Nevada Writ of Execution for Small Claims: How to Get and Serve One

What a Writ of Execution Actually Does

A Nevada small claims judgment is just a piece of paper saying the debtor owes you money. To actually seize wages, bank accounts, or property, you need the court to issue a Writ of Execution — the legal document that authorizes a constable or sheriff to take enforcement action under NRS Chapters 21 and 31.

Without a writ, no enforcement officer will touch the case.

How to Get a Writ Issued

You apply at the Justice Court clerk's office where your judgment was entered. The process:

1. Fill out an Application for Writ of Execution (or Writ of Garnishment, depending on the asset you're targeting). Las Vegas Justice Court requires e-filing through Odyssey File & Serve (efilenv.com). Reno and Sparks Justice Courts also support Tyler Technologies e-filing, as well as in-person or mail filing.

2. Pay the $25 issuance fee. This is a recoverable cost — you can add it to what the debtor owes.

3. The clerk reviews and signs the writ. In Las Vegas, you'll get the signed writ back electronically and need to print three copies. Other courts hand you certified copies at the counter.

The writ alone doesn't start collection. You still need to deliver it to the enforcement officer with specific instructions.

Constable vs. Sheriff — Who Gets the Writ?

Nevada uses two types of enforcement officers, and you have to deliver your writ to the right one:

• Constables operate within specific Justice Court township boundaries — Las Vegas Township, Henderson Township, North Las Vegas Township, etc.
• Sheriffs operate county-wide through their Civil Division.

In Clark County, most small claims creditors deliver writs to the Las Vegas Township Constable's office. In Washoe County, the Sheriff's Civil Division handles execution.

Both charge a base service fee ($17–$32) plus $2 per mile of travel. You pay this upfront, and it's recoverable from the debtor.

What to Deliver with the Writ

Dropping off a writ by itself will get your paperwork sent back. The enforcement officer needs a complete packet:

• The original or certified Writ of Execution
• Three copies of the writ
• A Notice of Execution (a separate form telling the debtor their assets are being seized)
• Written Instructions to Constable/Sheriff specifying exactly what to levy — the employer's name and address for wage garnishment, or the bank's name and branch for a bank levy
• For a wage garnishment or bank levy, a $5 check payable to the garnishee (the employer or bank) as a statutory search fee
• Your service fee payment to the officer

Missing any piece means the officer returns the packet and you start over, losing time and sometimes additional fees.

How Long a Writ Stays Active

For wage garnishments, the writ remains active for 180 days from the date of service, and the employer withholds the nonexempt portion during that period. A bank levy is a one-time attachment to nonexempt funds present when the officer serves it. Ask the clerk or levying officer about any validity period that applies to other property executions.

If a wage garnishment has not satisfied the judgment after 180 days, apply for a new writ to continue it. For other execution methods, check the applicable period with the clerk or levying officer.

Writ Plus Written Instructions Equals Action

The writ-and-instructions combination is where most self-represented creditors get stuck. The court gives you the writ. The officer needs the instructions. Neither one tells you how to write the other. The Nevada Judgment Collection Guide includes an execution packet checklist that maps every document, fee, and delivery step for each enforcement tool — from wage garnishment to bank levy to property seizure.

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