Nevada permits some of the largest deposits in America — which raises the stakes on a return process governed by NRS 118A.242's straightforward clock and a damages provision that can double the money in dispute.
How much can a landlord charge?
Up to three months' rent — the highest statutory cap in the country. (A landlord may also offer a surety-bond alternative, which the tenant can accept or decline.) With Las Vegas rents, that's routinely $4,000–$6,000 sitting on the outcome of a condition dispute — more than most small-claims judgments.
The 30-day clock
Within 30 days of tenancy ending, the landlord must return the deposit with an itemized written accounting of any amounts retained — for unpaid rent, cleaning costs, and damage beyond normal wear and tear. The accounting must be specific; Nevada courts treat vague lump sums as noncompliance.
The penalty
A landlord who fails to return or account within 30 days is liable to the tenant for the wrongfully withheld amount — plus damages of up to the full amount of the deposit. On a three-month deposit, wrongful withholding can therefore cost six months' rent. Justice courts (small claims to $10,000) handle most cases.
Why Nevada deposit disputes are documentation disputes
Three months' rent is real money, and Nevada's spare statute decides its fate on one question with no procedural scaffolding: what condition, then versus now? At these stakes, camera-roll photos with editable timestamps are a liability, not evidence.
SealMove is evidence. Every photo and video is cryptographically sealed the instant it's captured, independently timestamped, and locked with Face ID into a tamper-evident archive. At move-out, your walkthrough lines up room-by-room against the sealed baseline — and either party can send the other a report to review and acknowledge, no app required.