Nevada New Resident Guide

Licensing and Residency Requirements

• New Nevada residents must obtain their driver license and vehicle registration within 30 days.
• Nevada law requires motorists to notify DMV of a change of address within 30 days of the move, including residents who are leaving the state permanently.

Violation Point Counts

The amount of points that go against your driver's license for specific types of violations.

8 Point Violations

• Reckless driving.

6 Point Violations

• Careless driving.
• Failure to give information or render aid at the scene of an accident.

5 Point Violations

• Speeding 41 mph or more over posted limit.

4 Point Violations

• Following too closely.
• Failure to yield right-of-way.
• Passing a school bus when signals are flashing.
• Hand-held cellphone use or texting (2nd and subsequent offenses).
• Disobeying a traffic signal or stop sign.
• Speeding 31 - 40 mph over posted limit.

3 Point Violations

• Speeding 21 - 30 mph over posted limit.

2 Point Violations

• Impeding traffic, driving too slowly.
• Failure to dim headlights.
• Speeding 11 - 20 mph over posted limit.
• Prima Facie speed violation or driving too fast for the conditions.

1 Point Violations

• Speeding 1 - 10 mph over posted limit.

How Long Points Remain on Record

• If you have accumulated between 3 and 11 points, you may have 3 points removed by completing a DMV-approved traffic safety course.
• The demerit points for a violation are deleted when 12 months have elapsed from the date of conviction. Convictions remain part of your permanent driving record.

• 3 or more points - mailed notification from Driver License Review Section.
• 3 to 11 points - may take traffic safety course to have 3 points removed.
• 12 or more points in any 12 month period - automatic 6 month suspension.
• The demerit points for a violation are deleted when 12 months have elapsed from the date of conviction. Convictions remain part of your permanent driving record.

Headlight Laws

You must dim your headlights from high to low beam when you are within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 300 feet of a vehicle traveling ahead of you.

You must use your headlights:

• From a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise
• When there is insufficient light
• Whenever persons or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at a distance of 1,000 feet
• When directed by an official traffic control device

There is no specific law allowing or prohibiting headlight flashing.

DUI Penalties

First offense (within 7 years) (misdemeanor)

• 2 days - 6 months imprisonment
• $400 - $1,000
• 45 - 90 days license revocation

Second offense (within 7 years) (misdemeanor)

• 10 days - 6 months imprisonment
• $750 - $1,000 fine
• 1 year license revocation

Third offense (within 7 years) (category B felony)

• 1 year - 6 years imprisonment
• $2,000 - $5,000 fine
• 1 1/2 - 3 years license revocation

Subsequent offense (within 7 years) (category B felony)

• 2 - 15 years imprisonment
• $2,000 - $5,000 fine
• 1 1/2 - 3 years license revocation

Other

Community service

• May be ordered as an alternative sanction, or as a condition of any suspended sentence

Child endangerment

• If a child less than 15 was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the offense, such fact shall be considered an aggravating factor when determining sentence

Alcohol treatment program

• Where the offender is diagnosed as an alcoholic or abuser of drugs, the offender must serve some jail time and/or perform community service, and pay a fine. The court shall sentence the defendant to an all-suspended sentence upon condition of successful or satisfactory completion.

Work zone

• In addition to the primary penalty attributed to a DUI offense, any person violating a DUI law within a work zone is subject to an additional penalty equal to the original, not to exceed $1,000, 6 months imprisonment or 120 hours of community service.

Ignition interlock

• For defendants with BAC under .18, available as condition for restricted driving privileges for 3 - 6 months
• For third or subsequent offense, or BAC over .18, mandatory for 12 - 36 months

Red Light Violation Fines

• Traditional enforcement: $1,000 maximum fine, 4 points
• Auto enforcement: Imaging equipment prohibited unless handheld by officer or installed in a vehicle or facility of a law enforcement agency

Turn Signal Information

In any business or residential district, signal your intention to turn or change lanes at least 100 feet in advance. In any other area, signal at least 300 feet in advance.

Funeral Procession Right-of-Way Laws

The law authorizes a vehicle escorting a funeral procession to:

1. Go through a red light or stop sign after slowing down as necessary,
2. Exceed the posted speed limit by up to 15 miles per hour to overtake the procession and direct traffic at the next intersection, and
3. Disregard regulations on direction of movement or turning when directing the movement of the other vehicles in the procession (Nev. Rev. Stat. 484.261).

While these privileges are part of the law authorizing special actions by police and other emergency vehicles, the law does not expressly require a funeral escort vehicle to be such a police or emergency vehicle.

Bicyclist Passing Distance

A 3-foot minimum passing distance is required.

Using the Shoulder to Pass

• You may pass a left-turning vehicle on the right by driving upon an unobstructed section of pavement which is not marked as a traffic lane and which is not occupied by parked vehicles, if:
• You do not travel more than 200 feet in such a section of pavement.
• You do not travel through an intersection or past any private way that is used to enter or exit the highway.
• You may never pass a left-turning vehicle on the right by driving off the paved portion of the highway.

Speed Limits

• I. A person shall not operate any vehicle at a speed greater than 75 mph.
• II. A person shall not operate a motor vehicle at a speed of greater than 15 mph in a school zone for an elementary school or any school that includes pupils in elementary school grades; or greater than 25 mph in an area designated as a school zone for a high school or a school crossing zone.

Emergency Vehicle Laws

Move Over

• When you see any of these vehicles displaying flashing lights while stopped on or adjacent to the roadway:
• Emergency vehicle
• Tow car
• You must do the following:
• Decrease the speed of the vehicle to a speed that is reasonable and proper and less than the posted speed limit, if a speed limit has been posted;
• Proceed with caution
• Be prepared to stop; and
• If possible, drive in a lane that is not adjacent to the lane in which the emergency vehicle or tow car is stopped, unless roadway, traffic, weather or other conditions make doing so unsafe or impossible.

Following

• Do not follow a fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet, or drive into or park within 500 feet of where the fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

Collision Procedures

• Stop at the scene or as close as possible without obstructing traffic more than necessary, and remain at the scene until all requirements are fulfilled
• You must provide the following information to any other person involved in the accident, or any police officer at the scene of the crash:
• Driver's name and address
• Vehicle registration number
• Show driver's license upon request
• Provide assistance to any injured person, including transporting them or making arrangements for transportation to a hospital or doctor, if necessary or requested.
• Unattended vehicle or property
• If you have collided with a vehicle or other property that is unattended, locate and notify the operator or owner if possible.
• If you are unable to do so, leave a written notice providing the name and address of the driver and owner.
• You must immediately notify a police authority or the Nevada Highway Patrol. If the driver is unable to make the report, any other occupant of the vehicle who is able to must do so.
• Report crash
• If no police officer is present, you must report the accident to a police authority or the Nevada Highway Patrol as soon as you have fulfilled all other requirements
• If the crash resulted in injury, death, or property damage of $750 or more, you must report the accident in writing within 10 days after the accident, unless the accident was investigated by a law enforcement officer.