Criminal penalties in Nevada
Checked in October 2026 against the Nevada Revised Statutes, chapters 193, 200, 205 and 484C (Rev. 4/15/2026).
These are statutory ranges for a first offence, from the least to the most the law allows. A court decides the actual sentence in each case. Not legal advice.
How Nevada sets penalties
- Nevada sorts felonies into categories A to E (NRS 193.130). Category A: death, or life with or without the possibility of parole. Category B: a minimum of at least 1 year and a maximum of up to 20 years, as each offence's statute specifies. Category C: 1 to 5 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Category D: 1 to 4 years and a fine of up to $5,000. Category E: 1 to 4 years, with probation required in most cases, and a fine of up to $5,000.
- A minimum term cannot exceed 40 per cent of the maximum term imposed (NRS 193.130(1)).
- Nevada grades theft by value (NRS 205.0835): under $1,200 is a misdemeanor, $1,200 to under $5,000 a category D felony, $5,000 to under $25,000 a category C felony, $25,000 to under $100,000 a category B felony (1 to 10 years), and $100,000 or more a category B felony (1 to 20 years). Embezzlement is punished as theft of the same property (NRS 205.300).
- A person convicted of a category A felony other than death is sentenced as the specific statute provides (life with or without parole, or a long definite term).
- This table shows first-offence ranges.
Death penalty: Yes. Murder of the first degree is a category A felony punished by death (only if aggravating circumstances are found and not outweighed by mitigating ones), or by life without parole, or life with parole after 20 years, or a definite term of 50 years with parole eligibility after 20 years (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 200.030(4)).
First-degree murder
Death, or life without parole, or life with parole after 20 years, or 50 years with parole after 20
Murder of the first degree (Category A felony)
- Least
- Life with parole possible after 20 years, or 50 years with parole possible after 20
- Most
- Death
The other options are life without the possibility of parole, or life with the possibility of parole once a minimum of 20 years has been served, or a definite term of 50 years with eligibility after 20 years.
Second-degree murder
Life with parole after 10 years, or a definite 25 years with parole after 10
Murder of the second degree (all other kinds of murder) (Category A felony)
- Least
- 10 years before parole eligibility
- Most
- Life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole
The court may instead impose a definite term of 25 years, with eligibility for parole after a minimum of 10 years.
Voluntary manslaughter
1 to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 (category B)
Voluntary manslaughter (Category B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000, in addition
Robbery
2 to 15 years (category B)
Robbery: taking personal property from the person of another, or in the person's presence, against the person's will, by force or violence or fear of injury (Category B felony)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 15 years
Burglary
Category E (motor vehicle, first offence) up to category B (residential burglary)
Burglary of a motor vehicle, first offence (Category E felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Burglary of a structure (Category D felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Burglary of a business (Category C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Residential burglary (Category B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
A person convicted of residential burglary without a prior conviction for a similar offence may be released on probation if mitigating circumstances exist.
Arson
A category D felony (third and fourth degree) up to 2 to 15 years (first degree)
Arson in the third degree (setting fire to property such as crops, grass or vegetation not one's own) (Category D felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Arson in the second degree (a building or structure) (Category B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000, in addition
Arson in the first degree (burning an inhabited structure or one where persons are present) (Category B felony)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000, in addition
Aggravated assault
A category C felony (battery causing substantial bodily harm or by strangulation); a category B felony with a deadly weapon (2 to 10 years, 2 to 15 years if substantial bodily harm results)
Battery not committed with a deadly weapon, causing substantial bodily harm or committed by strangulation (Category C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Battery with a deadly weapon, where no substantial bodily harm results (Category B felony)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000, in addition
Battery with a deadly weapon, where substantial bodily harm results or it is committed by strangulation (Category B felony)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- A fine may be added
Rape and sexual assault
A category A felony: life with parole after 10 years (no substantial bodily harm); life with parole after 15 years or life without parole (substantial bodily harm)
Sexual assault, where no substantial bodily harm results (Category A felony)
- Least
- 10 years before parole eligibility
- Most
- Life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole
Sexual assault, where substantial bodily harm results (Category A felony)
- Least
- Life with parole after 15 years, or life without parole
- Most
- Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Sexual assault of a child under 16, where substantial bodily harm results (Category A felony)
- Least
- Life without parole
- Most
- Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Kidnapping
2 to 15 years (second degree); life or 15 to 40 years (first degree)
Kidnapping in the second degree (Category B felony)
- Least
- 2 years
- Most
- 15 years
- Fine
- A fine may be added
Kidnapping in the first degree, where the victim suffers no substantial bodily harm (Category A felony)
- Least
- 5 years before parole eligibility
- Most
- Life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole
The court may instead impose a definite term of 15 years with parole eligibility after 5 years.
Kidnapping in the first degree, where the victim suffers substantial bodily harm (Category A felony)
- Least
- 15 years before parole eligibility
- Most
- Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole
The options are life without parole, life with parole after 15 years, or a definite 40 years with parole eligibility after 15 years.
Embezzlement
A misdemeanor (under $1,200) up to 1 to 20 years ($100,000 or more)
Theft or embezzlement of $1,200 to under $5,000 (Category D felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Theft or embezzlement of $5,000 to under $25,000 (Category C felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 5 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000
Theft or embezzlement of $25,000 to under $100,000 (Category B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 10 years
- Fine
- Up to $10,000, in addition
Theft or embezzlement of $100,000 or more (Category B felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 20 years
- Fine
- Up to $15,000, in addition
Embezzlement is defined in NRS 205.300 as a bailee's conversion of money, goods or property to their own use, or an agent, manager or clerk's use of entrusted property for another purpose. It is punished as the larceny of property of that kind and value (NRS 205.0835).
Forgery
A category D felony: 1 to 4 years and a fine of up to $5,000
Forgery (Category D felony)
- Least
- 1 year
- Most
- 4 years
- Fine
- Up to $5,000
Drunk driving, first offence
A misdemeanor: 2 days to 6 months in jail (or 48 to 96 hours of community service), and a fine of $400 to $1,000
Driving under the influence, first offence within 7 years (Misdemeanor)
- Least
- 2 days (or 48 hours of community service)
- Most
- 6 months
- Fine
- $400 to $1,000
For a first offence within 7 years, the court must also order an alcohol-education course. The statute sets the alternatives of jail, residential confinement or community service, and the fine.
Compare with: Iowa, Arizona, California, New York, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, South Carolina, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alabama, Alaska, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Vermont, West Virginia, Montana, Idaho, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Colorado, Pennsylvania.
