Start with the District Court in the specific county for court records — Clark County (Las Vegas) handles the vast majority of Nevada cases. For criminal background checks, use the Nevada DPS criminal history repository. For property, start with the County Assessor, then the County Recorder for deeds. Nevada only has 17 counties plus Carson City, so navigation is straightforward.
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Nevada Counties — Most Searched
Statewide Databases
Official government databases.
How to Search Nevada Criminal Records
Over 85% of Nevada's population lives in two counties — Clark (Las Vegas) and Washoe (Reno). Start there. Clark County Courts at clarkcountycourts.us has online criminal case search. Washoe County's Second Judicial District Court has its own portal. Beyond those two, Nevada's 15 remaining counties have minimal online access and often require direct contact. The DPS Records Bureau handles statewide background checks but requires fingerprints — there is no public name-based statewide search. The DOC offender search is at ofdsearch.doc.nv.gov. The sex offender registry is maintained by DPS. In practice, searching Nevada criminal records usually means searching Clark County.
How to Search Nevada Court Records
Go to the District Court for felonies, civil, family, and juvenile. Go to the Justice Court for misdemeanors, traffic, small claims under $10,000. Go to Municipal Court for city ordinance violations. Clark County (Las Vegas) handles about 75% of all Nevada court cases. Washoe County (Reno) is the second largest. There is no unified statewide search — search by county.
How to Search Nevada Property Records
Start with the County Assessor for property valuations and ownership. Then go to the County Recorder for deeds, mortgages, liens, and recorded documents. For tax bills, go to the County Treasurer. Clark County and Washoe County have excellent online property tools.
How to Get Nevada Vital Records
For birth and death certificates, order from the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Office of Vital Records. For marriage licenses, go to the County Clerk. Clark County (Las Vegas) is famously efficient at issuing marriage licenses. For divorce records, go to the District Court Clerk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to find Nevada records? ▼
Start with the court clerk for court and criminal case records — this is the main source for felony filings, civil cases, and dispositions. Can’t find it? Check the County Recorder. Records are split across offices and the one you need may be elsewhere.
Where do I search for Nevada public records? ▼
There is no central database for Nevada records. Use the court clerk for criminal and civil cases. Use the County Recorder for property ownership and tax records. Use the Nevada Office of Vital Records or the local registrar for birth certificates, death records, and marriage licenses.
Why does my Nevada search return no results? ▼
The #1 reason for empty results is using the wrong system. Records are not centralized — each office runs its own database independently. Switch to the office that handles your specific record type.
Is there a single database for all Nevada records? ▼
No single system covers all Nevada public records. Court records, property records, and vital records each have their own search portal maintained by a different agency.
Where do most Nevada record searches start? ▼
Clark County (Las Vegas). Over 73% of Nevada's population lives in Clark County. The Clark County courts, recorder, and assessor all have online search tools at clarkcountycourts.us and clarkcountynv.gov.