Constable vs Sheriff in Nevada: Who Serves Your Writ and What It Costs

Two Officers, Different Jurisdictions

Nevada splits enforcement authority between two types of officers, and delivering your writ to the wrong one sends your packet back.

Constables operate within specific Justice Court township boundaries. Las Vegas Township has a constable. Henderson Township has a constable. North Las Vegas and Mesquite each have their own. The constable handles execution within their township's geographic limits.

Sheriffs operate county-wide through their Civil Division. In Washoe County, the Sheriff's Civil Division handles most small claims enforcement for Reno, Sparks and surrounding areas. In Clark County, you have the choice of using the Las Vegas Township Constable or the Clark County Sheriff, depending on where the debtor or their assets are located.

Which One Gets Your Paperwork?

Match the officer to the debtor's asset location:

• Debtor's employer is in Las Vegas Township → Las Vegas Township Constable
• Debtor's bank is in Henderson → Henderson Township Constable
• Debtor lives in Reno or Sparks → Washoe County Sheriff, Civil Division
• Debtor has property in a rural county → that county's Sheriff

If you're not sure which township the debtor's employer or bank falls in, call the constable's or sheriff's civil division. They'll confirm whether the address is in their jurisdiction.

Fee Schedules

Both constables and sheriffs charge similar statutory rates, though exact amounts vary slightly by office:

• Base service fee: $17–$32 per service (varies by officer and service type)
• Mileage: $2 per mile of travel
• Garnishee search fee: $5 check payable directly to the employer or bank (not to the officer)
• Property levy base fee: $9 plus mileage
• Vehicle impound deposit: $300
• Notice of sale publication deposit: $800
• Public posting fee: $45 ($15 per location × 3)

All officer fees are recoverable costs — you can add them to the judgment by filing a Memorandum of Costs with the court.

What About Private Process Servers?

Licensed private process servers can serve notices, summonses and debtor examination orders. They're often faster than the constable or sheriff for initial service — $40–$60 per service attempt.

But private process servers cannot execute levies, seize property, or collect garnishment funds. Only a constable or sheriff has statutory authority under NRS 21.110 to enforce a Writ of Execution. You'll need a process server for the debtor exam order, and a constable or sheriff for the actual levy.

What to Include in the Delivery Packet

Start with the Writ of Execution, required copies, Notice of Execution and written instructions naming the target asset. Bank levies and wage garnishments also require a $5 garnishee check payable to the bank or employer. What changes by office is the delivery address and any intake requirements (some offices accept walk-ins, others require mail or appointment).

The Nevada Judgment Collection Guide maps each enforcement tool to the correct officer type by township and includes current delivery addresses for Clark County and Washoe County enforcement offices.

See more Nevada guides →