Debt relief in Nevada: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Nevada at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Nevada | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards | 4 years as an open account; 6 years with a signed written agreement |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 18% of take-home pay if you earn $770 a week or less before taxes; up to 25% otherwise |
| Medical debt | Collection agencies must give you 60 days' written notice before acting |
| State debt collection law | Nevada collection agency law (NRS chapter 649) |
| Who licenses debt collectors | Financial Institutions Division |
| Where to complain | Financial Institutions Division, the Nevada Attorney General, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Nevada
Collection agencies need a license from the Nevada Financial Institutions Division (NRS chapter 649), and a licensed agency has to follow the federal collection rules as well as Nevada's.
Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a third-party collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., threaten arrest or a lawsuit it doesn't plan to file, or misstate what you owe. It must send you a validation notice, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.
Medical bills get extra protection. Since July 2021, a collection agency must send you written notice by registered or certified mail at least 60 days before it takes any action to collect a medical debt, including reporting it to a credit bureau. The same law stops collection agencies from suing over medical debts under $10,000.
How long creditors have to sue
- 4 years for open accounts and agreements that aren't in writing (NRS 11.190).
- 6 years for written contracts (NRS 11.190).
Which one applies to a credit card depends on the paperwork the lender can show, so a card debt may be too old to sue on after 4 years, or only after 6. The clock usually starts when you default. A payment or a written promise to pay can sometimes restart it, so get advice before paying anything on a very old debt. Once the time limit has run, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to.
What can be garnished in Nevada
If you earn $770 a week or less before taxes, a creditor with a judgment can take at most 18% of your take-home pay. If you earn more, the limit is 25% (NRS 31.295). Either way, a garnishment can't leave you with less than $362.50 a week, which is 50 times the federal minimum wage.
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Nevada
- Nonprofit credit counseling can combine your card payments into one debt management plan with lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- Paying only the minimums? Our minimum payment calculator shows how long that would take and how much interest you'd pay.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Nevada makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one. Its homestead exemption is one of the larger ones in the country, so many homeowners keep their home. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you what you would keep.
Where to get help or complain
- Nevada Financial Institutions Division licenses collection agencies and takes complaints about them.
- Nevada Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection takes consumer complaints.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada gives free help with debt collection and debt lawsuits in Southern Nevada.
- Civil Law Self-Help Center has free guides and court forms for people handling a civil case on their own.
General information about Nevada law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.