Short answer: Nevada eviction record sealing is automatic in many summary eviction cases. Under NRS 40.2545(2), the court file is sealed on its own when the case is dismissed, 10 judicial days after the court denies the eviction, or 31 days after you file a tenant’s affidavit if the landlord never follows up. When an eviction was granted, you can still ask a judge to seal it by motion or by a written stipulation with your landlord.
Nevada goes further than most states in what sealing means. Once a file is sealed under the statute, “all proceedings recounted in the eviction case court file shall be deemed never to have occurred” (NRS 40.2545(4)). Even the eviction notice itself is shielded: a notice to surrender generally may not be made available for public inspection by anyone, including a sheriff or constable, unless it is part of an unsealed court file (NRS 40.2545(5)).
Nevada eviction record sealing at a glance
| Rule | Nevada | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic sealing: dismissal | Sealed on entry of the dismissal order | NRS 40.2545(2)(a) |
| Automatic sealing: eviction denied | Sealed 10 judicial days after the order denying eviction | NRS 40.2545(2)(b) |
| Automatic sealing: landlord drops it | Sealed 31 days after the tenant’s affidavit if no landlord affidavit of complaint within 30 days | NRS 40.2545(2)(c) |
| Sealing by agreement | Written stipulation to set aside the order and seal | NRS 40.2545(3)(a) |
| Sealing by motion | JCRCP Rule 60 grounds, or interests of justice outweigh public interest | NRS 40.2545(3)(b) |
| COVID-19 emergency evictions | Summary evictions granted Mar. 12, 2020 to May 20, 2022 sealed automatically | NRS 40.2545(1), (6) |
| Screening report limit | 7 years from entry, or longer limitations period | 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2) |
The three automatic sealing triggers
Nevada’s summary eviction starts with a notice, not a lawsuit. For unpaid rent, the notice gives you until the close of business on the seventh judicial day after service to pay or leave, and you can contest by filing an affidavit with the court within that same period stating that you have tendered payment or are not in default (NRS 40.253). That affidavit is the hinge for automatic sealing.
- Dismissal. If the court dismisses the summary eviction, the file is sealed upon entry of that order.
- Denial. If the judge denies the eviction after a hearing, the file is sealed 10 judicial days after the order is entered.
- No follow-up. If you file your affidavit and the landlord does not file an affidavit of complaint within 30 days, the file is sealed 31 days after your affidavit.
You do not need to file anything for these. They apply to summary evictions under NRS 40.253, 40.254 and 40.2542. A formal unlawful detainer lawsuit is a different procedure, and NRS 40.2545 does not list it.
Sealing a granted eviction by motion
If the court granted the eviction, sealing takes a court order. Under NRS 40.2545(3), a judge may seal when landlord and tenant file a written stipulation to set aside the eviction order and seal the file, or on your motion if the eviction should be set aside under Rule 60 of the Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure, or if sealing serves the interests of justice and those interests are not outweighed by the public’s interest in the file.
For that interests-of-justice test, the statute tells the judge to consider, among other things:
- circumstances beyond your control that led to the eviction;
- other extenuating circumstances under which the order was granted; and
- how much time has passed between the eviction order and your motion.
In Las Vegas Justice Court, the Civil Law Self-Help Center provides a “Motion to Seal Summary Eviction Case” form, filed in the same case where the eviction was granted. The filing fee listed is $71, or you can apply for a fee waiver, and you must serve the landlord with a copy; the court may set a hearing (Civil Law Self-Help Center). Other justice courts have their own procedures, so ask the clerk.
Ask for a stipulation while you still have leverage
If you are negotiating a move-out with your landlord, the stipulation route in NRS 40.2545(3)(a) is the cleanest. Ask that the written agreement include the landlord’s consent to set aside the eviction order and seal the file. A signed stipulation gives the judge an agreed basis instead of a contested motion.
Worked example: a Reno tenant
Teresa rents in Reno and is served a 7-day pay-or-quit notice on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Counting judicial days, her deadline is the close of business on Thursday, March 12. On March 10 she files a tenant’s affidavit stating that she tendered rent, which the landlord refused.
If the landlord never files an affidavit of complaint, the 30-day window closes April 9, and her file is sealed automatically on April 10, 2026, 31 days after her affidavit. If the landlord does file and the judge denies the eviction in an order entered Wednesday, April 1, the file is sealed 10 judicial days later, on Wednesday, April 15. Either way, the case is treated as never having happened.
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Screening companies and sealed Nevada cases
Sealing closes the court file, but a screening company may have copied the case before it was sealed. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act separately limits reporting of civil suits and judgments to seven years from entry, or longer if the governing statute of limitations is longer (15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2)). The CFPB notes that some states let renters seal eviction records and says to dispute errors with the company that produced the report (CFPB).
If a report still shows a case that was sealed, send a dispute with a copy of the sealing order or the dismissal. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, the company has 30 days to reinvestigate and must delete or correct information it finds inaccurate or cannot verify. If a landlord turned you down, ask for your free copy within 60 days (§ 1681j(b)). Our tenant screening report guide shows what to include.
When sealing is not available
A formal eviction lawsuit, or a summary eviction where the judge denies your motion, can leave a public file. In that case, appeal quickly if the order was wrong: either party may appeal a summary eviction order within 10 judicial days after it is entered (NRS 40.385). Otherwise, keep proof of what happened, such as payment receipts and later landlord references, and you can file a new motion later, since the time that has passed is one of the factors the court weighs. For the steps before a sealing request, see the eviction process by state and our general how to seal an eviction record guide. Deposit questions after a move-out are covered in Nevada security deposit law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to file anything to seal a dismissed Nevada eviction?
No. NRS 40.2545(2)(a) seals a summary eviction file automatically when the dismissal order is entered. If the case still appears online after that, contact the justice court clerk with your case number.
Was my pandemic-era eviction sealed?
If a court granted a summary eviction under NRS 40.253 during the COVID-19 emergency, March 12, 2020 through May 20, 2022 as the statute defines it, NRS 40.2545(1) required the court to seal the file automatically. If you still see it, ask the court that heard the case.
Can my landlord and I agree to seal the eviction?
Yes. Under NRS 40.2545(3)(a), the court may seal the file when both of you file a written stipulation to set aside the eviction order and seal the case. This is often easiest to negotiate as part of a move-out agreement.
How long should I wait before filing a motion to seal?
The statute sets no waiting period. The court considers the time between the eviction order and your motion as one factor, along with circumstances beyond your control, so a motion filed later with a stable rental history may be stronger.
Is a Nevada eviction notice a public record?
Generally not. NRS 40.2545(5) says a notice to surrender must not be made available for public inspection, except when it has been filed in an eviction case court file that has not been sealed.
Your next step: if you have received a 7-day notice, file your tenant’s affidavit before the deadline in the notice, since that filing sets up the automatic sealing rules. In Clark County, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and the Civil Law Self-Help Center can help with forms. This page is general information, not legal advice; LSC’s get legal help page lists programs statewide. Compare other states on the eviction record sealing by state hub.