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Serving divorce papers in Nevada

How your spouse gets the divorce papers in Nevada: who can deliver the papers, how your spouse can accept or waive service, the deadline to respond, what happens without a response and the law.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026

Quick answer

If you were served: Time to respond: 21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree. If you are filing: After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you.

Accept or waive service
Possible: your spouse signs a form
Law
Nevada Self-Help Center, Filing for Divorce on Your Own and Responding to a Divorce; Nev. R. Civ. P. 12

Were you served in Nevada?

Enter the day you got the papers (the summons and the petition). We show the deadline to answer.

The day the papers were handed to you or you signed for them.

Enter the date you were servedYour deadline appears when you enter the date.

How papers are served in Nevada

  • After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you.
  • If you don't know where your spouse is, the self-help center explains how to ask for another way of service.
  • A joint petition needs no service.

Law: Nevada Self-Help Center, Filing for Divorce on Your Own and Responding to a Divorce; Nev. R. Civ. P. 12

Deadline to respond and default

21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

Serving your spouse in Nevada, step by step

  1. File your papers first

    File with the District Court (Family Division in Clark and Washoe counties). Service comes after filing.

  2. Serve the papers

    After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you.

  3. Or have your spouse sign

    A joint petition needs no service.

  4. File proof of service

    File the proof of service with the court.

  5. Watch the deadline

    21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree.

  6. If there is no response

    21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

Questions about serving divorce papers in Nevada

How do you serve divorce papers in Nevada?

After you file, you must make sure your spouse is served with the summons and complaint; the court does not do it for you. If you don't know where your spouse is, the self-help center explains how to ask for another way of service. A joint petition needs no service.

Can my spouse accept or waive service in Nevada?

A joint petition needs no service.

How long does my spouse have to respond in Nevada?

21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

What if my spouse doesn't respond in Nevada?

21 days after service; if your spouse doesn't respond, you can ask for a default decree

More about divorce in Nevada

Serving papers in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.