Free Nevada Security Deposit Itemization

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Free Nevada Security Deposit Itemization — overview

A Nevada Security Deposit Itemization is the itemized, written accounting of the disposition of the security deposit that NRS § 118A.242(4) requires a landlord to give the tenant when a tenancy ends, together with any portion of the deposit that remains. The landlord may claim only what is reasonably necessary to cover unpaid rent, repair damage caused by the tenant other than normal wear, and pay the reasonable costs of cleaning. The accounting and the balance are due no later than 30 days after the tenancy terminates, handed to the tenant at the place where rent is paid or mailed to the tenant’s present or last known address. A landlord who fails or refuses to return the remainder within 30 days is liable for the entire deposit plus up to the amount of the deposit again (NRS § 118A.242(6)). The form on this page produces a complete itemized statement with a built-in deductions calculator; the rest of this guide walks through the legal framework, the deductible-versus-non-deductible standard, and the documentation that makes a deduction defensible.

▶ Watch: Nevada Security Deposit Itemization — NRS § 118A.242 explained

What this itemization does

A Nevada Security Deposit Itemization is the written statement a landlord must deliver to a tenant under NRS § 118A.242 at the end of a tenancy. It accomplishes three distinct things at the same time.

First, it explains every deduction. NRS § 118A.242(4) requires an itemized, written accounting of the disposition of the deposit, and limits what may be claimed to amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, damage other than normal wear, and cleaning. A general statement that “deductions were made for cleaning and damage” tells the tenant nothing. Each deduction should stand on its own, identified by category and described with enough specificity that the tenant and a court can evaluate whether it is for damage or for normal wear and tear, and whether the amount is reasonable.

Second, it returns the deposit balance. NRS § 118A.242(4) requires the landlord to provide the accounting and return any remaining portion of the deposit no later than 30 days after the tenancy terminates. The remedy in § 118A.242(6) is tied to failing or refusing to return that remainder on time — so the balance, not just the paperwork, has to go out within the 30 days.

Third, it satisfies the timing rule. The 30 days in NRS § 118A.242(4) run from the termination of the tenancy — not from the date the tenant gave notice. Missing the deadline exposes the landlord to the § 118A.242(6) damages even if every deduction was valid; the court then weighs the landlord’s good faith under § 118A.242(7).

The form on this page produces a complete itemized statement with a built-in deductions calculator, automatic balance computation, the required statutory references, and a delivery certification block. The remainder of this guide walks through the legal framework, the deductible-versus-non-deductible standard, and the documentation requirements that make a deduction defensible.

Nevada legal framework — NRS § 118A.242

The Nevada security deposit rules are in NRS §§ 118A.240 through 118A.250 of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. NRS § 118A.240 defines what counts as a security deposit, NRS § 118A.242 sets the cap, the permitted claims, the accounting and return deadline, and the damages, and NRS § 118A.244 governs what happens to deposits when the property changes hands.

The provisions that matter for itemization

NRS § 118A.242(4) — 30-day accounting and return. The landlord “shall provide the tenant with an itemized, written accounting of the disposition of the security deposit or surety bond, or a combination thereof, and return any remaining portion of the security deposit to the tenant no later than 30 days after the termination of the tenancy.” The accounting and the balance are handed to the tenant personally at the place where the rent is paid, or mailed to the tenant at the tenant’s present address or, if that is unknown, the last known address.

NRS § 118A.240 and § 118A.242(4) — what may be claimed. A security deposit is any payment, deposit, fee or charge used to remedy the tenant’s default in paying rent, repair damage to the premises other than normal wear caused by the tenant, or clean the dwelling unit. When the tenancy ends, the landlord may claim “only such amounts as are reasonably necessary” for those three purposes. Nevada sets no dollar threshold above which receipts must be attached; the reasonableness of each amount is what the landlord has to be able to show.

NRS § 118A.242(4) — normal wear. Repairs are claimable only for “damages to the premises caused by the tenant other than normal wear.” This is the statutory anchor for the wear-versus-damage distinction: an amount spent restoring the ordinary effects of occupancy is not an amount the deposit may cover.

NRS § 118A.242(6)–(7) — damages for a late or missing refund. “If the landlord fails or refuses to return the remainder of a security deposit within 30 days after the end of a tenancy, the landlord is liable to the tenant for damages” in an amount equal to the entire security deposit, and for a sum to be fixed by the court of not more than the amount of the entire deposit. In setting that second sum the court considers whether the landlord acted in good faith, the course of conduct between the parties, and the degree of harm to the tenant.

The deposit cap, surety bonds and “nonrefundable” clauses

NRS § 118A.242(1) caps the security deposit, any surety bond, or both — including the last month’s rent — at three months’ periodic rent. A tenant may buy a surety bond in lieu of all or part of the deposit only if the landlord consents, and the landlord may not require one (§ 118A.242(2)–(3)). Except for a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge, no rental agreement may call any part of the deposit nonrefundable or waive the tenant’s rights under § 118A.242; such a clause is void (§ 118A.242(8)). If the tenant disputes an item that the landlord claims against a surety bond, a written response to the surety within 30 days keeps the surety from reporting the claim to a credit agency unless it obtains a judgment (§ 118A.242(5)). See our Nevada Move-In/Move-Out Checklist guide for documenting condition at the start and end of the tenancy.

Federal anti-discrimination overlay

Independent of NRS § 118A.242, the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and Nevada’s fair housing law (NRS 118.010 to 118.120) prohibit deposit-handling decisions that target tenants based on race, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, or other protected characteristics. A landlord who consistently charges higher cleaning fees to families with children, or who applies different deduction standards to tenants of certain backgrounds, exposes themselves to fair-housing claims with their own remedies — separate from the NRS § 118A.242(6) damages.

When and how to deliver

The 30-day clock

The Nevada clock runs from the termination of the tenancy (NRS § 118A.242(4)). In practice that is usually the date the tenant surrenders possession and returns the keys at the end of the rental agreement; it is not the date the tenant gave notice. If the tenant leaves early or the end date is disputed, document the surrender date carefully (key handover, walk-through photographs, written tenant acknowledgment).

Within those 30 days the landlord must do both of the following: provide the itemized, written accounting, and return any remaining portion of the deposit. The damages in § 118A.242(6) attach to failing or refusing to return the remainder within 30 days, so a statement without the balance does not protect the landlord.

Method of delivery

NRS § 118A.242(4) names two methods: handing the accounting and the balance to the tenant personally at the place where the rent is paid, or mailing them to the tenant’s present address or, if that address is unknown, the tenant’s last known address. The statute does not name email. Certified mail with a return receipt is the most practical way to prove the mailing date; first-class mail is permitted but leaves you without proof of when it went out.

Delivery address

Mail to the tenant’s present address if you know it; if it is unknown, NRS § 118A.242(4) allows mailing to the tenant’s last known address — often the rented unit itself. An unknown forwarding address does not extend the 30 days.

What to do if you discover damage after delivery

Nevada’s statute does not provide a supplementary-accounting procedure. The practical rule is to inspect thoroughly before you issue the accounting, obtain contractor quotes early, and send one complete accounting within the 30 days.

Worked example

A tenancy terminates on June 30 and the tenant paid a $1,800 deposit. The landlord claims $85 for degreasing the oven and range and $145 for patching and repainting two holes, $230 in total. The itemized accounting and the $1,570 balance must be handed over or mailed by July 30. If the landlord fails or refuses to return that remainder by July 30, NRS § 118A.242(6) exposes the landlord to $1,800 (an amount equal to the entire deposit) plus a further sum of up to $1,800 fixed by the court.

Categories of deductible expenses

Under NRS § 118A.240(1) and § 118A.242(4) the landlord may claim only amounts reasonably necessary for three purposes. A lease clause that tries to add other uses, or to make the deposit nonrefundable, does not change that (§ 118A.242(8)).

1. Unpaid rent

Rent the tenant owes but did not pay can be claimed from the deposit. Document it with the lease (the rent amount), the rent ledger (what was paid and what was missed), and any notices served during the tenancy. Late fees are not one of the three purposes named in NRS § 118A.242(4); do not fold a fee into the rent line.

2. Repair of damage caused by the tenant, other than normal wear

Specific damage attributable to the tenant — large holes, broken fixtures, pet damage, water damage from negligence, missing items — can be claimed. The standard is covered in detail in section 5. Itemize each repair with a description and amount, and keep the receipt, invoice or estimate that supports it.

3. The reasonable costs of cleaning the premises

Nevada names cleaning as its own category: the landlord may claim “the reasonable costs of cleaning the premises.” The word that does the work is reasonable. A professional clean of a unit left filthy is easy to justify; a flat turnover fee charged regardless of condition is harder. Describe what was cleaned and why — “Oven and range degreasing, $85” rather than “cleaning.” A lease may also provide for a nonrefundable cleaning charge in a reasonable amount (§ 118A.242(8)).

4. What is not a permitted claim

Costs outside the three categories are not claims against the deposit under § 118A.242(4) — for example, advertising or leasing commissions for the next tenant, upgrades, or repairs to conditions that pre-dated the tenancy.

What you cannot deduct: Normal wear of any kind, repairs to conditions that existed before the tenancy, the cost of re-letting the unit, improvements, and anything the lease labels “nonrefundable” other than a reasonable cleaning charge.

Wear and tear vs. damage — the standard

The wear-versus-damage distinction is the single most important analytical question in security deposit deductions, and the most common source of deposit disputes. NRS § 118A.242(4) draws the line in its own words — repairs are claimable only for damage caused by the tenant “other than normal wear”: damage can support a deduction; wear cannot. The challenge is identifying which side of the line a given condition falls on.

How the line is usually drawn

Normal wear and tear is the deterioration that occurs in the ordinary use of residential property by a tenant of average care. It is the unavoidable consequence of habitation: paint that fades from sunlight, carpet that flattens in high-traffic areas, minor scuffs on walls from furniture and movement, small nail holes from picture hanging, light scratches on hardwood floors, faint marks on countertops from ordinary use, mineral deposits in bathroom fixtures from normal water use.

Damage is deterioration beyond normal wear caused by the tenant’s negligence, abuse, intentional acts, or pets. Examples: large holes in walls (more than nail-hole size), broken windows, broken fixtures, broken cabinets, pet stains in carpet, pet odor in subfloor or padding, water damage from unreported leaks, smoke damage, missing items, significant cleaning needs from food spills or hoarding, structural damage of any kind.

Borderline cases — and how to resolve them

Most disputes are not at the extremes; they are in the borderline. A few common borderline scenarios and how landlords typically analyze them:

Carpet replacement. Carpets have a useful life of approximately 8–10 years. If a carpet was new at the start of a 5-year tenancy and is replaced at lease end, the replacement is at least 50% wear-and-tear and not chargeable. Even if the carpet has visible stains from the tenant, the landlord can typically charge only the portion of the carpet’s remaining useful life consumed by the damage — not the full replacement cost. A useful-life proration is the defensible approach; charging full replacement value for normal-end-of-life carpets routinely fails in court.

Repainting. Paint has a useful life of approximately 2–4 years for residential rentals. A tenant of three years cannot generally be charged for repainting at lease end if the paint shows only normal wear; the paint had a planned replacement in that timeframe. If the tenant caused specific damage (large stains, holes, smoke discoloration), the cost of repairing the specific damage is chargeable, but full repainting of a unit that was already due for repaint is not.

Cleaning. A reasonably clean unit at move-out is the tenant’s baseline obligation. A unit that requires heavy cleaning beyond ordinary — heavy grease, pet odor, smoke smell, hoarding cleanup, biohazard, mold — is chargeable. The line is whether the cleaning brings the unit back to start-of-tenancy condition or whether it would have been needed anyway as ordinary turnover.

Pet damage. Pet stains in carpet, scratches on doors and floors from pet claws, urine smell in subfloor or padding, and damage to walls from pets are all chargeable as damage. The deduction is for the specific damage, not for general wear of the unit.

Documentation that supports a wear-versus-damage finding

The strongest evidentiary record consists of: a signed move-in checklist with date-stamped photographs, a signed move-out checklist with parallel photographs from the same angles, contractor invoices or estimates that specifically describe what was charged, and (for older items) a useful-life calculation showing the proration. A landlord with this record is far better placed to support a borderline charge than one without it.

Documenting each deduction

Nevada does not set a dollar amount above which receipts must be attached to the accounting. What NRS § 118A.242(4) does require is that each claim be limited to what is “reasonably necessary” — and if the tenant sues, the landlord will have to show why each amount was reasonable. Receipts and estimates are how you show it.

Receipts — for completed work

If the work has been done — cleaning, repair, replacement — by the time the itemized statement is delivered, attach or reference the receipt. It should show the vendor, the date, the specific work performed, and the amount. A handwritten note from the landlord saying “$200 to ABC Cleaning” is not a receipt; an actual invoice or paid receipt from ABC Cleaning is.

Estimates — for work not yet performed

If the work has not been done when the accounting goes out, a written estimate from a third party is the best evidence that the amount is reasonably necessary. Nevada’s statute does not require a follow-up receipt, but keeping the final invoice lets you show the estimate was accurate if the tenant disputes it.

The landlord’s own labor

Nevada’s statute does not set a rate for the landlord’s own labor. If you do the work yourself, record the hours and the task and use a rate you could justify by reference to what a contractor would charge. Charging $200 for “my time cleaning” without specifics is hard to defend; “8 hours at $25/hour for oven, range, and bathroom cleaning per attached time log” is supportable.

Practical implications

Treat every deduction line the same way, whatever its size:

• Every deduction — itemize specifically: category, description, amount.
• Work completed — keep the receipt or invoice from the vendor and reference it on the statement.
• Work not yet done — attach a third-party estimate and keep the final invoice when the work is done.
• Landlord’s own labor — record hours, task and rate in a time log.

The most common documentation gap is a deduction with nothing behind it. In a dispute under NRS § 118A.242, an amount you cannot show was reasonably necessary is an amount you may be ordered to return.

Required information for the document

NRS § 118A.242(4) requires an “itemized, written accounting” but does not prescribe a specific form. The elements below are what a complete, defensible itemized statement contains.

Header information

The parties. Full landlord name (or property management company), full tenant names (all tenants on the lease), property address, and the dates of tenancy (lease start, vacate date). Without these, the document cannot be authenticated as the statement for this tenancy.

Deposit information

The deposit total. The original security deposit amount. If the tenant paid a separate “last month’s rent”, list it separately; in Nevada it counts toward the three-month cap in NRS § 118A.242(1).

Itemized deductions

Each deduction listed separately with: a specific description (not “cleaning” but “oven and range cleaning”), the amount, the category (cleaning, repair, unpaid rent, etc.), and a reference to the supporting documentation (receipt, invoice, estimate or photographs).

Calculation

The total of deductions, the deposit balance returned (deposit minus deductions, if positive), or the additional amount owed by the tenant (if deductions exceed deposit). Show the math; do not just give the bottom-line balance.

Attached documentation

Receipts for completed work and estimates for work not yet performed. Photographs of damage are not statutorily required but strongly support the deduction package and are routine in any litigated dispute. Move-in and move-out checklists, if available, should be referenced and (best practice) attached.

Delivery and signature

Method of delivery (certified mail, personal delivery, etc.), date of delivery, forwarding or last-known address, landlord signature with printed name and title, and date.

Common mistakes that expose landlords to damages

Most Nevada security-deposit disputes are not lost on the underlying merits — they are lost on procedural defects. The pattern is consistent: the landlord had a colorable basis for some of the deductions, but a missed deadline or a missing record turned the dispute into a claim under NRS § 118A.242(6).

Vague descriptions

“Cleaning.” “Wall repair.” “General damage.” These descriptions do not tell the tenant or a court what was charged or why. Specific descriptions do: “Oven and range cleaning, $85.” “Patching and repainting two 4-inch holes in living room wall, $145.” “Carpet cleaning to address pet stains in master bedroom, $175.” Specific descriptions allow the tenant and the court to evaluate whether the deduction is for damage or wear; vague descriptions invite a dispute.

Deductions for normal wear

Charging for repainting a 3-year-old paint job, charging for full carpet replacement on an 8-year-old carpet with normal wear, charging for routine end-of-tenancy cleaning, charging for minor nail-hole repair from picture hanging — all are deductions for normal wear. NRS § 118A.242(4) does not allow them.

Missing documentation

A $200 cleaning deduction with no receipt, a $300 carpet deduction with no estimate, a $450 repair deduction with no contractor invoice — each is a deduction the landlord may not be able to defend. Nevada has no receipts threshold, but it does limit claims to what is reasonably necessary.

Late delivery

The 30-day clock is hard. Day 31 is too late, and NRS § 118A.242(6) attaches to failing or refusing to return the remainder within 30 days. Calendar the date the tenancy terminates and work backwards; aim to mail by day 25 to allow margin.

Withholding the balance

Some landlords deliver the itemized statement and then “hold” the balance pending tenant agreement, or wait for the tenant to dispute. NRS § 118A.242(4) requires any remaining portion to be returned within the 30 days, and the damages in § 118A.242(6) attach to failing or refusing to return it.

Relying on email alone

NRS § 118A.242(4) provides for delivery by hand at the place where rent is paid or by mail to the tenant’s present or last known address. Email is not a listed method. You may email a courtesy copy, but send the accounting and the balance by one of the statutory methods.

Treating the deposit as “nonrefundable”

A lease clause characterizing any part of the security deposit as nonrefundable, or waiving the tenant’s rights under NRS § 118A.242, is void — the only exception is an agreement for a nonrefundable cleaning charge in a reasonable amount (§ 118A.242(8)).

Tenant rights and NRS § 118A.242 damages

Nevada tenants have several rights connected to the security deposit return process and substantial remedies when those rights are violated. Understanding these is the landlord’s clearest motivation for procedural compliance.

Right to the itemization and balance within 30 days

The tenant’s primary right under NRS § 118A.242(4) is to receive the itemized, written accounting and any remaining deposit no later than 30 days after the tenancy terminates.

Right to lawful, supported deductions

Under NRS § 118A.242(4), deductions are limited to amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, damage other than normal wear, and reasonable cleaning costs. A tenant who disputes an item claimed against a surety bond can also send a written response to the surety within 30 days (§ 118A.242(5)).

Damages under NRS § 118A.242(6)

If the landlord fails or refuses to return the remainder of the deposit within 30 days, the tenant can recover an amount equal to the entire deposit, plus a further sum fixed by the court of not more than the entire deposit. On a $2,000 deposit that is $2,000 plus up to another $2,000. In fixing the second amount the court considers the landlord’s good faith, the course of conduct between the parties, and the harm to the tenant (§ 118A.242(7)).

Where deposit disputes are heard

Deposit disputes are commonly filed in small claims court, which is designed to be used without a lawyer and routinely treats the documentation packet as the entire case. Check the court’s current dollar limit before filing or responding. The landlord with strong documentation is in a far better position than the landlord with weak documentation — and failing to appear or to produce documents can lose the case by default.

Anti-retaliation framework

Nevada prohibits retaliation against a tenant for protected activity such as good-faith code or habitability complaints, tenant-union membership, or exercising rights under the landlord-tenant chapter; a tenant subjected to retaliatory conduct has the remedies in NRS § 118A.390 and a defense to a retaliatory eviction (NRS § 118A.510). If the deposit dispute is part of a wider conflict, treat it with care.

Attorney’s fees

NRS § 118A.242 itself does not contain an attorney’s-fee provision. Whether fees are recoverable in a deposit dispute depends on the lease and on other law — check both before assuming either side can recover them.

Bottom line for landlords. A clean itemized statement with proper documentation, delivered on time by the right method, is the cheapest insurance available against deposit-related litigation. The documentation effort takes a few hours; getting it wrong can cost the deposit and more. The form on this page handles the mechanics; the analysis above is the legal context.

Nevada statute reference table

Nevada statute citations are to the statutes as currently in effect, checked against the official text (see Sources). Local ordinances may layer additional requirements on top of state law and should be consulted independently for properties in covered cities.

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This form and the accompanying guidance are provided for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Nevada landlord-tenant law has technical requirements that can change with legislation and case law, and how NRS §§ 118A.240–118A.244 applies depends on facts and case-specific circumstances that this general guidance cannot fully address. Always verify current requirements with the official Nevada statutes or a qualified Nevada landlord-tenant attorney before relying on this itemized statement in any contested deposit-deduction situation. Review Nevada security deposit laws.