NRS Chapter 118A: what it covers
Chapter 118A is Nevada’s residential landlord-tenant statute. Rather than paraphrase it — which is how errors get introduced — here are the sections that come up most in a Las Vegas tenancy, each linked to its official text:
- NRS 118A.180 — applicability, including the eleven categories of occupancy the chapter does not cover
- NRS 118A.170 — “tenant” defined · NRS 118A.080 — “dwelling unit” defined
- NRS 118A.210 — payment of rent, term of tenancy, late fees
- NRS 118A.242 — security deposits
- NRS 118A.290 — habitability · NRS 118A.355 — tenant’s remedy if it is not met
- NRS 118A.300 — advance notice of a rent increase
- NRS 118A.330 — landlord’s access to the unit
- NRS 118A.390 — unlawful removal, exclusion, or interruption of essential services
- NRS 118A.460 — disposal of personal property left behind
- NRS 118A.480 — landlord’s recovery of possession
Actions for possession are a different chapter — NRS 40 — and are covered in the eviction guide.
Start with applicability. NRS 118A.180 is the first section to read, not the last. If the occupancy falls into one of its excluded categories, the rest of the chapter may not apply at all.
Finding your HOA and its rules
Most of the communities Innova manages in — Summerlin, Anthem, Green Valley, Inspirada, Aliante — are governed by a homeowners association whose rules bind the tenancy alongside the lease. Owners are frequently surprised that a CC&R restriction can prohibit something the lease permits.
Identifying the association
Nevada associations register with the Real Estate Division’s Ombudsman for Owners in Common-Interest Communities. The Division maintains the registry, and the title company that closed your purchase will also hold the association details in the file. If you bought the property, the CC&Rs were part of your closing package.
What to check before leasing
- Any cap on the number or percentage of rentals in the community
- Minimum lease terms — some associations prohibit anything under six or twelve months
- Tenant registration requirements, and who is fined when they are missed
- Parking, pets, and short-term-rental restrictions
- Whether violation fines are billed to the owner regardless of who caused them
They generally are billed to the owner. Innova monitors association correspondence on managed properties and handles violations directly, because the fine lands on the owner’s account whether or not the owner ever saw the notice.
Per-community detail for the 37 communities we manage is on the areas pages.
You received a notice — what now
Written for tenants. If a notice has been served on you, the single most important thing to understand is that a notice is not an eviction, and the clock on it is short.
Read which notice it is
The type determines both your deadline and whether you can fix the problem. The four used in Nevada residential tenancies are set out with their statutes in the eviction guide — nonpayment under NRS 40.2512, lease-condition breach under NRS 40.2516, nuisance or unlawful subletting under NRS 40.2514, and no-cause termination of a periodic tenancy under NRS 40.251.
Know that you can respond
Nevada’s summary eviction process (NRS 40.253) gives the tenant an opportunity to file an opposition with the court. Doing so is what gets a hearing scheduled. Not responding is what produces an order without one.
Your belongings
Property left at the premises after a lockout or eviction is dealt with under NRS 118A.460, which addresses the opportunity to retrieve essential personal effects.
Where to get help
Nevada Legal Services and the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada both operate landlord-tenant assistance for people who cannot afford counsel, and the Civil Law Self-Help Center at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas provides forms and guidance. If you are an Innova resident, contact us before the deadline — a payment arrangement is cheaper for everyone than a filing.
This guide is general educational information, not legal advice. For your specific situation consult a licensed Nevada attorney. Innova Realty & Management is a Nevada-licensed real estate broker (#B.143949), not a law firm.