Nevada small claims
How to fill out Nevada's Small Claims Complaint (justice court affidavit)
Official form: Affidavit of Complaint (per justice court) · Walkthrough written against Las Vegas Justice Court / Civil Law Self-Help Center form, Rev. 02/19/2026 (as printed on the form)
In Nevada, this form is issued per county or court
There is no single statewide version — each county's (or court's) clerk issues its own, and courts generally expect their own version. The walkthrough below uses the Las Vegas Justice Court Small Claims Complaint because the forms ask for largely the same information, but your court's layout and requirements can differ. Look up your courthouse to find the operative version — the clerk's office has it.
Download the official form — free, from the court
The only authoritative copy of this form is the court's own. Courts re-issue forms, so downloading a fresh copy right before filing beats reusing a saved one. We link the official source and never host court forms ourselves.
Get the official form from the court's site →Link verified 2026-07-04. If it has moved, the court's forms index and clerk's office will have the current version — verify with the court before filing.
What this form is
Nevada small claims cases are heard in the justice courts, which are organized by township — Las Vegas Justice Court for Las Vegas Township in Clark County, Reno Justice Court in Washoe County, and so on. There is no single statewide small claims complaint: each justice court publishes its own version of the sworn Small Claims Complaint (sometimes titled Affidavit of Complaint), and courts reject forms published by other justice courts. The version that counts is the one from the justice court where the case will be filed; Nevada's statewide self-help site (selfhelp.nvcourts.gov) links to each court's forms.
Whichever court's version applies, the document does the same job: it identifies the plaintiff and the defendant with addresses and contact information, states under oath the amount claimed (Nevada's small claims limit is $10,000) and the reason the defendant owes it, and states that payment was demanded and refused. It is an affidavit — the filer swears to it — and it carries the court's Order to Appear, which tells the defendant the trial date.
The walkthrough below uses the Las Vegas Justice Court's Small Claims Complaint (prepared with the Civil Law Self-Help Center, Rev. 02/19/2026) as the representative example, since Las Vegas Township handles a large share of Nevada's small claims volume. If the case belongs in a different township's justice court, that court's own form is the one to download and file.
The form, field by field
What each part of the form asks for, in the form's own order. These are descriptions of the questions — what to answer depends on facts only you know, and the court clerk or the form's own instructions are the authoritative sources.
The caption — parties and contact information
Name and Address of Plaintiff(s), email, telephone number
The filer's identifying and contact information, including an email address and phone number. The Case No. and Department No. boxes to the right are completed by the court.
Name and Address of Defendant(s), telephone number and email address
The person or business being sued, with a street address. The address given here is where the defendant is served, so the form asks for a complete, current one.
The sworn complaint
The body of the form is an affidavit — it opens "STATE OF NEVADA, COUNTY OF CLARK" and "being first duly sworn, deposes and says."
"I, (insert your name)"
The affiant's name — the person swearing to the facts of the claim.
"That the defendant is indebted to the plaintiff in the sum of $___"
The amount claimed. Nevada small claims handles money claims up to $10,000.
"the reason for this indebtedness is:" (six lines)
A plain-language description of why the defendant owes the amount — what happened, when, and what the money represents.
Pre-printed demand and venue statements
Pre-printed text stating that the affiant has demanded payment and the defendant refuses to pay, and that the Las Vegas Township justice court is the proper venue under NRS 73.010. The venue recital is one reason each court's form is court-specific — the Las Vegas version names Las Vegas Township and Clark County in its text.
Penalty-of-perjury declaration, signature, printed name, date
The form closes with a declaration under penalty of perjury under Nevada law that the foregoing is true and correct, followed by the affiant's signature, printed name, and the date. An "Attorney for" line applies only when an attorney signs.
Order to Appear (court use)
Trial date, trial time, location
The Order to Appear section notifies the defendant that they have been sued and that the court may enter judgment without their presence if they do not appear at trial. The trial date, time, and location are entered by the court, not the filer.
Evidence notice
Pre-printed text stating that evidence — receipts, pictures, documents — must be printed and brought to trial, with copies for the court and the opposing party, that witnesses appear at trial, and that requests to appear by alternative means are due at least two judicial days before trial.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Filing another justice court's version of the form — Nevada justice courts reject complaints printed for a different court, since the caption and venue language name a specific township.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong township — venue follows NRS 73.010, and the justice court for the proper township is the only one that can hear the case.
- ⚠Leaving the complaint unsworn or unsigned — the form is an affidavit with a penalty-of-perjury declaration, and an unsigned one is incomplete.
- ⚠Claiming more than $10,000 — the clerk cannot docket it as a small claim; larger claims belong in a different docket or court.
- ⚠An incomplete or outdated defendant address — service depends on it, and a case cannot move forward until the defendant is served.
- ⚠Writing in the trial date — the Order to Appear block is completed by the court when the case is set.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Nevada justice court filing fees are tiered by the amount claimed, and each court publishes its own fee schedule — the Las Vegas Justice Court's is posted on its website. Service costs (constable, sheriff, or licensed process server) are separate, and fee waivers are available for filers who qualify.
The complaint is filed with the justice court for the proper township — in Clark County that may be Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, or another township's court. After filing, the court issues the Order to Appear with the trial date, the defendant is served, and both parties appear at trial with their evidence. The clerk's office for the specific justice court can confirm the current form version, fees, and service options — verifying with that clerk before filing is the reliable way to get exact numbers.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Nevada small claims guide and the court directory. Fees change — verify the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the form for my justice court?
The walkthrough uses the Las Vegas Justice Court version. Every Nevada justice court publishes its own Small Claims Complaint, and courts reject other courts' forms — so the version to file is the one published by the justice court for the township where the case belongs. Nevada's self-help site (selfhelp.nvcourts.gov) and each court's website link to the correct local form.
How much can I sue for in Nevada small claims?
Up to $10,000. Claims above that amount belong in a different court or docket, and the justice court clerk cannot accept them as small claims.
Does the complaint have to be notarized?
The form is a sworn document. The Las Vegas version is signed under a declaration under penalty of perjury under Nevada law; some courts' versions use a notary or clerk jurat instead. The instructions on the specific court's form control, and filing in person lets the clerk's office confirm what is required.
What does it cost to file?
Filing fees are tiered by the amount of the claim and set per court, with service costs on top. The justice court clerk quotes the exact total for a given claim amount — verify before filing.
What happens after I file?
The court sets a trial date on the Order to Appear, the defendant is served, and both sides appear at trial with printed evidence and any witnesses. The form's own notice tells the defendant that judgment may be entered without their presence if they do not appear.
Related guides
Form link verified: 2026-07-04. Reviewed against our Editorial Standards.
This is general information to help you understand the form — not legal advice, and not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. Courts revise forms, fees, and procedures; the court's own instructions and your court clerk are the authoritative sources. Always verify with the court before filing.