is legally compliant. Note that these laws are subject to change so it’s vital that you remain up-to-date on them.

If you have any questions on any aspect of Nevada rental laws, B&R Property Management can help. We’re a full-service property management company specializing solely in the Las Vegas market. Get in touch TODAY to learn more!

Disclaimer: This blog isn’t a substitute for professional legal advice from a qualified attorney.