1. A court having jurisdiction over an offense for which a traffic citation must be issued pursuant to NRS 484A.630 or its traffic violations bureau may establish a system by which, except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, the court or traffic violations bureau may allow a person who has been issued a traffic citation that is filed with the court or traffic violations bureau to make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by mail, by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, if a court or traffic violations bureau has established a system pursuant to subsection 1, a person who has been issued a traffic citation that is filed with the court or traffic violations bureau may, if allowed by the court and in lieu of making a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances in court, make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using the system. Any such plea and statement must be received by the court before the date on which the person is required to appear in court pursuant to the traffic citation.
3. If a court or traffic violations bureau allows an eligible person to whom a traffic citation is issued to use a system established pursuant to subsection 1 to make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances and the person chooses to make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using such a system, the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
4. Any system established pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) For the purpose of authenticating that the person making the plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances is the person to whom the traffic citation was issued, be capable of requiring the person to submit any of the following information, at the discretion of the court or traffic violations bureau:
(1) The traffic citation number;
(2) The name and address of the person;
(3) The state registration number of the person’s vehicle, if any;
(4) The number of the driver’s license of the person, if any;
(5) The offense charged; or
(6) Any other information required by any rules adopted by the Nevada Supreme Court pursuant to subsection 6.
(b) Provide notice to each person who uses the system to make a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances that the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
(c) If a plea and statement of the defense or mitigating circumstances is submitted by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means, confirm receipt of the plea and statement or make available to the person making the plea a copy of the plea and statement.
5. A person who has been issued a traffic citation for any of the following offenses may not make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using a system established pursuant to subsection 1:
(a) Aggressive driving in violation of NRS 484B.650;
(b) Reckless driving in violation of NRS 484B.653;
(c) Vehicular manslaughter in violation of NRS 484B.657; or
(d) Driving, operating or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance in violation of NRS 484C.110 or 484C.120, as applicable.
6. The Nevada Supreme Court may adopt rules not inconsistent with the laws of this State to carry out the provisions of this section.
(Added to NRS by 2019, 380; A 2021, 3466)
1. A court having jurisdiction over an offense for which a traffic citation must be issued pursuant to NRS 484A.630 or that is punishable as a civil infraction pursuant to NRS 484A.703 to 484A.705, inclusive, or its traffic violations bureau may establish a system by which, except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, the court or traffic violations bureau may allow:
(a) A person who has been issued a traffic citation or a civil infraction citation that is filed with the court or traffic violations bureau to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to make a plea and state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances, by mail, by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means.
(b) A peace officer who issued a civil infraction citation to a person or, if the provisions of NRS 484A.7049 apply, a peace officer who halted a person, to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to submit a written statement under oath by mail, by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means in lieu of his or her personal appearance at the hearing held pursuant to NRS 484A.7041 to contest the determination that the person who has been issued the civil infraction citation committed a civil infraction.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if a court or traffic violations bureau has established a system pursuant to subsection 1, the court or traffic violations bureau may allow:
(a) A person described in paragraph (a) of subsection 1 to use the system to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to make a plea or state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances in lieu of making a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances in court.
(b) A peace officer described in paragraph (b) of subsection 1 to use the system to perform certain actions approved by the court or traffic violations bureau, including, without limitation, to submit a written statement under oath in lieu of making a personal appearance in court.
3. Any plea or statement submitted through the system by a person or peace officer pursuant to subsection 2 must be received by the court before the date on which the person is required to appear in court pursuant to the traffic citation or civil infraction citation.
4. If a court or traffic violations bureau allows an eligible person to whom a traffic citation or civil infraction citation is issued to use a system established pursuant to subsection 1 to make a plea and state his or her defense or, if authorized, any mitigating circumstances and the person chooses to make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using such a system, the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
5. Any system established pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) For the purpose of authenticating that the person making the plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances or performing any other approved action is the person to whom the traffic citation or civil infraction citation was issued, be capable of requiring the person to submit any of the following information, as applicable, at the discretion of the court or traffic violations bureau:
(1) The traffic citation number or civil infraction citation number;
(2) The name and address of the person;
(3) The state registration number of the person’s vehicle, if any;
(4) The number of the driver’s license of the person, if any;
(5) The offense charged or the civil infraction for which the citation was issued; and
(6) Any other information required by any rules adopted by the Nevada Supreme Court pursuant to subsection 7.
(b) For the purposes of authenticating that the peace officer submitting the written statement or performing any other approved action is the peace officer who issued the civil infraction citation, be capable of requiring the peace officer to submit any of the following information at the discretion of the court or traffic violations bureau:
(1) The civil infraction citation number;
(2) The civil infraction for which the citation was issued; and
(3) The first initial, last name and personnel number of the peace officer.
(c) Provide notice to each person who uses the system to make a plea and statement of his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances that the person waives any relevant constitutional right, including, without limitation, the right to a trial, the right to confront any witnesses and the right to counsel, as applicable.
(d) If a plea and statement of the defense or mitigating circumstances of a person or a written statement of a peace officer is submitted by electronic mail, over the Internet or by other electronic means:
(1) Confirm receipt of:
(I) The plea and statement to the person making the plea; and
(II) The written statement to the peace officer; or
(2) Make available to:
(I) The person making the plea a copy of the plea and statement; and
(II) The peace officer submitting the written statement a copy of the written statement.
6. A person who has been issued a traffic citation for any of the following offenses may not make a plea and state his or her defense or any mitigating circumstances by using a system established pursuant to subsection 1:
(a) Aggressive driving in violation of NRS 484B.650;
(b) Reckless driving in violation of NRS 484B.653;
(c) Vehicular manslaughter in violation of NRS 484B.657; or
(d) Driving, operating or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance in violation of NRS 484C.110 or 484C.120, as applicable.
7. The Nevada Supreme Court may adopt rules not inconsistent with the laws of this State to carry out the provisions of this section.
(Added to NRS by 2019, 380; A 2021, 3321, 3466, effective January 1, 2023)
Structure Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 484A - Traffic Laws Generally
NRS 484A.005 - Purposes of chapters 484A to 484E, inclusive, of NRS.
NRS 484A.015 - "Alley" defined.
NRS 484A.020 - "Authorized emergency vehicle" defined.
NRS 484A.025 - "Bicycle" defined.
NRS 484A.035 - "Bus stand" defined.
NRS 484A.040 - "Center" and "centerline" defined.
NRS 484A.045 - "City" defined.
NRS 484A.050 - "Combination of vehicles" defined.
NRS 484A.055 - "Commercial vehicle" defined.
NRS 484A.060 - "Controlled-access highway" defined.
NRS 484A.065 - "Crosswalk" defined.
NRS 484A.070 - "Divided highway" defined.
NRS 484A.075 - "Driveaway-towaway operation" defined.
NRS 484A.080 - "Driver" defined.
NRS 484A.081 - "Electric bicycle" defined.
NRS 484A.082 - "Electric scooter" defined.
NRS 484A.085 - "Explosives" defined.
NRS 484A.090 - "Funeral procession" defined.
NRS 484A.095 - "Highway" defined.
NRS 484A.100 - "House trailer" defined.
NRS 484A.105 - "Intersection" defined.
NRS 484A.110 - "Laned highway" defined.
NRS 484A.115 - "Local authority" defined.
NRS 484A.120 - "Manufactured home" defined.
NRS 484A.125 - "Moped" defined.
NRS 484A.130 - "Motor vehicle" defined.
NRS 484A.135 - "Motorcycle" defined.
NRS 484A.140 - "Nonresident" defined.
NRS 484A.145 - "Official traffic-control device" defined.
NRS 484A.150 - "Owner" defined.
NRS 484A.155 - "Park" and "parking" defined.
NRS 484A.160 - "Passenger car" defined.
NRS 484A.165 - "Pedestrian" defined.
NRS 484A.170 - "Person with a disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk" defined.
NRS 484A.175 - "Pole trailer" defined.
NRS 484A.180 - "Police officer" defined.
NRS 484A.185 - "Premises to which the public has access" defined.
NRS 484A.190 - "Private way" and "driveway" defined.
NRS 484A.195 - "Public authority" defined.
NRS 484A.200 - "Railroad" defined.
NRS 484A.205 - "Regulatory agency" defined.
NRS 484A.210 - "Right-of-way" defined.
NRS 484A.215 - "Road" defined.
NRS 484A.220 - "Roadway" defined.
NRS 484A.225 - "Rural area" defined.
NRS 484A.230 - "School bus" defined.
NRS 484A.235 - "Semitrailer" defined.
NRS 484A.240 - "Sidewalk" defined.
NRS 484A.245 - "Special mobile equipment" defined.
NRS 484A.250 - "Stand" and "standing" defined.
NRS 484A.255 - "Stop" defined.
NRS 484A.260 - "Stop" and "stopping" defined.
NRS 484A.265 - "Street" defined.
NRS 484A.270 - "Taxicab" defined.
NRS 484A.275 - "Through highway" defined.
NRS 484A.280 - "Tow car" defined.
NRS 484A.285 - "Traffic" defined.
NRS 484A.290 - "Traffic-control signal" defined.
NRS 484A.295 - "Trailer" defined.
NRS 484A.300 - "Traveled portion of highway" defined.
NRS 484A.305 - "Truck" defined.
NRS 484A.310 - "Truck-tractor" defined.
NRS 484A.315 - "Urban area" defined.
NRS 484A.320 - "Vehicle" defined.
NRS 484A.420 - Powers of local authority.
NRS 484A.440 - Local device for control of traffic.
NRS 484A.470 - Authority of Department to adopt regulations concerning special mobile equipment.
NRS 484A.620 - Citation filed with court deemed lawful complaint.
NRS 484A.660 - Issuance of citation at scene of crash.
NRS 484A.690 - Audit of records of traffic citations.
NRS 484A.7043 - Penalties. [Effective January 1, 2023.]
NRS 484A.710 - Arrest without warrant for certain offenses.
NRS 484A.720 - When person must be taken immediately before magistrate.
NRS 484A.740 - Arrest of nonresident.
NRS 484A.750 - Appearance before magistrate having jurisdiction.
NRS 484A.760 - Release of defendant when magistrate not available.
NRS 484A.770 - Procedure prescribed for arrest without warrant not exclusive.
NRS 484A.772 - Legislative findings and declarations.
NRS 484A.774 - Presumption for release of person arrested for traffic violation; exceptions.
NRS 484A.786 - Order in which installment payments must be applied.
NRS 484A.792 - Certain fines and forfeitures of bail must be paid into State Permanent School Fund.
NRS 484A.800 - Sponsor of special event to provide for control of vehicular traffic.