Nev. Rev. Stat. » NRS: CHAPTER 179 - SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS OF A CRIMINAL NATURE; SEALING RECORDS OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS; REWARDS; FORMS
Nevada Revised Statutes

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 179.255 (2026)

Sealing of records after dismissal, decline of prosecution or acquittal: Petition; notice; hearing; exceptions; order; inspection of records

✓ current as of July 2026
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NRS 179.255  Sealing of records after dismissal, decline of prosecution or acquittal: Petition; notice; hearing; exceptions; order; inspection of records.

      1.  If a person has been arrested for alleged criminal conduct and the charges are dismissed, the prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction declined prosecution of the charges or such person is acquitted of the charges, the person may petition:

      (a) The court in which the charges were dismissed, at any time after the date the charges were dismissed;

      (b) The court having jurisdiction in which the charges were declined for prosecution:

             (1) Any time after the applicable statute of limitations has run;

             (2) Any time 8 years after the arrest; or

             (3) Pursuant to a stipulation between the parties; or

      (c) The court in which the acquittal was entered, at any time after the date of the acquittal,

Ê for the sealing of all records relating to the arrest and the proceedings leading to the dismissal, declination or acquittal.

      2.  If the conviction of a person is set aside pursuant to NRS 458A.240, the person may petition the court that set aside the conviction, at any time after the conviction has been set aside, for the sealing of all records relating to the setting aside of the conviction.

      3.  A petition filed pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must:

      (a) Be accompanied by the petitioner’s current, verified records received from the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History;

      (b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), include the disposition of the proceedings for the records to be sealed;

      (c) If the petition references NRS 453.3365, include a certificate of acknowledgment or the disposition of the proceedings for the records to be sealed from all agencies of criminal justice which maintain such records;

      (d) Include a list of any other public or private agency, company, official and other custodian of records that is reasonably known to the petitioner to have possession of records of the arrest and of the proceedings leading to the dismissal, declination or acquittal and to whom the order to seal records, if issued, will be directed; and

      (e) Include information that, to the best knowledge and belief of the petitioner, accurately and completely identifies the records to be sealed, including, without limitation, the:

             (1) Date of birth of the petitioner;

             (2) Specific charges that were dismissed or of which the petitioner was acquitted; and

             (3) Date of arrest relating to the specific charges that were dismissed or of which the petitioner was acquitted.

      4.  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to subsection 1, the court shall notify the law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner for the crime and:

      (a) If the charges were dismissed, declined for prosecution or the acquittal was entered in a district court or justice court, the prosecuting attorney for the county; or

      (b) If the charges were dismissed, declined for prosecution or the acquittal was entered in a municipal court, the prosecuting attorney for the city.

Ê The prosecuting attorney and any person having relevant evidence may testify and present evidence at any hearing on the petition.

      5.  Upon receiving a petition pursuant to subsection 2, the court shall notify:

      (a) If the conviction was set aside in a district court or justice court, the prosecuting attorney for the county; or

      (b) If the conviction was set aside in a municipal court, the prosecuting attorney for the city.

Ê The prosecuting attorney and any person having relevant evidence may testify and present evidence at any hearing on the petition.

      6.  If the prosecuting agency that prosecuted or declined to prosecute the petitioner for the crime stipulates to the sealing of the records, the court shall apply the presumption set forth in NRS 179.2445 and seal the records. If the prosecuting agency does not stipulate to the sealing of the records or does not file a written objection within 30 days after receiving notification pursuant to subsection 4 or 5 and the court makes the findings set forth in subsection 7 or 8, as applicable, the court may order the sealing of the records in accordance with subsection 7 or 8, as applicable, without a hearing. If the court does not order the sealing of the records or the prosecuting agency files a written objection, a hearing on the petition must be conducted. At the hearing, unless an objecting party presents evidence sufficient to rebut the presumption set forth in NRS 179.2445, the court shall apply the presumption and seal the records.

      7.  If the court finds:

      (a) That there has been an acquittal and there is no evidence that further action will be brought against the person, the court shall order sealed all records of the arrest and of the proceedings leading to the acquittal which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private company, agency, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada; or

      (b) That prosecution was declined or that the charges were dismissed and there is no evidence that further action will be brought against the person, the court may order sealed all records of the arrest and of the proceedings leading to the declination or dismissal which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private company, agency, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada.

      8.  If the court finds that the conviction of the petitioner was set aside pursuant to NRS 458A.240, the court may order sealed all records relating to the setting aside of the conviction which are in the custody of any agency of criminal justice or any public or private company, agency, official or other custodian of records in the State of Nevada.

      9.  If the prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction previously declined prosecution of the charges and the records of the arrest have been sealed pursuant to subsection 7, the prosecuting attorney may subsequently file the charges at any time before the running of the statute of limitations for those charges. If such charges are filed with the court, the court shall order the inspection of the records without the prosecuting attorney having to petition the court pursuant to NRS 179.295.

      (Added to NRS by 1971, 955; A 1997, 3160; 2001, 1693; 2009, 1439; 2013, 110, 1385; 2017, 2415; 2019, 4407; 2021, 2596)

     

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1978–2021 · leading case: State v. Cavaricci, 834 P.2d 406 (Nev. 1992).
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State v. Cavaricci, 834 P.2d 406 (Nev. 1992). · cites it 2× “Although respondent was entitled to file a petition pursuant to NRS 179.255(1), we have determined that the district court abused its discretion in sealing those portions of respondent’s *413 criminal record pursuant to NRS 179.”
State, Dep't of Motor Vehs. & Pub. Saf. v. Frangul, 867 P.2d 397 (Nev. 1994). “NRS 179.255 (emphasis added). It also provides that “all proceedings recounted in the record are deemed never to have *50 occurred, and the person to whom [the order] pertains may properly answer accordingly to any inquiry concerning the arrest, .”
Tiffee Vs. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct, 2021 NV 20 (Nev. 2021). · cites it 6× “2445(2) (providing that the 2The district court also cited to NRS 179.255 in its order denying Tiffee's petition.”
Knox v. Eighth Jud. Dist. Court of the State of Nevada, 830 P.2d 1342 (Nev. 1992). · cites it 7× “In that petition, petitioner demonstrated that, on January 6, 1992, he filed in the district court a petition, pursuant to NRS 179.255, to have a portion of his criminal record sealed.”
Washoe Cty. D.a.'s Off. Vs. the Second Jud. Dist. Ct. c/w 80008/80009, 2020 NV 67 (Nev. 2020). · cites it 2× “245 and NRS 179.255, which shall include whether the representations of Petitioner's criminal history are consistent with the records of the Washoe County District Attorney's Office no later than ten (10) days from the date of this Order.”
Washoe Cty. D.a.'s Off. Vs. the Second Jud. Dist. Ct. c/w 80008/80009, 2020 NV 67 (Nev. 2020). · cites it 2× “245 and NRS 179.255, which shall include whether the representations of Petitioner's criminal history are consistent with the records of the Washoe County District Attorney's Office no later than ten (10) days from the date of this Order.”
Washoe Cty. D.a.'s Off. Vs. the Second Jud. Dist. Ct. c/w 80008/80009, 2020 NV 67 (Nev. 2020). · cites it 2× “245 and NRS 179.255, which shall include whether the representations of Petitioner's criminal history are consistent with the records of the Washoe County District Attorney's Office no later than ten (10) days from the date of this Order.”
Geck v. Clark Cnty. Dist. Attorney (In re Geck), 443 P.3d 1126 (Nev. 2019). · cites it 2× “245 and NRS 179.255. Respondent, the Clark County District Attorney, agreed that Geck's record was statutorily eligible for sealing and informed the district court that it had "no objection to the granting of the Petition to seal the criminal record(s) of the petitioner.”
State v. Hayes, 580 P.2d 122 (Nev. 1978). · cites it 4× “1 On February 3, 1978, Van Aken petitioned, pursuant to NRS 179.255, for an order sealing all records involving his arrest and conviction.”
State v. Second Jud. Dist. Court, 783 P.2d 463 (Nev. 1989). · cites it 3× “The State filed the instant petition on May 9, 1989, and urges that, unless the parties stipulate otherwise, it is error for the district court to grant a record sealing petition pursuant to NRS 179.255 without first conducting an evidentiary hearing.”
In Re: Petition of Clyde H. Means (Nev. 2014). “2d at 408 (reviewing a district court decision to seal criminal records in accordance with NRS 179.255 for an abuse of discretion). To the extent that appellant argues that there was no proof of his arrest, that contention is meritless because his petition in the district court,…”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 179.255(1) — 3 cases
State v. Cavaricci, 834 P.2d 406 (Nev. 1992). “Although respondent was entitled to file a petition pursuant to NRS 179.255(1), we have determined that the district court abused its discretion in sealing those portions of respondent’s *413 criminal record pursuant to NRS 179.”
Tiffee Vs. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct, 2021 NV 20 (Nev. 2021). “2445(2) (providing that the 2The district court also cited to NRS 179.255 in its order denying Tiffee's petition.”
State v. Hayes, 580 P.2d 122 (Nev. 1978). “1 On February 3, 1978, Van Aken petitioned, pursuant to NRS 179.255, for an order sealing all records involving his arrest and conviction.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 179.255(2) — 1 case
Knox v. Eighth Jud. Dist. Court of the State of Nevada, 830 P.2d 1342 (Nev. 1992). “In that petition, petitioner demonstrated that, on January 6, 1992, he filed in the district court a petition, pursuant to NRS 179.255, to have a portion of his criminal record sealed.”
— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 179.255(3) — 2 cases
State v. Cavaricci, 834 P.2d 406 (Nev. 1992). “Although respondent was entitled to file a petition pursuant to NRS 179.255(1), we have determined that the district court abused its discretion in sealing those portions of respondent’s *413 criminal record pursuant to NRS 179.”
State v. Second Jud. Dist. Court, 783 P.2d 463 (Nev. 1989). “The State filed the instant petition on May 9, 1989, and urges that, unless the parties stipulate otherwise, it is error for the district court to grant a record sealing petition pursuant to NRS 179.255 without first conducting an evidentiary hearing.”
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