Nevada Probate Court by County: Clark, Washoe, and Rural Filing Guide

You're looking up Nevada probate because someone died and now there's an estate to deal with. This guide covers Clark County (Las Vegas), Washoe County (Reno/Sparks), and rural counties — which courthouse to use, what it costs, and whether you can avoid formal probate entirely under a 2025 law change most websites haven't caught up with.

Probate Goes to District Court Only

Nevada probate doesn't go to municipal court or justice court — those courts don't have jurisdiction here. Every probate proceeding, from a simple affidavit to a full administration, belongs to the district court for the county where the deceased lived.

Which one is yours depends on where they lived:

• Las Vegas metro: Eighth Judicial District Court (Clark County)
• Reno/Sparks: Second Judicial District Court (Washoe County)
• Everywhere else: the district court for that county

Clark County: Eighth Judicial District Court

The Eighth Judicial District handles the largest probate volume in Nevada and offers e-filing through the Odyssey File & Serve system.

Filing fees scale with estate value:

You'll need a certified death certificate before the court accepts any petition. In Clark County, those come from the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD): $38 for the first copy, $25 for each additional. Order 10 to 15 through the funeral director upfront — it's a detail that feels excessive in the first week and obvious by month three.

Washoe County: Second Judicial District Court

The Second Judicial District handles Reno, Sparks, and surrounding Washoe County. Fees run slightly lower than Clark:

Death certificates in Washoe County come from Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) at $25 per copy. Same advice: order more than you think you'll need.

Rural Nevada: Paper Filing and Carson City Records

If you're not in Las Vegas or Reno, you'll file in the district court for the county where the deceased lived. There's no e-filing in smaller Nevada courts — paper filing only. Rural courts also tend to have limited hours and smaller staffing, so call ahead before making a long drive.

Death certificates for rural counties — or any Nevada death before 1988 — are obtained through the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health in Carson City, not a local health district.

SB 404: The Law Change That Most Online Guides Got Wrong

Senate Bill 404 took effect October 1, 2025 and raised the thresholds for simplified probate significantly. If you've seen a website saying the Summary Administration limit is $300,000, it's outdated. The current limit is $500,000.

Here's how Nevada's three tracks now work:

• Affidavit of Entitlement: for individual assets (not the whole estate) up to $150,000. No court filing — you present it directly to the bank or institution holding that asset. You must wait 40 days after death. This is a per-asset tool, not a way to settle an entire estate.
• Summary Administration: when the total estate is $500,000 or under. You do file with the court, but the process is streamlined — typically under 90 days for uncontested matters. The court still approves a final account before closing. Wait 30 days.
• General Administration: required only for estates over $500,000. Multiple hearings, extended timelines, often 6 to 12 months.

To make it concrete: if your parent left a $200,000 home and a $180,000 checking account — $380,000 total — that's Summary Administration under current law. Before October 2025, that same estate required General Administration. That's the difference between a matter that resolves in a few months and one that could take a year.

Medicaid Estate Recovery: If Medicaid Paid for Their Care

When someone receives Medicaid for long-term care or nursing home services, the state is effectively lending against the estate — to be repaid after death. Every probate petition filed in Nevada is automatically transmitted to the Medicaid Estate Recovery unit so the state can assert that claim.

This doesn't stop probate from proceeding. But it means the estate can't be distributed and closed without addressing that claim first. If Medicaid was involved, contact the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services early to request a benefits statement — better to know the figure before you start distributing assets than to find out after.

If the deceased didn't use Medicaid, this section doesn't apply to your situation.

Pro Se Filing: What the Clerks Will and Won't Tell You

"Pro se" means representing yourself — no attorney. Both Clark and Washoe accept self-represented filers.

The clerk's office will check whether your paperwork is complete. They won't tell you whether you've chosen the right procedure.

Filing under the wrong track — General Administration when Summary was available, or an Affidavit on an asset that doesn't qualify — isn't caught at the counter. It surfaces months later and means starting over. The cost of that error — refiled fees, months of delay, possibly attorney fees to untangle it — usually exceeds what a one-hour legal consultation would have cost upfront.

For rural Nevadans, access to a probate attorney can be limited. Nevada State Bar's lawyer referral service and several Nevada legal aid organizations offer low-cost consultations if geographic access or cost is a barrier.

Get the Full Walkthrough

Knowing which courthouse handles your county is step one. If you're not sure whether you're looking at an Affidavit of Entitlement, Summary Administration, or full General Administration — or whether you even need probate at all — the Nevada Survivor Benefits Guide resolves that. It covers the specific forms for each track, a step-by-step process from petition to final distribution, and how to use SB 404's new limits to your advantage. Non-probate assets — joint tenancy property, payable-on-death accounts, and assets with beneficiary designations — pass outside the probate process entirely, and that guide covers those too.

See more Nevada guides →