Nevada Traffic Laws: Points, Tickets, License Suspension and DUI
Nevada driving rules: point system, speeding points, traffic school, how to pay or fight a ticket, license suspension, DUI limits and penalties.
Quick answers for Nevada
- Point system
- Nevada uses a demerit point system for convictions of moving violations. Accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months results in an automatic 6-month license suspension. Nevada DMV, Demerit Point System
- Points for speeding
- Under the DMV's regulation, speeding 1–10 mph over the posted limit is 1 point (unless covered by NRS 484B.617(1)); 11–20 mph over is 2 points; 21–30 mph over is 3 points; 31–40 mph over is 4 points; NAC 483.510
- Legal BAC limit
- 0.08 for drivers generally. For commercial motor vehicle drivers, a separate offense applies at 0.04 or more but less than 0.08. NRS 484C.110
- First-offense DUI penalties
- A first DUI within 7 years is a misdemeanor. The court must order an alcohol/substance-use education course (at the person's expense), sentence the person to 2 days to 6 months in jail or residential confinement or 48 to 96 hours of community service, and impose a fine of $400 to $1,000. NRS 484C.400(1)(a); NRS 484C.210
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Tickets and points
| Point system | Nevada uses a demerit point system for convictions of moving violations. Accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months results in an automatic 6-month license suspension. Serious violations such as DUI or causing serious injury or death do not use the point system; they bring immediate suspension or revocation. Source: Nevada DMV, Demerit Point System |
|---|---|
| Points for speeding | Under the DMV's regulation, speeding 1–10 mph over the posted limit is 1 point (unless covered by NRS 484B.617(1)); 11–20 mph over is 2 points; 21–30 mph over is 3 points; 31–40 mph over is 4 points; 41 mph or more over is 5 points. Speeding with no actual speed indicated is 2 points. The DMV's demerit point web page lists 2 points for 1–10 mph over and 4 points for 21–30 mph over, which differs from the regulation text; confirm with the DMV. Source: NAC 483.510 |
| How long points last | Demerit points expire 12 months after the date of conviction, but the conviction stays on the permanent driving record. Source: Nevada DMV, Demerit Point System |
| Traffic school | A driver with 3 to 11 demerit points may have 3 points removed by voluntarily completing a DMV-certified traffic safety course, once every 12 months. No point credit is given if the course was required as part of a plea bargain with a court. The conviction remains on the driving history. Some courts may allow traffic school as part of a plea bargain; that is handled by the court listed on the citation. Source: Nevada DMV, Demerit Point System |
| Paying or looking up a ticket online | Traffic offenses are handled by the local justice courts (and municipal courts in cities). Contact or pay the court named on your citation. |
License suspension
| License suspension | Verified grounds include 12 or more demerit points in 12 months (automatic 6-month suspension), refusing an evidentiary test (1 year), a test result at or above 0.08 (185 days), and DUI convictions. |
|---|---|
| Hardship or restricted license | During a DUI-related revocation, a person may obtain an ignition interlock privilege by installing an ignition interlock device at their own expense; in limited cases (for example, a person unable to provide a deep lung breath sample), the DMV may issue a restricted license instead. Source: NRS 484C.210(3)–(4); NRS 483.490 |
| Checking and reinstating a license | For a DUI revocation, the Nevada DMV lists these reinstatement steps: complete any court-ordered DUI school or treatment and a Victim Impact Panel; have an insurer file an SR-22 and keep it for 36 consecutive months; install an ignition interlock if required; pay the required fees and bring your documents to a DMV office by appointment; and pass any required vision, written or driving tests. The page lists a $120 alcohol/drug reinstatement fee and a $35 victim impact fee in its steps, and a $121 reinstatement fee and $42.25 civil penalty for a first offense. Reinstatement is not automatic. The DMV page itself lists the alcohol/drug reinstatement fee as both $120 and $121. Source: Nevada DMV, DUI |
DUI / DWI
| Legal BAC limit | 0.08 for drivers generally. For commercial motor vehicle drivers, a separate offense applies at 0.04 or more but less than 0.08. NRS 484C.210 contains an alternate version (0.10) that takes effect only if the federal 0.08 funding requirement is repealed. Source: NRS 484C.110 |
|---|---|
| First-offense DUI penalties | A first DUI within 7 years is a misdemeanor. The court must order an alcohol/substance-use education course (at the person's expense), sentence the person to 2 days to 6 months in jail or residential confinement or 48 to 96 hours of community service, and impose a fine of $400 to $1,000. If the BAC was 0.16 or more, the person must attend a treatment program. A test result of 0.08 or more brings a 185-day license revocation, during which the person must install an ignition interlock to get an ignition interlock privilege. Source: NRS 484C.400(1)(a); NRS 484C.210 |
| When a DUI is a felony | In Nevada, a 3rd DUI within 7 years is a category B felony, with 1 to 6 years in state prison and a $2,000 to $5,000 fine. Any later DUI after a prior felony DUI (or after a DUI-related homicide or a DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm) is also a category B felony, with 2 to 15 years in prison. A DUI that causes death or substantial bodily harm to another person is a category B felony on a first offense. If someone died, the prison term is 2 to 25 years, with longer minimums when the driver has prior offenses. |
| Refusing a breath test | Failing to submit to an evidentiary test leads to license revocation with no eligibility for 1 year, or 3 years if the license was revoked for refusal in the immediately preceding 7 years. During the period, the person must install an ignition interlock to obtain an ignition interlock privilege. Source: NRS 484C.210 |
| DUI lookback period | 7 years. DUI penalties are based on whether the offense is the first, second, or third within 7 years. Source: NRS 484C.400 |
| How long a DUI stays on your record | The Nevada DMV says DUI convictions, records of a DUI arrest and license revocations stay on your full DMV record for life. DUIs and other traffic offenses are reported to insurance companies and most employers for 3 years, and to other state DMVs for 10 years. For repeat-offense penalties, the lookback is 7 years. On the criminal record, a misdemeanor DUI can be sealed by court petition 7 years after release from custody or the end of a suspended sentence. A felony DUI (a 3rd offense under 484C.400(1)(c)) or a DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm cannot be sealed. Sealing rules are in NRS 179.245: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-179.html |
| Sobriety checkpoints | Nevada law lets police set up 'administrative roadblocks' on state highways for any lawful purpose, subject to safety rules. The roadblock must be visible from at least 100 yards, have a STOP sign and a red flashing light at the entrance, and have advance warning signs set back a minimum distance. Police may also set up temporary roadblocks to catch wanted persons or deal with emergencies or hazards. The statute does not specifically mention sobriety checkpoints. No official Nevada page was found confirming that DUI checkpoints are currently run. Source: NRS 484B.007, 484B.570, 484B.573 |
Phones and distracted driving
| Phone and texting laws | While driving on a highway, a person may not manually type or enter text, send or read data, access the internet, or text/message on a handheld device, or talk on a handheld phone unless using a hands-free accessory (a touch to activate or deactivate a feature is allowed). Exceptions include emergency workers and law enforcement on duty and people reporting emergencies or crimes. It is a civil infraction: $50 for a first violation within 7 years, $100 for a second and $250 for a third or later; the DMV does not treat a first violation as a moving violation. The DMV point page lists 4 points for second and later handheld or texting offenses. |
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Where to get help in Nevada
Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ
How does the driver point system work in Nevada?
Nevada uses a demerit point system for convictions of moving violations. Accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months results in an automatic 6-month license suspension. Serious violations such as DUI or causing serious injury or death do not use the point system; they bring immediate suspension or revocation.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Nevada?
Under the DMV's regulation, speeding 1–10 mph over the posted limit is 1 point (unless covered by NRS 484B.617(1)); 11–20 mph over is 2 points; 21–30 mph over is 3 points; 31–40 mph over is 4 points; 41 mph or more over is 5 points. Speeding with no actual speed indicated is 2 points.
How long do points stay on your license in Nevada?
Demerit points expire 12 months after the date of conviction, but the conviction stays on the permanent driving record.
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Nevada?
A driver with 3 to 11 demerit points may have 3 points removed by voluntarily completing a DMV-certified traffic safety course, once every 12 months. No point credit is given if the course was required as part of a plea bargain with a court. The conviction remains on the driving history.
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in Nevada?
Traffic offenses are handled by the local justice courts (and municipal courts in cities). Contact or pay the court named on your citation.
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in Nevada?
For a DUI revocation, the Nevada DMV lists these reinstatement steps: complete any court-ordered DUI school or treatment and a Victim Impact Panel; have an insurer file an SR-22 and keep it for 36 consecutive months; install an ignition interlock if required; pay the required fees and bring your documents to a DMV office by appointment; and pass any required vision, written or driving tests. The page lists a $120 alcohol/drug reinstatement fee and a $35 victim impact fee in its steps, and a $121 reinstatement fee and $42.25 civil penalty for a first offense. Reinstatement is not automatic.
What gets your license suspended in Nevada?
Verified grounds include 12 or more demerit points in 12 months (automatic 6-month suspension), refusing an evidentiary test (1 year), a test result at or above 0.08 (185 days), and DUI convictions.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Nevada?
0.08 for drivers generally. For commercial motor vehicle drivers, a separate offense applies at 0.04 or more but less than 0.08.
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Nevada?
A first DUI within 7 years is a misdemeanor. The court must order an alcohol/substance-use education course (at the person's expense), sentence the person to 2 days to 6 months in jail or residential confinement or 48 to 96 hours of community service, and impose a fine of $400 to $1,000. If the BAC was 0.16 or more, the person must attend a treatment program. A test result of 0.08 or more brings a 185-day license revocation, during which the person must install an ignition interlock to get an ignition interlock privilege.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Nevada?
Failing to submit to an evidentiary test leads to license revocation with no eligibility for 1 year, or 3 years if the license was revoked for refusal in the immediately preceding 7 years. During the period, the person must install an ignition interlock to obtain an ignition interlock privilege.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Nevada?
7 years. DUI penalties are based on whether the offense is the first, second, or third within 7 years.
Can you get a hardship license in Nevada?
During a DUI-related revocation, a person may obtain an ignition interlock privilege by installing an ignition interlock device at their own expense; in limited cases (for example, a person unable to provide a deep lung breath sample), the DMV may issue a restricted license instead.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Nevada?
While driving on a highway, a person may not manually type or enter text, send or read data, access the internet, or text/message on a handheld device, or talk on a handheld phone unless using a hands-free accessory (a touch to activate or deactivate a feature is allowed). Exceptions include emergency workers and law enforcement on duty and people reporting emergencies or crimes. It is a civil infraction: $50 for a first violation within 7 years, $100 for a second and $250 for a third or later; the DMV does not treat a first violation as a moving violation. The DMV point page lists 4 points for second and later handheld or texting offenses.
Is a DUI a felony in Nevada?
In Nevada, a 3rd DUI within 7 years is a category B felony, with 1 to 6 years in state prison and a $2,000 to $5,000 fine. Any later DUI after a prior felony DUI (or after a DUI-related homicide or a DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm) is also a category B felony, with 2 to 15 years in prison. A DUI that causes death or substantial bodily harm to another person is a category B felony on a first offense. If someone died, the prison term is 2 to 25 years, with longer minimums when the driver has prior offenses.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Nevada?
The Nevada DMV says DUI convictions, records of a DUI arrest and license revocations stay on your full DMV record for life. DUIs and other traffic offenses are reported to insurance companies and most employers for 3 years, and to other state DMVs for 10 years. For repeat-offense penalties, the lookback is 7 years. On the criminal record, a misdemeanor DUI can be sealed by court petition 7 years after release from custody or the end of a suspended sentence. A felony DUI (a 3rd offense under 484C.400(1)(c)) or a DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm cannot be sealed.
Are DUI checkpoints legal in Nevada?
Nevada law lets police set up 'administrative roadblocks' on state highways for any lawful purpose, subject to safety rules. The roadblock must be visible from at least 100 yards, have a STOP sign and a red flashing light at the entrance, and have advance warning signs set back a minimum distance. Police may also set up temporary roadblocks to catch wanted persons or deal with emergencies or hazards. The statute does not specifically mention sobriety checkpoints.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.