QUICK FACTS BAR
State DOC: Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC)
Parole Board: Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners
Medicaid expansion: YES (full expansion - 2014)
Voting rights: Restored after completing FULL sentence including parole and probation - no early restoration; has been subject to recent legislative attempts to change
SNAP drug felony ban: Full opt-out - no ban regardless of conviction
Expungement / Sealing: Strong - Nevada has one of the better record sealing frameworks in the West; most convictions eligible after waiting periods; broad access; petition-based
Ban the box: Public AND private employers - Nevada's statewide law (AB 384, 2017) covers most employers; Las Vegas and Clark County have additional local protections
INTRO
Nevada's reentry landscape has some genuine strengths often overlooked because the state's identity is dominated by Las Vegas tourism. Nevada has one of the better record sealing frameworks in the West - covering most conviction categories after waiting periods and providing broad access to relief that states like Arizona and Idaho lack. Nevada's statewide ban-the-box law covers private employers. Full Medicaid expansion since 2014 provides healthcare access. The practical challenge in Nevada is profound geographic concentration: approximately 75% of Nevada's population lives in Clark County (Las Vegas metro), and nearly all reentry resources are concentrated there. The second-largest city, Reno (Washoe County), has a smaller but functional network. Rural Nevada - which covers vast geography with sparse population - has almost no organized reentry services. The distances involved are significant: some Nevada counties span hundreds of miles with no reentry infrastructure.
FIRST 30 DAYS CHECKLIST
Day 1-3:
Report to your Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners parole officer or Nevada Division of Parole and Probation officer as directed. NDOC's Division of Parole and Probation administers both parole and probation. Report on the scheduled date.
Day 1-7:
Obtain your Nevada state ID or driver's license. Nevada DMV: dmv.nv.gov. NDOC provides a state ID to qualifying individuals at release. Bring: birth certificate or NDOC ID, Social Security card, and proof of Nevada residency.
Day 1-14:
Apply for Nevada Medicaid (Nevada Medicaid / Nevada Check Up). Most low-income adults qualify. Apply at dwss.nv.gov or call 1-800-992-0900.
Day 1-14:
Apply for SNAP (Nevada Food Stamp Program). Nevada has fully opted out of the federal drug felony ban - everyone meeting income and residency requirements qualifies. Apply at dwss.nv.gov or your local Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) office.
Day 1-30:
Determine your full supervision end date. Nevada voting rights restore only after completing all parole and probation. Get your supervision end date from your release paperwork.
ID RESTORATION
Birth certificate:
Nevada Office of Vital Records - dpbh.nv.gov/vital-records. Cost: $20 per copy. NDOC assists with pre-release birth certificate requests - confirm with case manager.
Social Security card:
SSA.gov/ssnumber. Free. Locate nearest office at ssa.gov/locator.
State ID / Driver's License:
Nevada DMV - dmv.nv.gov. NDOC provides state IDs at release for qualifying individuals. Bring proof of identity, Social Security number, and Nevada residency. Cost: $23 for ID card. Nevada has a REAL ID-compliant ID.
Outstanding license issues: Nevada suspends driver's licenses for DUI, unpaid fines, and other reasons. Check your status at dmv.nv.gov. Nevada has reinstatement processes for financial hardship cases.
ID Assistance Programs:
Nevada Legal Services (nevadalegalservices.org) statewide. Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (lacsn.org) in Las Vegas. Washoe Legal Services (washoelegal.org) in Reno.
VOTING RIGHTS
Nevada restores voting rights after completing the full sentence including all parole and probation. Release from prison alone does not restore voting rights.
Recent legislative activity: The Nevada Legislature has passed bills to restore voting rights earlier - including for people on parole - in recent sessions. Some bills were signed into law and others were not. Verify the current status of voting rights restoration in Nevada at sos.nv.gov before publishing, as this has been an active area of legislative change.
Once eligible: Register at registertovote.nv.gov. Nevada has same-day registration at county clerk offices and polling places on Election Day. Nevada conducts elections primarily by mail - most registered voters receive mail ballots.
BENEFITS ACCESS
NEVADA MEDICAID:
Nevada fully expanded Medicaid in 2014. Most low-income adults at or below 138% of the federal poverty level qualify. Apply at dwss.nv.gov or call 1-800-992-0900. NDOC has pre-release Medicaid enrollment efforts - confirm with case manager.
SNAP (Nevada Food Stamp Program):
Nevada has fully opted out of the federal drug felony ban on SNAP. Everyone meeting income and Nevada residency requirements qualifies. Apply at dwss.nv.gov or your local DWSS office.
TANF (Nevada Temporary Assistance for Needy Families):
Nevada has fully opted out of the TANF drug felony ban. Eligible families are not excluded based on drug felony history.
Housing:
Nevada does not have a single statewide reentry housing program. Federal RRCs serve federal inmates under BOP Residential Reentry Management Phoenix (covers NV, AZ, NM, UT, CO). State-supervised reentry housing is through NDOC-contracted facilities and nonprofit providers. Clark County (Las Vegas metro) has the overwhelming majority of Nevada's reentry housing resources. Washoe County (Reno) has a secondary network. Rural Nevada has almost no transitional housing options.
Nevada geography note: Nevada has 16 counties plus Carson City as an independent city - 17 jurisdictions total. Carson City is the state capital but is much smaller than Las Vegas or Reno. Many rural Nevada counties have extremely small populations and no reentry infrastructure.
EXPUNGEMENT AND RECORD RELIEF
Nevada record sealing is one of the better frameworks in the West.
What is eligible (Nevada Revised Statutes 179.245 et seq.):
- Arrests without conviction: eligible immediately after case resolution
- Category E felony convictions (Nevada's lowest - includes first-offense drug possession and others): eligible 2 years from completion of sentence
- Category D felony convictions: eligible 2 years from completion of sentence
- Category C felony convictions: eligible 5 years from completion of sentence
- Category B felony convictions: eligible 5 years from completion of sentence (with exceptions)
- Category A felony convictions: some eligible, some not - depends on specific offense; most serious Category A felonies are not eligible
- Misdemeanor convictions: eligible 1-2 years from completion depending on class
- The person must have no new convictions during the waiting period
What CANNOT be sealed: Sex offenses requiring registration, crimes against children, DUI causing injury or death, and certain other offense categories.
Effect: A sealed Nevada record is not accessible to the public or most employers. The person can legally deny the conviction for most purposes. Law enforcement retains access.
Cannabis convictions: Nevada legalized cannabis in 2017. Marijuana-related convictions for conduct that is now legal can be petitioned for sealing without the standard waiting period.
Legal resources:
- Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada: lacsn.org / (702) 386-1070 / Las Vegas
- Washoe Legal Services: washoelegal.org / (775) 329-2727 / Reno
- Nevada Legal Services: nevadalegalservices.org - statewide
- Nevada Courts self-help: nvcourts.gov/help
EMPLOYMENT AND LICENSING
Ban the box - AB 384 (2017, statewide):
Nevada's statewide ban-the-box law prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from asking about criminal history on initial job applications. After the initial application, employers may inquire and must assess individually. This covers both public and private employers statewide.
Las Vegas and Clark County have additional local policies supplementing state law.
Occupational licensing:
Nevada enacted licensing reform in recent years. Some Nevada licensing boards now conduct individualized assessments. The Nevada Department of Business and Industry oversees many state licenses.
Employment assistance:
- Nevada JobConnect: detr.nv.gov - statewide workforce development. Local Nevada JobConnect centers in Las Vegas, Reno, and other locations provide reentry-specific employment services.
- Goodwill of Southern Nevada: goodwillsn.org / (702) 214-2000 / Las Vegas - employment programs with reentry focus in Clark County
- NDOC Employment Services: through NDOC reentry division
KEY NEVADA REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS
Salvation Army Las Vegas
salarmylv.org / (702) 870-4430 / Las Vegas
Transitional housing, recovery services, and reentry support in Las Vegas.
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
lacsn.org / (702) 386-1070 / Las Vegas (Clark County)
Free civil legal services including record sealing, housing advocacy, and reentry legal needs in southern Nevada.
HELP of Southern Nevada
helpofsouthernnevada.org / (702) 369-4357 / Las Vegas
Comprehensive social services including reentry housing navigation and support in Clark County.
Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada
catholiccharities-lv.org / (702) 385-2662 / Las Vegas
Social services, transitional housing, and reentry support in Las Vegas.
Washoe Legal Services
washoelegal.org / (775) 329-2727 / Reno (northern Nevada)
Free civil legal services in Reno and northern Nevada including record sealing and reentry legal issues.
Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth
nvhomelessyouth.org / (702) 385-0471 / Las Vegas
Services for youth experiencing homelessness including young adults returning from juvenile and some adult incarceration.
NDOC Division of Parole and Probation Reentry Services
doc.nv.gov/Reentry
Official NDOC reentry coordination. Pre-release planning, parole transition, and community resource connections.
STATE DOC REENTRY PROGRAMS
NDOC Reentry Services:
NDOC operates pre-release programming at all facilities including vocational training, education, substance abuse treatment, and case management. The Division of Parole and Probation coordinates post-release supervision.
Vocational and Education Programs:
NDOC provides vocational training (welding, culinary, construction, and others), GED preparation, and college programming through partnerships with Nevada community colleges.
Substance Abuse Treatment:
NDOC operates substance abuse treatment programs inside institutions and coordinates with community providers during parole supervision.
HALFWAY HOUSES LINK BLOCK
Find halfway houses and reentry housing in Nevada ->
inmateaid.com/halfway-houses/nevada/
Nevada has federal Residential Reentry Centers under BOP Residential Reentry Management Phoenix (covers NV, AZ, NM, UT, CO). Clark County (Las Vegas metro) has the overwhelming majority of Nevada's reentry housing options. Washoe County (Reno) has a secondary network. Rural Nevada - comprising most of the state's land area - has almost no transitional housing options.
Nevada geography: 16 counties plus Carson City (independent city) = 17 jurisdictions. Many rural counties have extremely sparse populations and no reentry infrastructure. Clark County has approximately 75% of Nevada's total population.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When do my voting rights restore in Nevada?
A: After completing your full sentence including all parole and probation. VERIFY current status - Nevada has had active legislation on earlier restoration in recent sessions. Check current law at sos.nv.gov. Once eligible, register at registertovote.nv.gov - Nevada has same-day registration.
Q: Can my Nevada conviction be sealed?
A: Probably - Nevada has one of the better record sealing frameworks in the West. Most felony convictions are eligible after 2-5 years from completion of sentence depending on the category. Category E (lowest level) and Category D are eligible after just 2 years. Cannabis convictions for now-legal conduct can be petitioned immediately. Contact Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (lacsn.org) in Las Vegas or Washoe Legal Services (washoelegal.org) in Reno for a free evaluation.
Q: How do I apply for Medicaid in Nevada after prison?
A: Apply at dwss.nv.gov or call 1-800-992-0900. Nevada fully expanded Medicaid in 2014 and most low-income returning citizens qualify. Ask your NDOC case manager whether enrollment has been initiated before release.
Q: Does Nevada ban the box for private employers?
A: Yes - Nevada's AB 384 (2017) prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from asking about criminal history on initial job applications. Clark County and Las Vegas have additional local policies. Nevada JobConnect (detr.nv.gov) can connect you with employers who hire people with records.
Q: How do I find reentry services in rural Nevada?
A: Rural Nevada is significantly underserved. Nevada Legal Services (nevadalegalservices.org) provides some statewide legal assistance. The closest NDOC parole office to your release location is your starting point for local referrals. Nevada 211 (dial 211) may identify available county-level resources. For many rural Nevada counties, the limited options in Reno or Las Vegas may require relocation. TruthFinder WIDGET Search Nevada inmate and arrest records INTERNAL LINKS - inmateaid.com/halfway-houses/nevada/ - inmateaid.com/reentry/ - inmateaid.com/reentry/myths-and-facts/ EXTERNAL LINKS (new tab) - doc.nv.gov - dwss.nv.gov - registertovote.nv.gov - dmv.nv.gov - lacsn.org - detr.nv.gov - findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov SCHEMA BreadcrumbList + FAQPage DATA SOURCES Voting rights: Nevada Revised Statute 213.157; Nevada Constitution Art. II Sec. 1 / sos.nv.gov; ccresourcecenter.org - VERIFY recent legislative changes before publishing Medicaid: kff.org expansion tracker / DWSS (2014) SNAP: ccresourcecenter.org full opt-out confirmed Expungement/Sealing: Nevada Revised Statutes 179.245 et seq. / lacsn.org; washoelegal.org Ban the box: AB 384 (2017) / Nevada Labor Commissioner; Clark County local policies Licensing: Nevada Department of Business and Industry reform Geography: 16 counties + Carson City (independent) = 17 jurisdictions; Clark County ~75% of population Cannabis sealing: NRS 453D - legal marijuana (2017); conviction sealing for now-legal conduct Organizations: verified from individual organization websites NDOC programs: doc.nv.gov/Reentry BOP RRM: RRM Phoenix covers NV, AZ, NM, UT, CO