By State › Nevada

Nevada: Laws & Legal Considerations

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Rainwater harvesting: recently relaxed from a near-total historical restriction

Like Colorado, Nevada’s strict prior appropriation doctrine historically treated rainwater as already claimed water, making collection illegal without a state water right permit until relatively recent legislative changes.

RuleNevada
Historical rule Collecting rainwater required a water right permit from the State Engineer, with no exception for ordinary residential use
2011 change (AB138) Legalized capturing rooftop rainwater from a single-family dwelling for non-potable domestic use without a water right, plus wildlife guzzler collection, provided no conflict with existing water rights
2017 change (NB74) Allowed rainwater collected under a granted water right to be exempt from the "use it or lose it" forfeiture doctrine, with some conditions still attached

A genuine parallel to Colorado, covered elsewhere on this site

Nevada and Colorado are the two states covered on this site where rainwater harvesting was historically treated as illegal by default under strict prior appropriation, rather than simply permitted or lightly regulated. Both states have since carved out targeted residential exceptions rather than fully legalizing the practice outright.

Where to find it: the Nevada Division of Water Resources (water.nv.gov) administers water rights and rainwater exceptions.

Water rights: prior appropriation for both surface water and groundwater

Nevada applies prior appropriation doctrine comprehensively, to groundwater as well as surface water, a more thorough application of the doctrine than some other prior-appropriation states covered on this site.

ConceptHow it works in Nevada
Governing principle "First in time, first in right" for both surface water and groundwater
Administering authority The State Engineer, within the Division of Water Resources
Recent development A 2024 "superbasin" ruling addressed how groundwater rights are managed across combined, interconnected basins, an evolving area of Nevada water law

Where to find it: the Nevada Division of Water Resources administers all water rights statewide.

Concealed carry: shall-issue, not permitless

Unlike neighboring Arizona and Utah, Nevada has not adopted permitless carry.

RequirementDetail
Standard A Concealed Firearm Permit (CFP) is required to carry concealed at all; carrying without one is a felony, not a misdemeanor
Minimum age 21
Training required At least 8 hours, including both classroom instruction and live-fire range time
Issuing authority The sheriff of the applicant's county (non-residents may apply through any Nevada county sheriff)
Validity 5 years, valid statewide

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