I'm locked out
Most lockouts are a phone call and a short wait. The one thing to get right is who you call and what you agree to pay before they arrive.
What to do first
1. A child, a pet or anyone vulnerable locked in a car or home? Call 911. In
Las Vegas heat a closed car gets dangerous within minutes.
2. If you rent, call your landlord or property office first. Many keep a spare
key or have an after-hours line. Your lease may say what a lockout costs.
3. Locked out of a car? Check your car insurance, auto club or the car maker's
roadside assistance before paying anyone. Lockouts are often covered.
4. Calling a locksmith: get the total price on the phone. Ask for the company's
full name and street address, the total cost including the trip fee, and whether they'll need to
drill. Be wary of a very low phone quote that grows once they arrive.
5. When they arrive, expect them to ask for your ID and proof you live there or
own the car. Get an itemized invoice with the company name before you pay.
If your landlord locked you out
A landlord who changes the locks, blocks your door, or cuts off an essential service to
push you out is breaking Nevada law. You can ask the justice court to let you back in by
filing a verified complaint for expedited relief within 5 judicial days after the lockout. A late
complaint is dismissed, though you keep your other remedies (NRS 118A.390(4)-(5)).
- The court holds a hearing no later than 3 judicial days after you file. Before or at the hearing, you must show the landlord was served with your complaint (NRS 118A.390(6)).
- You don't pay filing costs up front. They are charged to whoever loses, and the court may reduce or waive them (NRS 118A.390(7)).
- The judge can order the landlord to let you back in or restore the service, award your actual damages, an amount up to $2,500, or both, and order the landlord not to do it again (NRS 118A.390(1), (6)).
- For 5 days after a lockout, the landlord must give you a reasonable chance to get essentials such as medicine, baby formula, basic clothing and personal care items (NRS 118A.460(3)).
From NRS chapter 118A as posted by the Nevada Legislature, October 2026. Lockout forms are at the Civil Law Self-Help Center. Free legal help: free legal help in Clark County.