How much a landlord can charge, and which deductions are actually legal
This page covers how much a landlord may charge in Nevada, and which deductions from a residential deposit are lawful. It assumes the tenancy has ended and the question is what may be withheld.
It does not cover:
Three months' periodic rent (combined security deposit + last month's rent) — § 118A.242(1).
Caps frequently carry exceptions — smaller landlords, furnished units, or pets are treated differently in most states. Read the provision itself rather than relying on the headline figure.
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Nevada |
|---|---|
| Remedy of a tenant default in payment of rent | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Repair of damages caused by the tenant (other than normal wear and tear) | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Reasonable costs of cleaning the premises | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Nevada |
|---|---|
| Normal wear and tear | Not permitted |
| Any amount beyond the three allowed categories | Not permitted |
| Any amount without the itemized accounting within 30 days | Not permitted |
Whether a specific charge is lawful depends on the facts — how old the damage is, whether the lease addressed it, and whether the landlord can document the cost. A charge being in the "permitted" column does not make it automatically collectable.
The landlord must itemize and justify each deduction in writing within 30 days, limited to unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage (beyond normal wear), and reasonable cleaning. Failure to return the remaining deposit triggers liability for the entire deposit.
In Nevada the burden sits with the landlord. This matters strategically: if the burden is theirs, your task is to request the documentation rather than to prove the deduction wrong. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242 ↗
No statutory penalty beyond returning the deposit.
If the landlord fails to return the remaining deposit within 30 days, the landlord is liable for (a) the ENTIRE deposit, plus (b) a court-determined sum of not more than an ADDITIONAL full deposit. So the maximum is 2x the deposit, but the second deposit is discretionary, considering good faith, the course of conduct, and harm to the tenant.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(6) ↗Nevada's § 118A.242(6) makes a non-complying landlord liable for the ENTIRE deposit automatically, plus a court-determined sum up to one additional full deposit (considering good faith, conduct, and harm). Up to 2x total, with the second portion discretionary.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(6) ↗Nevada caps the combined security deposit and last month's rent at 3 months' periodic rent — a hard statutory ceiling on what the landlord may hold.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(1) ↗““I deducted for cleaning and damages.””
You may claim only unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage beyond normal wear, and reasonable cleaning — all itemized in writing within 30 days. Normal wear and tear is not deductible.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(4)
““I will keep the deposit and you can sue me.””
If you fail to return my deposit within 30 days, you are liable for my entire deposit, and the court may award up to an additional full deposit — up to double in total.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(6)
““I required 4 months' rent as a deposit.””
Nevada caps the combined deposit and last month's rent at 3 months' rent. Anything beyond that is unlawful.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(1)
Some widely circulated summaries of Nevada deposit law state things the statute does not say. We list the disagreements rather than picking a side silently.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Some summaries | 2x deposit (automatic) |
| Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(6) | Entire deposit (automatic) + up to one additional deposit (court-discretionary) |
What we follow: Entire deposit automatic + up to 1 additional deposit (discretionary)
The first deposit is automatic; the second is discretionary and considers good faith. Reporting a flat 2x overstates the automatic recovery.
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(4) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(6) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242 | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242(1) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242 (Security Deposit). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:
Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.
Nevada Security Deposit Return
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The statute does not permit deductions for: normal wear and tear; any amount beyond the three allowed categories; any amount without the itemized accounting within 30 days.
The landlord. The landlord must itemize and justify each deduction in writing within 30 days, limited to unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage (beyond normal wear), and reasonable cleaning. Failure to return the remaining deposit triggers liability for the entire deposit.
Three months' periodic rent (combined security deposit + last month's rent) — § 118A.242(1).
No. Normal wear and tear