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Medical debt laws in Nevada

NEVADA · STATUTE-SOURCED · MAINTAINED — LAST REVIEWED AUG 2026 · FREE, NO ACCOUNT

In Nevada, the statute of limitations on medical debt is 4 years (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(1)(b) (written, 6 yrs); § 11.190(2)(a) (open account, 4 yrs); § 11.190(2)(c) (not founded on written instrument, 4 yrs)). Nevada has no medical-debt-specific limitations statute. A typical unpaid medical bill is a contract/obligation 'not founded upon an instrument in writing' under NRS 11.190(2)(c) — 4 years (open accounts for goods are also 4 years under NRS 11.190(2)(a)); a bill based on a signed written admission/payment agreement could fall under the 6-year written-instrument period of NRS 11.190(1)(b). Use 4 years. A voluntary payment made to a collector during the SB 248 60-day notice window does not extend the limitations period (NRS ch. 649, as amended by SB 248 (2021)). That clock decides whether a collector can win a lawsuit against you — which changes what you should do next, so check the dates on the bill before you do anything else.

Nevada — statute of limitations on debt
Written contracts6 years
Oral agreements4 years
Open accounts (credit cards)4 years
Medical debt4 years
SOURCE: Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(1)(b) (written, 6 yrs); § 11.190(2)(a) (open account, 4 yrs); § 11.190(2)(c) (not founded on written instrument, 4 yrs)

What the time limit actually means

The statute of limitations does not erase a debt — it limits how long a collector can successfully sue over it. A time-barred debt can still be requested, reported (within credit-reporting time limits), and settled. But if a collector sues after the period has run and you raise the statute of limitations as a defense, the case should be dismissed. The defense is not automatic: you must respond to the lawsuit to use it.

Careful: Before expiration, a payment on principal or interest restarts the clock from the date of payment (NRS 11.200), and a written signed acknowledgment can renew the obligation (NRS 11.390) — but once the period has fully expired, NRS 11.200(2) provides that payment, affirmation, or other activity by the debtor does NOT revive it.

Nevada protections for medical debt

  • SB 248 (2021) medical debt collection law (Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 649.366–649.375 (S.B. 248, 2021)) — Collection agencies must send a 60-day notice before taking any action to collect medical debt; during that window they may not report the debt to credit bureaus or sue; collection fees on medical debt are capped at 5% of the balance (NRS 649.368); voluntary payments during the window do not extend the statute of limitations. (A broader 2025 medical-debt bill, AB 204, passed but was vetoed on June 10, 2025.)
  • Ban on suing or reviving time-barred debt (Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 649.375, 11.200) — Licensed collection agencies may not sue on debt after the limitations period expires, and by statute a payment or affirmation made after expiration does not revive the period.
  • Charity care is federal law. Nonprofit hospitals must maintain a written Financial Assistance Policy and publicize it (IRS §501(r)). If your bill is from a nonprofit hospital, ask for the FAP application before paying anything. How to apply →
  • Surprise out-of-network bills. The federal No Surprises Act bans most out-of-network balance billing for emergency care and for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. When a bill is illegal →
  • Credit reporting. The national bureaus no longer report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or those less than a year old.

Rules Nevada sets for collectors

Beyond the federal FDCPA, Nevada has its own collection statute — the Nevada Collection Agencies chapter (Nev. Rev. Stat. ch. 649). NRS chapter 649 licenses collection agencies and prohibits unfair practices (NRS 649.375), incorporates FDCPA-type conduct standards, and contains Nevada's medical-debt collection rules added by SB 248 (2021).

Yes — collection agencies (including those collecting medical debt) must be licensed by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, Nevada Financial Institutions Division (Department of Business and Industry), under NRS chapter 649.

Under the FDCPA, within five days of first contacting you a collector must send a written validation notice (15 U.S.C. §1692g). If you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of that notice, the collector must stop collection activity until it mails you verification. There is no legal deadline for the collector to respond — but until it does, it cannot lawfully keep collecting.

If a collector is calling: the first 24 hours

  1. Do not confirm the debt is yours on the phone, and do not make a payment yet — get everything in writing first.
  2. Ask for the collector’s company name, mailing address, and the amount claimed. Write down the date and time.
  3. Check the dates: if the last activity on the bill is older than 4 years, the debt may be time-barred in Nevada.
  4. Send a written validation request within 30 days. Generate the letter free →
  5. If the bill is from a hospital, request an itemized bill and ask about financial assistance — billing errors are common and assistance is often retroactive.

Where to complain in Nevada

Nevada Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection handles collection complaints at the state level. Federally, file with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — complaints become part of the public record collectors are judged on.

Common questions

How long can a debt collector pursue medical debt in Nevada?

The statute of limitations on medical debt in Nevada is 4 years (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(1)(b) (written, 6 yrs); § 11.190(2)(a) (open account, 4 yrs); § 11.190(2)(c) (not founded on written instrument, 4 yrs)). Nevada has no medical-debt-specific limitations statute. A typical unpaid medical bill is a contract/obligation 'not founded upon an instrument in writing' under NRS 11.190(2)(c) — 4 years (open accounts for goods are also 4 years under NRS 11.190(2)(a)); a bill based on a signed written admission/payment agreement could fall under the 6-year written-instrument period of NRS 11.190(1)(b). Use 4 years. A voluntary payment made to a collector during the SB 248 60-day notice window does not extend the limitations period (NRS ch. 649, as amended by SB 248 (2021)). After that period, a lawsuit to collect can be challenged as time-barred, though collectors may still ask you to pay voluntarily.

Can I be sued for a medical bill after 4 years in Nevada?

A collector can still file a lawsuit after the limitations period, but the statute of limitations is a defense: if you raise it, a time-barred case should be dismissed. It is not automatic — you must respond to the lawsuit and assert it. Never ignore a court summons.

Does making a small payment restart the clock in Nevada?

Before expiration, a payment on principal or interest restarts the clock from the date of payment (NRS 11.200), and a written signed acknowledgment can renew the obligation (NRS 11.390) — but once the period has fully expired, NRS 11.200(2) provides that payment, affirmation, or other activity by the debtor does NOT revive it.

Does unpaid medical debt go on my credit report?

Since 2023, the three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) do not report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or medical collections less than a year old. Larger, older unpaid medical collections can still appear.

Do hospitals in Nevada have to offer financial assistance?

Every nonprofit hospital in the United States is required by federal law (IRS Section 501(r)) to have a written Financial Assistance Policy and to tell patients about it. Nevada adds its own protections on top — see the list on this page.

How do I dispute a medical bill that went to collections?

Send the collector a written debt validation request. Under the federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. §1692g), if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of their first notice, the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification of the debt. You can generate that letter free on this site — no account needed.

Where do I complain about a debt collector in Nevada?

File with the Nevada Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection (https://ag.nv.gov/Hot_Topics/Citizen/Consumer_Protection/) and with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Complaints are free and create a record.

Keep reading

Legal information, not legal advice. Statutes change and courts interpret them — for advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer or your state’s legal aid office. Last reviewed AUG 2026.

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