Nevada debt: four years on cards unless they can show the signed contract
In Nevada, whether a collector has four years or six to sue on a credit card often comes down to one document: the signed agreement. Without it, many Nevada courts apply four. Lower earners also get a lower garnishment cap than the federal one.
The check is free. If a dispute letter will help, it costs $29 ($19 for military, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities) with three follow-ups.
Who is asking you to pay?
Look at the company name at the top of the letter or in the caller ID.
Nevada at a glance
- Open accounts, oral
- 4 years (NRS 11.190(2))
- Written contracts
- 6 years (NRS 11.190(1)(b))
- Credit cards
- 4 years unless a signed agreement is shown
- Garnishment, gross pay ≤ $770/week
- 18%
- Garnishment, above $770
- Up to 25%
- Claim exemptions
- Within 10 days
General information about Nevada law, with sources below. Not legal advice.
Four years or six on a Nevada credit card
Four years for an open account or oral agreement (NRS 11.190(2)) and six years for a written contract (NRS 11.190(1)(b)). A credit card is usually treated as an open account, so four years, unless the creditor produces a signed written agreement.
Many justice court judges in Reno and Las Vegas apply only the four-year open-account period if the creditor cannot produce a written application or agreement. So asking for the signed agreement is not a formality in Nevada. Nevada has separate rules on revival by payment (NRS 11.200) and by acknowledgment or new promise (NRS 11.390).
Garnishment in Nevada
If gross weekly pay is $770 or less, garnishment is limited to 18% of disposable earnings; above that, to the lesser of 25% or the amount above 50 times the federal minimum wage (NRS 31.295). A writ of wage garnishment lasts for a limited period, after which the creditor must have it reissued to keep collecting; sources differ on the exact length, so check the writ itself. To protect exempt money, you must file a claim of exemption with the court within 10 days of notice of the garnishment. A Nevada judgment lasts six years and can be renewed.
Nevada's protections sit on top of federal law; our page on stopping a wage garnishment explains both.
After the 4-year limit runs out, a collector must not sue or threaten to; read what to do about an old debt before paying anything.
Limits vary a lot between states: by comparison, Ohio sets 6 years and Washington sets 6 years for similar debts.
Before paying anything in Nevada, read whether to pay a collection agency and how to request debt validation.
If you have been served in Nevada, our guide to responding to a debt lawsuit explains how to answer and which defenses to raise.
Licensed agencies
Nevada licenses collection agencies through its Financial Institutions Division; agencies print their Nevada CAD license numbers in their disclosures. The federal dispute right applies too: a written dispute inside the validation period makes the collector stop until it mails verification.
If your letter comes from a national company such as Absolute Resolutions Investments or Afni, our collector guides explain who they are and how to dispute.
Questions people ask about debt in Nevada
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Nevada?
Usually four years as an open account under NRS 11.190(2), or six if the creditor produces a signed written agreement.
How much of my wages can be garnished in Nevada?
If your gross weekly pay is $770 or less, no more than 18% of disposable earnings; above that, the lesser of 25% or the amount above 50 times the federal minimum wage.
How do I protect exempt money in Nevada?
File a claim of exemption with the court within 10 days of notice of the garnishment.
Do collection agencies need a license in Nevada?
Yes. Nevada licenses collection agencies through its Financial Institutions Division.
Can an old Nevada debt be revived?
Nevada has rules on revival by payment (NRS 11.200) and by acknowledgment or new promise (NRS 11.390). Check before paying.