Nevada allows larger deposits than most states, up to three months’ rent, but it also requires a 30 day refund with an itemized accounting and lets courts add a penalty when landlords miss it. Across the Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas metro area, about 364,100 of 862,500 occupied homes, or 42.2 percent, are rented, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey (Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25003). The median gross rent is $1,626 a month (Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25064), and the median renter household earns $54,645 a year (Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25119), so the median rent equals about 36 percent of the median renter household’s gross income.
Homzora is a housing research publisher, not a law firm. This article explains the law in plain English and is not legal advice for your situation.
Quick answers
- Cap: deposit plus any surety bond, including last month’s rent, may not exceed three months’ rent (NRS 118A.242).
- Deadline: 30 days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemized accounting (NRS 118A.242).
- Nonrefundable: void, except a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge (NRS 118A.242).
- Penalty: the deposit plus up to the deposit amount again (NRS 118A.242).
How much a Las Vegas landlord can charge
The combined total of the security deposit and any surety bond, including last month’s rent, may not exceed three months’ periodic rent (NRS 118A.242). At the metro median gross rent of $1,626, that is a maximum of $4,878.
Surety bonds
With the landlord’s consent, a tenant may buy a surety bond instead of paying all or part of the deposit, but the landlord does not have to accept one and may not require one (NRS 118A.242).
What can be kept
A landlord may keep only amounts reasonably needed for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear caused by the tenant, and reasonable cleaning (Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 118A). A lease clause making the deposit nonrefundable is void, except for a nonrefundable cleaning charge in a reasonable amount (NRS 118A.242).
The 30 day rule
No later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must give a written itemized accounting of any deductions and return the remainder (NRS 118A.242).
Penalties
A landlord who fails to return the deposit on time can owe the full deposit plus an amount set by the court of up to the deposit itself. The court considers the landlord’s good faith, the course of conduct between the parties, and the harm to the tenant (NRS 118A.242).
When the property is sold
When the landlord’s interest ends, the landlord must, within a reasonable time, tell you the successor’s name, address, and phone number or return the deposit, and the successor takes on the former landlord’s deposit obligations (Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 118A).
A worked example
Suppose you paid a $1,626 deposit and moved out June 30. By July 30 you must receive an itemized accounting and any balance (NRS 118A.242). If the landlord simply keeps the deposit, a court could order the $1,626 returned plus up to another $1,626 (NRS 118A.242).
A sample demand letter
Date: 2026. To: [landlord]. Re: Deposit for [address]. My tenancy ended on 2026. Under NRS 118A.242, you were required to provide a written itemized accounting and return the balance of my deposit within 30 days. [I have received neither.] [I dispute these deductions: (list).] Please send [amount] to [address] by 2026. Sincerely, [name].
New fee rules from 2025
A 2025 law, AB 121, requires rent to be shown as one total figure that includes mandatory fees, requires at least one fee free way to pay rent, and limits screening fees, according to the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, New protections for renters in Nevada).
Key terms
- Surety bond: an optional bond a tenant may buy instead of a cash deposit, with the landlord’s consent (NRS 118A.242).
- Itemized accounting: the written list of deductions due within 30 days.
- Normal wear: ordinary deterioration that cannot be deducted.
- Cleaning charge: the only nonrefundable charge allowed, if reasonable.
Build your evidence file
Landlord and tenant disputes are usually decided by documents. Keep these together from the day you sign:
- The signed lease, every addendum, and every renewal.
- Receipts or bank records for the deposit and each rent payment.
- Dated photos and video of every room at move in and move out.
- Copies of every repair request and the landlord’s replies.
- Every notice you send or receive, with proof of delivery.
Keep copies somewhere other than your phone, such as an email to yourself, so they survive a lost device.
Before you sign your next lease
- Ask who owns and who manages the property, and get contact details in writing.
- Read the clauses on early termination, subletting, renewal, late fees, and notice before you sign.
- Confirm the deposit amount, where it will be held, and how it will be returned.
- Walk through the unit, note existing damage in writing, and keep a signed copy.
- Ask how much notice the landlord gives before a rent increase or a non renewal.
Help in Las Vegas
The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada provides help on tenant rights and eviction prevention at 702.386.1070 (Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada). Clark County’s Eviction Diversion Program offers rental assistance and a free lawyer to qualifying tenants who are 62 or older or receive SSI for a disability (Clark County, Eviction Diversion Program expansion). Rent, income, and tenure figures in this guide are free to download from the Homzora Las Vegas data library.
Questions to ask at move in
- Where will my deposit be held, and will I receive that information in writing?
- Is there a move in condition checklist, and can I add items to it?
- What cleaning standard does the lease require at move out?
- How and where will the refund be sent?
- Who should I contact about the deposit if the building is sold?
Ask these before you pay. Answers in writing are far more useful than a conversation in the leasing office.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping move in photos. Photos are usually the deciding evidence on what damage existed before you.
- Leaving without a final walkthrough. Attend any inspection offered, or ask for one.
- Not giving a forwarding address in writing. It is the simplest way to make sure the refund reaches you.
- Letting deadlines pass. Send a written demand promptly once the refund deadline has passed.
How to document the unit
- Take a slow video of each room, narrating what you see, on move in day and move out day.
- Photograph appliances inside and out, including the oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
- Photograph floors in good light, close enough to show scratches or stains.
- Photograph windows, blinds, doors, and closet interiors.
- Email the files to yourself so the timestamps are preserved in your inbox.
If you and your landlord disagree
- Ask for the itemized statement and any receipts or estimates in writing.
- Compare each charge with your move in and move out photos.
- Reply in writing, item by item, explaining which charges you accept and which you dispute.
- Propose a specific amount to settle the dispute.
- If that fails, consider small claims court, which is designed for people representing themselves.
Roommates and shared deposits
When several people share one lease and one deposit, the landlord usually refunds a single amount for the unit. Agree in writing with your roommates, before anyone moves out, who will receive the refund and how it will be divided, and who is responsible for any damage. A short written agreement prevents most disputes between roommates.
A move out plan
- Reread your lease for move out notice and cleaning terms.
- Give written notice on time and keep proof of delivery.
- Repair anything you damaged and clean thoroughly, including appliances.
- Ask for a walkthrough, or attend one if offered.
- Photograph and video every room once it is empty.
- Return every key and get a written receipt.
- Give your forwarding address in writing.
- Mark the legal refund deadline on your calendar.
Taking a deposit dispute to court
Small claims court is designed for people who represent themselves, and deposit disputes are a common kind of case. Before filing, organize your lease, your payment records, your move in and move out photos, every letter you sent, and the landlord’s itemized statement. Judges tend to focus on whether each deduction is for damage beyond normal wear and tear and whether the landlord followed the required steps and deadlines. Bring copies for the judge and the landlord, and prepare a short, dated timeline of events.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most a Las Vegas landlord can ask for?
Three months’ rent, counting any surety bond and last month’s rent (NRS 118A.242).
Can my landlord call my whole deposit nonrefundable?
No. Only a reasonable cleaning charge may be nonrefundable (NRS 118A.242).
How long does my landlord have?
Thirty days after the tenancy ends (NRS 118A.242).
Sources
- Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25003
- Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25064
- Homzora Las Vegas dataset, Table B25119
- NRS 118A.242
- Nevada Legislature, NRS Chapter 118A
- Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, New protections for renters in Nevada
- Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
- Clark County, Eviction Diversion Program expansion
- Homzora Las Vegas data library