To file a complaint with the Nevada State Contractors Board, download the Consumer Complaint Form from the board’s website, gather your contract, proof of payment, photos of the problems, and your written correspondence with the contractor, and mail the completed packet to the board’s Las Vegas or Reno office. There is no filing fee. An investigator will be assigned, the contractor will receive a copy of your complaint, and a jobsite visit may be scheduled if the allegations warrant it.
Make Sure Your Issue Is One the Board Handles
The board’s authority comes from NRS Chapter 624, which governs contractor licensing and regulation in Nevada.1Justia. Nevada Code 624 – Contractors NRS 624.3013 lists the specific acts that give the board grounds to discipline a licensee: abandoning a project, failing to comply with building codes, deviating substantially from agreed plans, performing substandard work, failing to keep proper records, and constructional fraud, among others.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 624.3013 – Failure to Keep Records and Other Causes for Disciplinary Action Any conduct that violates Chapter 624 or the regulations under it can be the basis of a complaint.
What the board will not do is settle a private money disagreement. A dispute over how much a change order should have cost, or a demand for your deposit back without any underlying workmanship or code problem, usually goes nowhere here and belongs in civil court. The board does not award money damages, provide legal representation, or arbitrate between you and the contractor. If the contractor took your money and never came back to the job, that is abandonment and the board treats it seriously.
Unlicensed work is a separate track. If the person you hired was never licensed by the state, the board uses a different complaint form and handles the matter as a potential criminal case, with evidence compiled for either an Administrative Citation or referral to the District Attorney.3Nevada State Contractors Board. Unlicensed Contractor Complaints In those cases you will be asked for written estimates from three licensed contractors to repair or complete the work, so a judge can consider restitution if the case proceeds.
What to Put in Your Complaint Packet
The Consumer Complaint Form is a two-page PDF, available in English and Spanish on the board’s website.4Nevada State Contractors Board. Contractor Complaints The real work is in the supporting checklist. Pull together the following before you mail anything:5Nevada State Contractors Board. Nevada State Contractors Board Consumer Complaint Form
- Signed contracts, bids, or proposals, including any change orders signed by both parties.
- Proof of payments: cancelled checks, credit card statements, bank statements showing your name and the payment dates, or screenshots from apps like Zelle, CashApp, or Apple Pay.
- A written, itemized statement of facts describing each complaint item. Use a separate sheet if you need the room.
- Photos or other documentation of defects, incomplete work, and code violations.
- Written correspondence: letters, emails, and text messages between you and the contractor.
- Copies of any building permits pulled for the project, along with inspection reports and correction notices.
- Any preliminary or lien notices you have received.
- Names and contact information for subcontractors and suppliers involved in the project.
The checklist also asks for notes from phone or in-person conversations with dates, copies of any demand letters, any court filings or judgments, insurance claims connected to the work, and any warranties or guarantees. You will also need to sign a Consent for Electronic Service form. A complete packet moves through investigation faster; an incomplete one slows everything down.
Where to Send It and When It Has to Be In
Mail your packet to whichever office is closer:
- Southern Nevada: 8400 West Sunset Road, Suite 150, Las Vegas, NV 89113
- Northern Nevada: 5390 Kietzke Lane, Suite 102, Reno, NV 895116Nevada State Contractors Board. Nevada State Contractors Board – Contact Us
Filing is free. If you plan to seek money from the Residential Recovery Fund, you must file within four years after the contractor completed the work. For conduct that could be charged as a misdemeanor, the criminal statute of limitations is two years from the date of the offense.7Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624 – Contractors Even outside those deadlines, filing sooner means fresher evidence and a stronger case.
What Happens After You File
You will get a letter confirming the board received your complaint. An investigator is assigned to review the allegations and decide whether a jobsite inspection is needed.4Nevada State Contractors Board. Contractor Complaints The contractor also receives a copy of what you filed.
If an inspection is scheduled, both you and the contractor get at least 10 days’ notice and both are expected to attend. The investigator evaluates the work against building codes, the plans and specifications in your contract, and general industry standards, then makes a determination on each allegation. If deficiencies are found, the board can issue a notice directing the contractor to correct specific problems within a set timeframe. Fixing the problems does not necessarily end the matter: NRS 624.300 allows the board to pursue disciplinary action even after conditions are corrected, particularly where there is a pattern of violations.8Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 624.300 – Disciplinary Actions Against Licensee
What the Board Can Order Against the Contractor
When a violation is found, NRS 624.300 gives the board several enforcement tools. It can suspend or revoke the license, refuse renewal, or restrict the license by capping the type, scope, or dollar amount of work the contractor can take on. It can impose administrative fines up to $10,000 for standard violations and up to $50,000 per violation for serious workmanship offenses under NRS 624.305. It can order corrective work at the contractor’s expense, which may mean doing the repairs personally, hiring and paying another licensed contractor, or reimbursing you a specified amount. It can also issue a public reprimand or require a larger surety bond.8Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 624.300 – Disciplinary Actions Against Licensee
Keep the distinction clear. These are regulatory consequences aimed at the contractor and the public. The board can order repairs or reimbursement of specified costs, but it cannot award the broader damages a court can, such as compensation for lost use of your home.
Getting Money Back Through the Residential Recovery Fund
Nevada maintains a Residential Recovery Fund under NRS 624.470 that can reimburse homeowners financially harmed by a licensed residential contractor. The maximum per claim is $40,000 for actual damages. Total recovery against any single contractor is capped at $750,000 or 20 percent of the fund balance, whichever is less.7Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624 – Contractors
You qualify if you are the owner (or a later owner) of a single-family residence, you contracted with a licensed residential contractor to construct, remodel, repair, or improve a home you occupy, and you file within four years after the work was completed. If you already have a court judgment against the contractor, you have two years from the date of that judgment to apply to the board for satisfaction from the fund.
Several exclusions catch people off guard. You are not eligible if you are related to the contractor by marriage or close blood relation or live with them; if you had a separate business relationship with the contractor beyond this contract; if the contractor’s license was already suspended or revoked when you signed; if you pulled the permits yourself or built as an owner-builder; if you intended to rent, sell, or lease the property within one year of the work’s completion (listing it within that year creates a legal presumption of such intent); or if your claim contains false statements or forged documents. The fund covers only actual out-of-pocket damages, not interest, punitive damages, or consequential losses.
If You Also Want Money Damages
A board complaint and a civil lawsuit are not mutually exclusive. You can pursue regulatory consequences through the board and sue the contractor for damages at the same time. In Nevada, small claims court handles disputes under $10,000; larger construction disputes go to justice court or district court depending on the amount.9Administrative Office of the Courts. Small Claims Court Small claims is faster and cheaper and does not require a lawyer, but it only awards money; it cannot revoke a license or order a contractor to fix the work. For many homeowners, running both tracks is the right call.