Nevada's Record Sealing - What It Is and What It Isn't
Nevada uses the mechanism of sealing of records under NRS 179.245 (for arrests without conviction) and NRS 179.245 and related statutes for convictions. When a Nevada court grants a sealing order, the criminal record is restricted from public access - meaning the general public cannot search it, and in most private employment contexts you may legally state the arrest or conviction did not occur.
What Nevada sealing does:
- Restricts public access to the court file and arrest record
- Notifies the Nevada Criminal Justice Information System (NCJIS) to restrict the criminal history entry
- Allows you to state in most contexts that no record exists
What Nevada sealing does not do:
- Destroy the physical record (law enforcement and courts retain access)
- Remove pre-sealing copies already indexed by Google, CourtListener, or data brokers
- Affect federal records or FBI criminal history databases
| Offense Category | Waiting Period | Authority | Portal Sealed? | Google Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dismissal / Acquittal | Immediately eligible | NRS 179.255 | Yes | After source removed |
| Misdemeanor | 1 year after discharge | NRS 179.245 | Yes | After source removed |
| Gross Misdemeanor | 2 years after discharge | NRS 179.245 | Yes | After source removed |
| Category E Felony | 2 years after discharge | NRS 179.245 | Yes | After source removed |
| Category C or D Felony | 5 years after discharge | NRS 179.245 | Yes | After source removed |
| Category A or B Felony | 7 years after discharge | NRS 179.245 | Yes | After source removed |
| Sex offenses / crimes vs. children | Ineligible | NRS 179.245 | No | Not removable legally |
Who Is Eligible to Seal Records in Nevada?
Nevada's sealing statute was significantly updated to include waiting periods tied to offense severity. The clock generally runs from the date of release from custody or discharge from probation or parole - whichever is later. For more information, visit the Nevada Courts.
Misdemeanor Sealing
Most misdemeanor convictions in Nevada become eligible for sealing one year after discharge from probation or release from custody. Exceptions include: Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.
- DUI with substantial bodily harm or prior DUI convictions (longer waiting periods apply)
- Domestic violence battery (often ineligible or subject to extended waiting periods)
- Sex-related misdemeanors that trigger registration requirements
Felony Sealing
Felony sealing in Nevada follows a tiered waiting period system. For Category A and B felonies, the 7-year waiting period is substantial and applies from the date of discharge from probation, parole, or release from custody. Key exclusions: Learn more about court record removal on our blog.
- Sex offenses requiring registration are categorically ineligible for sealing
- Crimes against children are ineligible
- DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm has a longer waiting period
- You must not have a pending criminal charge during the waiting period
Nevada's sealing process requires petitioning the court of conviction and obtaining a signed order. The order must then be served on the Nevada Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History (part of the Department of Public Safety), which updates the NCJIS statewide criminal history database. Both steps are required - a signed court order alone does not automatically update all databases.
Why Nevada Records Persist Online After Sealing
Nevada sealing restricts the court portal - but this restriction has no effect on copies that were indexed before the sealing order was entered. Understanding each source is essential. For more information, visit the Nevada Legislature.
nevadajudiciary.us (eCourts Portal)
The Nevada Supreme Court's eCourts portal at nevadajudiciary.us is the primary public-facing court records search. After a sealing order is granted and processed, the case should be restricted from this portal. However, there is often a delay between the court's order and the NCJIS update - during which the case may remain visible. Additionally, if the case was indexed by data brokers before the sealing order, those external copies persist independently.
NCJIS - Nevada Criminal Justice Information System
NCJIS is maintained by the Nevada Department of Public Safety and serves as the central repository for Nevada criminal history records. After sealing, the NCJIS record should be updated to restrict public access. Licensed background check companies that access NCJIS should no longer return the sealed record for standard employment background checks. However, data broker sites that are not licensed FCRA consumer reporting agencies are not required to access NCJIS and may retain their own cached data indefinitely. Learn more about background check reports on our blog.
CourtListener and Federal Legal Databases
CourtListener indexes Nevada Supreme Court and Court of Appeals opinions. If your case was appealed and an opinion published, that opinion may appear in CourtListener regardless of the trial court sealing order. Published appellate opinions represent a distinct challenge - they are legal precedent and removal requests are rarely granted by publishers.
Data Broker Sites
Spokeo, BeenVerified, TruthFinder, Intelius, PeopleFinder, and other aggregators scraped Nevada court records during the period your record was publicly accessible. After sealing, the court portal restricts new access, but these sites retain cached data. Each must be contacted individually with opt-out requests and, where accepted, a copy of the sealing order.
Nevada's sealing process is among the more functional in the western United States - the court portal restriction and NCJIS update together create meaningful privacy for standard employment and licensing purposes. The gap that remains is the online historical footprint: data broker sites and Google cache copies from the period when the record was public. These require a coordinated removal effort separate from the court proceeding.
How to Remove Nevada Court Records from Google and Data Broker Sites
After obtaining a Nevada sealing order, the following steps address the online dimension of your record. These are not guaranteed outcomes - we evaluate each source and move forward where removal is realistically achievable.
Most people in your position reach out right here.
You've already done the hard part - finding out what's out there. We handle the rest: every platform removal, Google de-indexing, and background check site. No upfront cost. Completely confidential.
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1
Obtain your Nevada sealing order and serve required agencies
File your petition in the court of conviction. After the court signs the sealing order, serve it on the Nevada Central Repository for Criminal History Records (Department of Public Safety) and confirm the NCJIS record has been updated. Request a certified copy of the signed order - you will need it for all downstream removal requests. -
2
Verify the eCourts portal is updated
Search nevadajudiciary.us for your name and case number to confirm the case is restricted from public view. If the case still appears after the sealing order is processed, contact the clerk of the court of conviction to trigger the portal update. -
3
Audit all URLs showing your record in Google
Search Google using your full name, county, charge type, and year in various combinations. Document every URL returning a result - eCourts, CourtListener, Justia, data broker sites, and any news coverage. This URL inventory becomes your removal work queue. -
4
Submit data broker opt-out requests with sealing documentation
Submit opt-out requests to Spokeo, BeenVerified, Intelius, TruthFinder, PeopleFinder, and all other aggregators. Include documentation of the sealing order where the site's process permits. Set a reminder to re-check each site in 90 days, as profiles can be repopulated. -
5
Request removal from legal databases
Contact CourtListener and Justia if your case appears in their systems. Submit removal requests with documentation of the sealing order. Policies vary - some platforms will de-index sealed records, others require a court order directed at them specifically or a DMCA notice for specific content. -
6
Use Google's removal tools
Once source pages have been restricted or removed, submit requests through Google's Personal Information Removal Tool for URLs referencing the sealed record. For pages that have been de-indexed at the source, use Google's outdated content removal tool at removals.google.com to de-cache the page from Google's index.
Post-Sealing Monitoring Catches New Appearances
Even after sealing and initial removal, Nevada records can re-surface on new aggregator sites or when existing sites re-scrape public databases. We monitor for new appearances and address them proactively so you don't have to track this yourself.
Ask About MonitoringFrequently Asked Questions - Nevada Court Records
Helpful Resources for Nevada Record Sealing
- Nevada Courts - official court portal, case search, and sealing forms
- Nevada Legislature - full text of NRS 179.245 and related statutes
- United States Courts - federal court records and PACER access
- FTC: What to Know About Background Checks - your rights under the FCRA
Related Guides
Is Your Nevada Record Still Showing Online?
Sealing restricts the court portal - but pre-sealing copies on Google and data broker sites require a separate, coordinated removal effort. We help Nevada residents address every source showing their record.
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