Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 253 - Public Administration of Estates and Public Guardians
NRS 253.0403 - Administration of estate in which gross value of decedent’s property does not exceed $25,000.


1. When the gross value of a decedent’s property situated in this State does not exceed $25,000, a public administrator or a person employed or contracted with pursuant to NRS 253.125, as applicable, may, without procuring letters of administration, administer the estate of that person upon filing with the court an affidavit of his or her right to do so.
2. The affidavit must provide:
(a) The name and address of the public administrator or person employed or contracted with pursuant to NRS 253.125, as applicable, and his or her attestation that he or she is entitled by law to administer the estate;
(b) The decedent’s place of residence at the time of his or her death;
(c) That the gross value of the decedent’s property in this State does not exceed $25,000;
(d) That at least 40 days have elapsed since the death of the decedent;
(e) That no application or petition for the appointment of a personal representative is pending or has been granted in this State;
(f) A description of the personal property of the decedent;
(g) Whether there are any heirs or next of kin known to the affiant, and if known, the name and address of each such person;
(h) If heirs or next of kin are known to the affiant, a description of the method of service the affiant used to provide to each of them notice of the affidavit and that at least 10 days have elapsed since the notice was provided;
(i) That all debts of the decedent, including funeral and burial expenses, have been paid or provided for; and
(j) The name of each person to whom the affiant intends to distribute the decedent’s property.
3. Before filing the affidavit with the court, the public administrator or a person employed or contracted with pursuant to NRS 253.125, as applicable, shall take reasonable steps to ascertain whether any of the decedent’s heirs or next of kin exist. If the administrator or person determines that heirs or next of kin exist, the administrator or person shall serve each of them with a copy of the affidavit. Service must be made personally or by certified mail.
4. If the affiant:
(a) Submits an affidavit which does not meet the requirements of subsection 2 or which contains statements which are not entirely true, any money or property the affiant receives or distributes is subject to all debts of the decedent, based on the priority for payment of debts and charges specified in NRS 147.195.
(b) Fails to give notice to heirs or next of kin as required by subsection 3, any money or property the affiant holds or distributes to others shall be deemed to be held in trust for those heirs and next of kin who did not receive notice and have an interest in the property.
5. A person who receives an affidavit containing the information required by subsection 2 is entitled to rely upon such information, and if the person relies in good faith, he or she is immune from civil liability for actions based on that reliance.
6. Upon receiving proof of the death of the decedent, an affidavit containing the information required by this section and the written approval of the public administrator or person employed or contracted with pursuant to NRS 253.125, as applicable, to do so:
(a) A transfer agent of any security shall change the registered ownership of the security claimed from the decedent to the person claiming to succeed to ownership of that security.
(b) A governmental agency required to issue certificates of title, ownership or registration to personal property shall issue a new certificate of title, ownership or registration to the person claiming to succeed to ownership of the property.
(Added to NRS by 1991, 195; A 1999, 917; 2003, 478, 2515; 2005, 396; 2015, 1911; 2019, 1537)

Structure Nevada Revised Statutes

Nevada Revised Statutes

Chapter 253 - Public Administration of Estates and Public Guardians

NRS 253.010 - Election; term of office; qualifications; certain county officers ex officio public administrators; exceptions.

NRS 253.020 - Oath and bond.

NRS 253.025 - Deputies: Appointment; oath; recording of appointment; liability of public administrator; qualifications; exception.

NRS 253.040 - Authority to administer estates; application for letters of administration; bond.

NRS 253.0403 - Administration of estate in which gross value of decedent’s property does not exceed $25,000.

NRS 253.0405 - Circumstances under which public administrator or certain other person may secure and administer assets of estate; access by other persons to property of estate.

NRS 253.0407 - Authority and procedure for donation or destruction of certain property of estate.

NRS 253.0415 - Duties in administering estate; estates that administrator or certain other persons are not to administer; transporting property of decedent in smaller counties.

NRS 253.042 - Investigatory powers.

NRS 253.0425 - Administration of or petition to set aside estate after investigation of gross value.

NRS 253.0435 - General powers; exception.

NRS 253.0447 - Payment for expenses incurred in performance of duties; exception.

NRS 253.050 - Compensation.

NRS 253.060 - Applicability of rules and laws governing other administrators and executors.

NRS 253.070 - Officers and other persons to furnish information.

NRS 253.080 - Institution and maintenance of actions.

NRS 253.091 - Reports to and investigations by board of county commissioners; independent audit reports in smaller counties.

NRS 253.110 - Prohibition against interest in expenditures.

NRS 253.120 - Expiration of term, employment or contract: Surrender of books and papers; successor administrator or other person.

NRS 253.125 - Abolishment of office of public administrator in county whose population is less than 100,000.

NRS 253.150 - Establishment of office by county commissioners; appointment, designation or contract; compensation.

NRS 253.160 - Bond; oath.

NRS 253.170 - Vacancy.

NRS 253.175 - Deputies: Appointment; oath; recording of appointment; liability of public guardian; compensation.

NRS 253.180 - Subordinates, consultants and assistants.

NRS 253.190 - Records.

NRS 253.200 - Qualifications of person for whom public guardian may be appointed; petition for appointment; accounting and report to be filed by temporary guardian in certain circumstances.

NRS 253.210 - Powers, duties, rights and responsibilities.

NRS 253.215 - Legal assistance.

NRS 253.220 - Investigation of financial status, assets and personal and family history of protected person for whom public guardian has been appointed or upon referral of potential protected person by certain agencies.

NRS 253.230 - Allocation of costs incurred in appointment proceedings and administrative costs.

NRS 253.240 - Value of guardian’s services allowable as claim against estate of protected person; deposit of money received by public guardian.

NRS 253.243 - Request for advance of money to pay expenses of guardianship; payment of advances; reimbursement of advances from assets of estate of protected person.

NRS 253.245 - Reports and budgets to and investigations by board of county commissioners.

NRS 253.250 - Termination of appointment.