Nevada Revised Statutes

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 239.010 (2026)

Public books and public records open to inspection; confidential information in public books and records; copyrighted books and records; copies to be prepared by governmental entity and provided in electronic format unless other medium requested

✓ current as of July 2026

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NRS 239.010 Public books and public records open to inspection; confidential information in public books and records; copyrighted books and records; copies to be prepared by governmental entity and provided in electronic format unless other medium requested.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 1.4683, 1.4687, 1A.110, 3.2203, 41.0397, 41.071, 49.095, 49.293, 62D.420, 62D.440, 62E.516, 62E.620, 62H.025, 62H.030, 62H.170, 62H.220, 62H.320, 75A.100, 75A.150, 76.160, 78.152, 80.113, 81.850, 82.183, 86.246, 86.54615, 87.515, 87.5413, 87A.200, 87A.580, 87A.640, 88.3355, 88.5927, 88.6067, 88A.345, 88A.7345, 89.045, 89.251, 90.703, 90.730, 91.160, 116.757, 116A.270, 116B.880, 118B.026, 119.260, 119.265, 119.267, 119.280, 119A.280, 119A.653, 119A.677, 119B.370, 119B.382, 120A.640, 120A.690, 125.130, 125B.140, 126.141, 126.161, 126.163, 126.730, 127A.160, 127A.230, 127B.370, 127B.750, 127C.420, 127C.870, 127E.120, 128.090, 130.312, 130.712, 136.050, 159.044, 159A.044, 164.041, 172.075, 172.245, 176.01334, 176.01385, 176.015, 176.0625, 176.09129, 176.156, 176A.630, 178.4715, 178.5691, 178.5717, 179.495, 179A.070, 179A.165, 179D.160, 180.600, 200.3771, 200.3772, 200.5095, 200.604, 202.3662, 205.4651, 209.392, 209.3923, 209.3925, 209.419, 209.429, 209.521, 211A.140, 213.010, 213.040, 213.095, 213.131, 217.105, 217.110, 217.464, 217.475, 218A.350, 218F.150, 218G.130, 218G.240, 218G.350, 218G.615, 223.250, 226.462, 226.796, 228.270, 228.380, 228.450, 228.495, 228.570, 231.069, 231.1285, 231.1473, 232.1369, 232.49925, 233.190, 237.300, 239.0105, 239.0113, 239.014, 239B.026, 239B.027, 239B.030, 239B.040, 239B.050, 239C.140, 239C.210, 239C.230, 239C.250, 239C.270, 239C.420, 240.007, 240A.260, 241.020, 241.029, 241.030, 241.039, 242.105, 242.1289, 242.129, 244.264, 244.335, 244.3635, 247.540, 247.545, 247.550, 247.560, 250.087, 250.130, 250.140, 250.145, 250.150, 268.095, 268.0978, 268.490, 268.910, 269.174, 271A.105, 281.195, 281.805, 281A.350, 281A.680, 281A.685, 281A.750, 281A.755, 281A.780, 284.4068, 284.4086, 286.110, 286.118, 287.0438, 289.025, 289.080, 289.387, 289.830, 293.4855, 293.5002, 293.503, 293.504, 293.558, 293.57697, 293.870, 293.906, 293.908, 293.909, 293.910, 293B.135, 293D.510, 331.110, 332.061, 332.351, 333.333, 333.335, 338.070, 338.1379, 338.1571, 338.1593, 338.1725, 338.1727, 348.420, 349.597, 349.775, 353.205, 353A.049, 353A.085, 353A.100, 353C.240, 353D.250, 360.240, 360.247, 360.255, 360.755, 360.889, 360.890, 360.945, 360.950, 361.044, 361.2242, 361.610, 365.138, 366.160, 368A.180, 370.257, 370.327, 372A.080, 378.290, 378.300, 379.0075, 379.008, 379.1495, 385A.830, 385B.100, 387.626, 387.631, 388.1455, 388.259, 388.501, 388.503, 388.513, 388.750, 388A.247, 388A.249, 391.033, 391.035, 391.0365, 391.120, 391.925, 392.029, 392.147, 392.264, 392.271, 392.315, 392.317, 392.325, 392.327, 392.335, 392.850, 393.045, 394.167, 394.16975, 394.1698, 394.447, 394.460, 394.465, 396.1415, 396.1425, 396.143, 396.159, 396.3295, 396.405, 396.525, 396.535, 396.9685, 398.310, 398A.115, 408.3885, 408.3886, 408.3888, 408.5484, 412.153, 414.280, 416.070, 422.2749, 422.305, 422A.342, 422A.350, 422A.6772, 422A.609, 425.400, 427A.1236, 427A.872, 427A.940, 432.028, 432.205, 432B.175, 432B.280, 432B.290, 432B.4018, 432B.407, 432B.430, 432B.560, 432B.5902, 432C.140, 432C.150, 433.534, 433A.360, 439.4941, 439.4988, 439.5282, 439.840, 439.914, 439A.116, 439A.124, 439B.2839, 439B.420, 439B.754, 439B.760, 439B.845, 440.170, 441A.195, 441A.220, 441A.230, 442.330, 442.395, 442.735, 442.774, 445A.665, 445B.570, 445B.7773, 449.209, 449.245, 449A.112, 449B.180, 449B.480, 449B.580, 450.140, 450B.188, 450B.805, 453.164, 453.720, 458.055, 458.280, 459.050, 459.3866, 459.555, 459.7056, 459.846, 463.120, 463.15993, 463.240, 463.3403, 463.3407, 463.790, 467.1005, 480.535, 480.545, 481.063, 481.091, 481.093, 482.170, 482.368, 482.5536, 483.340, 483.363, 483.575, 483.659, 483.800, 484A.469, 484B.830, 484B.833, 484E.070, 485.316, 489.431, 501.344, 503.452, 522.040, 534A.031, 561.285, 571.160, 584.655, 587.877, 598.0964, 598.098, 598A.110, 598A.420, 599B.090, 603.070, 603A.210, 604A.303, 604A.710, 604D.500, 604D.600, 612.265, 616B.012, 616B.015, 616B.315, 616B.350, 618.341, 618.425, 622.238, 622.310, 623.131, 623A.137, 624.110, 624.265, 624.327, 625.425, 625A.185, 628.418, 628B.230, 628B.760, 629.043, 629.047, 629.069, 630.133, 630.2671, 630.2672, 630.2673, 630.2687, 630.30665, 630.336, 630A.327, 630A.555, 631.332, 631.368, 632.121, 632.125, 632.3415, 632.3423, 632.405, 633.283, 633.301, 633.427, 633.4715, 633.4716, 633.4717, 633.524, 634.055, 634.1303, 634.214, 634A.169, 634A.185, 634B.730, 635.111, 635.158, 636.262, 636.342, 637.085, 637.145, 637B.192, 637B.248, 637B.288, 638.087, 638.089, 639.183, 639.2485, 639.570, 640.075, 640.152, 640.154, 640A.185, 640A.220, 640B.405, 640B.730, 640C.580, 640C.600, 640C.620, 640C.745, 640C.760, 640D.135, 640D.190, 640E.225, 640E.340, 641.090, 641.221, 641.2215, 641A.191, 641A.217, 641A.262, 641A.305, 641B.170, 641B.281, 641B.282, 641C.455, 641C.760, 641D.260, 641D.320, 642.524, 643.189, 644A.870, 645.180, 645.625, 645A.050, 645A.082, 645B.060, 645B.092, 645C.220, 645C.225, 645D.130, 645D.135, 645G.510, 645H.320, 645H.330, 647.0945, 647.0947, 648.033, 648.197, 649.065, 649.067, 652.126, 652.228, 653.900, 654.110, 656.105, 657A.510, 661.115, 665.130, 665.133, 669.275, 669.285, 669A.310, 670B.680, 671.365, 671.415, 673.450, 673.480, 675.380, 676A.340, 676A.370, 677.243, 678A.470, 678C.800, 679B.122, 679B.124, 679B.152, 679B.159, 679B.190, 679B.285, 679B.480, 679B.690, 680A.270, 681A.440, 681B.260, 681B.410, 681B.540, 683A.0873, 685A.077, 686A.289, 686B.170, 686C.306, 687A.060, 687A.115, 687B.404, 687C.010, 688C.230, 688C.480, 688C.490, 689A.696, 692A.117, 692C.190, 692C.3507, 692C.3536, 692C.3538, 692C.354, 692C.420, 693A.480, 693A.615, 696B.550, 696C.120, 703.196, 704B.325, 706.1725, 706A.230, 710.159, 711.600, sections 35, 38 and 41 of chapter 478, Statutes of Nevada 2011 and section 2 of chapter 391, Statutes of Nevada 2013 and unless otherwise declared by law to be confidential, all public books and public records of a governmental entity must be open at all times during office hours to inspection by any person, and may be fully copied or an abstract or memorandum may be prepared from those public books and public records. Any such copies, abstracts or memoranda may be used to supply the general public with copies, abstracts or memoranda of the records or may be used in any other way to the advantage of the governmental entity or of the general public. This section does not supersede or in any manner affect the federal laws governing copyrights or enlarge, diminish or affect in any other manner the rights of a person in any written book or record which is copyrighted pursuant to federal law.

2. A governmental entity may not reject a book or record which is copyrighted solely because it is copyrighted.

3. A governmental entity that has legal custody or control of a public book or record shall not deny a request made pursuant to subsection 1 to inspect or copy or receive a copy of a public book or record on the basis that the requested public book or record contains information that is confidential if the governmental entity can redact, delete, conceal or separate, including, without limitation, electronically, the confidential information from the information included in the public book or record that is not otherwise confidential.

4. If requested, a governmental entity shall provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format by means of an electronic medium. Nothing in this subsection requires a governmental entity to provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format or by means of an electronic medium if:

(a) The public record:

(1) Was not created or prepared in an electronic format; and

(2) Is not available in an electronic format; or

(b) Providing the public record in an electronic format or by means of an electronic medium would:

(1) Give access to proprietary software; or

(2) Require the production of information that is confidential and that cannot be redacted, deleted, concealed or separated from information that is not otherwise confidential.

5. An officer, employee or agent of a governmental entity who has legal custody or control of a public record:

(a) Shall not refuse to provide a copy of that public record in the medium that is requested because the officer, employee or agent has already prepared or would prefer to provide the copy in a different medium.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.030, shall, upon request, prepare the copy of the public record and shall not require the person who has requested the copy to prepare the copy himself or herself.

[1:149:1911; RL § 3232; NCL § 5620]—(NRS A 1963, 26; 1965, 69; 1993, 1230, 2307, 2623; 1995, 503, 716; 1997, 2386; 1999, 1210; 2007, 2062; 2013, 321, 2268, 2269; 2015, 165, 445, 456, 573, 872, 896, 953, 961, 1052, 1270, 1396, 1458, 2143, 2312, 2368, 2465, 2661, 2983, 3073, 3195, 3364, 3511, 3665; 2015, 29th Special Session, 10; 2017, 74, 389, 438, 495, 521, 589, 716, 742, 753, 890, 1007, 1020, 1150, 1474, 1554, 1637, 1725, 1956, 2068, 2131, 2246, 2402, 2508, 2688, 2955, 3095, 3206, 3400, 3876, 3983, 4071, 4238; 2018 initiative petition, Ballot Question No. 5; 2019, 44, 163, 244, 326, 552, 948, 1027, 1058, 1063, 1074, 1176, 1897, 1935, 2163, 2463, 2510, 2718, 2814, 3071, 3412, 3528, 3850, 3993, 4004, 4009, 4153, 4335; 2020, 32nd Special Session, 110; 2021, 87, 122, 188, 311, 541, 548, 699, 799, 867, 1152, 1362, 1916, 1963, 2524, 3057, 3134, 3167, 3695; 2023, 50, 130, 153, 411, 461, 527, 1328, 1592, 1657, 1696, 1772, 2070, 2408, 2500, 2779, 2813, 2835, 2877, 3137, 3342; 2025, 62, 73, 282, 372, 622, 677, 705, 984, 1018, 1036, 1352, 1556, 1658, 1981, 2162, 2272, 2448, 2474, 2714, 3009, 3034, 3554, 3628; 2025, 36th Special Session, 5, 34)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 45 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 1969–2026 · leading case: City of Reno v. Reno Gazette-Journal, 63 P.3d 1147 (Nev. 2003).

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City of Reno v. Reno Gazette-Journal, 63 P.3d 1147 (Nev. 2003). · cites it 16× “Nevada Public Records Act, NRS 239.010 In 1911, the Nevada Legislature enacted the Nevada Public Records Act, NRS 239.”

Donrey of Nevada, Inc. v. Bradshaw, 798 P.2d 144 (Nev. 1990). · cites it 28× “In April 1986, Donrey and Reno Newspapers filed a petition for a writ of mandamus based on NRS 239.010 which provides for disclosure of public records.”

Repub. Attorneys Gen. Ass'n Vs. Las Vegas Metro. Police Dep't, 2020 NV 3 (Nev. 2020). · cites it 16× “See NRS 239.010(1). Finally, we assess whether the district court abused its discretion in denying RAGA's petition as to the other related records.”

Whitehead v. Nevada Com'n on Jud. Discipline, 893 P.2d 866 (Nev. 1995). · cites it 14× “The dissent erroneously argues that rules adopted by this court governing confidentiality of Commission proceedings do not supersede NRS 239.010. NRS 239.010 relates to "[a]ll public books and public records of a public agency.”

Reno Newspapers, Inc. v. Haley, 234 P.3d 922 (Nev. 2010). · cites it 5× “3662 and are, therefore, public records under NRS 239.010. However, since post-permit records of investigation, suspension, or revocation may contain information from the application for a concealed firearms permit that is considered confidential under NRS 202.”

Comstock Residents Ass'n v. Lyon Cnty. Bd. of Comm'rs, 414 P.3d 318 (Nev. 2018). · cites it 7× “NRS 239.010(1). A governmental entity includes elected or appointed officers of this state's political subdivisions.”

Pub. Employees' Ret. Sys. of Nev. v. Nev. Policy Rsch. Inst., Inc., 429 P.3d 280 (Nev. 2018). · cites it 5× “" NRS 239.010(1). We are cognizant of these important goals and, thus, have held that the Act's "provisions must be liberally construed to maximize the public's right of access," and "any limitations or restrictions on [that] access must be narrowly construed.”

Clark Cty. Sch. Dist. Vs. Las Vegas Review-journal, 2018 NV 84 (Nev. 2018). · cites it 4× “On February 10, 2017, the Review-Journal made an expanded, amended records request pursuant to NRS 239.010 of the NPRA, based on information learned from the first batch of disclosed records.”

Pub. Employees' Ret. Sys. v. Reno Newspapers, Inc., 313 P.3d 221 (Nev. 2013). · cites it 4× “3d 623, 626 (2011) (quoting NRS 239.010(1)). The Act’s purpose is to promote government transparency and accountability by facilitating *837 public access to information regarding government activities.”

Reno Newspapers, Inc. v. Gibbons, 266 P.3d 623 (Nev. 2011). · cites it 2× “We also reiterated that when the requested record is not explicitly made confidential by a statute, the balancing test set forth in Bradshaw must be employed, explaining that [i]n Bradshaw , this court, at least by implication, recognized that any limitation on the general…”

DR Partners v. Bd. of Cnty. Commissioners, 6 P.3d 465 (Nev. 2000). · cites it 2× “” NRS 239.010. The purpose of the Act is to ensure the accountability of the government to the public by facilitating public access to vital information about governmental activities.”

Sikorski v. Whorton, 631 F. Supp. 2d 1327 (D. Nev. 2009). · cites it 2× “The court finds unpersuasive and inapplicable the law plaintiffs cite for the proposition that Witherow is entitled to ALL information that is "public record information that is not declared confidential by law” (# 85, p.”

Show all 45 citing cases →

— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 239.010(1) — 35 cases

Repub. Attorneys Gen. Ass'n Vs. Las Vegas Metro. Police Dep't, 2020 NV 3 (Nev. 2020). “See NRS 239.010(1). Finally, we assess whether the district court abused its discretion in denying RAGA's petition as to the other related records.”

City of Reno v. Reno Gazette-Journal, 63 P.3d 1147 (Nev. 2003). “Nevada Public Records Act, NRS 239.010 In 1911, the Nevada Legislature enacted the Nevada Public Records Act, NRS 239.”

Comstock Residents Ass'n v. Lyon Cnty. Bd. of Comm'rs, 414 P.3d 318 (Nev. 2018). “NRS 239.010(1). A governmental entity includes elected or appointed officers of this state's political subdivisions.”

Pub. Employees' Ret. Sys. v. Reno Newspapers, Inc., 313 P.3d 221 (Nev. 2013). “3d 623, 626 (2011) (quoting NRS 239.010(1)). The Act’s purpose is to promote government transparency and accountability by facilitating *837 public access to information regarding government activities.”

Pub. Employees' Ret. Sys. of Nev. v. Nev. Policy Rsch. Inst., Inc., 429 P.3d 280 (Nev. 2018). “" NRS 239.010(1). We are cognizant of these important goals and, thus, have held that the Act's "provisions must be liberally construed to maximize the public's right of access," and "any limitations or restrictions on [that] access must be narrowly construed.”

— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 239.010(3) — 12 cases

Reno Newspapers, Inc. v. Haley, 234 P.3d 922 (Nev. 2010). “3662 and are, therefore, public records under NRS 239.010. However, since post-permit records of investigation, suspension, or revocation may contain information from the application for a concealed firearms permit that is considered confidential under NRS 202.”

Pub. Employees' Ret. Sys. of Nevada Vs. Nevada Policy Rsch. Inst., Inc., 2018 NV 81 (Nev. 2018).

— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 239.010(4) — 3 cases

Comstock Residents Ass'n Vs. Lyon Cty. Bd. of Comm'rs, 2018 NV 19 (Nev. 2018).

— Nev. Rev. Stat. § 239.010(l) — 1 case

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.