Overview
Process Server in Nevada: How Service of Process Works
Nevada is one of the few states that licenses process servers. Anyone in the business of serving process must be licensed by the Private Investigators Licensing Board under NRS chapter 648, which requires being at least 21, two years of process serving experience and proof of insurance. Under the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure, papers can be left at the home with a resident of suitable age and discretion, and a summons must be served within 120 days of filing.
Who serves process
Who Can Serve Legal Documents in Nevada
Any person 18 or older who is not a party may serve a summons, but anyone who engages in the business of serving process must be licensed by the Nevada Private Investigators Licensing Board under NRS 648.060.
A licensed process server must be at least 21, have at least two years of process serving experience (or the equivalent the Board accepts) and maintain insurance. Sheriffs and constables also serve process.
Typical documents include summonses and complaints, divorce and custody papers, eviction notices, subpoenas and protection orders.
Proof you receive: a sworn affidavit of service
The licensed server signs a declaration or affidavit of service stating how, when and where service was made, and includes their license number.
Licensed process service statewide
Service in all 17 counties by servers licensed under NRS 648, with declarations that include their license number.
Las Vegas and Clark County
Fast service across the Las Vegas valley, including resorts, gated communities and businesses.
Reno, Carson City and rural Nevada
Service in Washoe County, Carson City and Nevada's rural counties.
The rules
Nevada Service of Process Rules
The Nevada rules and statutes that matter most for service:
| Rule | What it covers |
|---|---|
| NRS 648.060 | Process servers must be licensed |
| NRS 648.110 | License requirements, including age 21 and experience |
| NRCP 4.2(a) | Personal, abode and agent service |
| NRCP 4(e) | Serve within 120 days of filing |
| NRCP 4.4 | Alternative service and publication by court order |
| NRCP 12(a) | 21 days to answer |
Treaties
Nevada and the Hague Conventions: Treaty Status
The Hague Service Convention lets member countries send documents to each other's Central Authorities for service. Nevada has not joined it, so that route isn't available, and the Convention's Article 10 rules on postal and private service don't apply. Whether those methods are acceptable depends on Nevada's law and on what your court allows.
Nevada is not a party to the Hague Evidence Convention, so requests for witness testimony or documents go through letters rogatory.
