Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 534 - Underground Water and Wells
NRS 534.180 - Applicability of chapter to wells used for domestic purposes; registration and plugging of wells used for domestic purposes; wells for accessory dwelling unit of single-family dwelling.


1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 and as to the furnishing of any information required by the State Engineer, this chapter does not apply in the matter of obtaining permits for the development and use of underground water from a well for domestic purposes where the draught does not exceed 2 acre-feet per year.
2. The State Engineer may designate any groundwater basin or portion thereof as a basin in which the registration of a well is required if the well is drilled for the development and use of underground water for domestic purposes. A driller who drills such a well shall register the information required by the State Engineer within 10 days after the completion of the well. The State Engineer shall make available forms for the registration of such wells and shall maintain a register of those wells.
3. The State Engineer may require the plugging of such a well which is drilled on or after July 1, 1981, at any time not sooner than 1 year after water can be furnished to the site by:
(a) A political subdivision of this State; or
(b) A public utility whose rates and service are regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada,
but only if the charge for making the connection to the service is less than $200.
4. If the development and use of underground water from a well for an accessory dwelling unit of a single-family dwelling, as defined in an applicable local ordinance, qualifies as a domestic use or domestic purpose:
(a) The owner of the well shall:
(1) Obtain approval for that use or purpose from the local governing body or planning commission in whose jurisdiction the well is located;
(2) Install a water meter capable of measuring the total withdrawal of water from the well; and
(3) Ensure the total withdrawal of water from the well does not exceed 2 acre-feet per year;
(b) The local governing body or planning commission shall report the approval of the accessory dwelling unit on a form provided by the State Engineer;
(c) The State Engineer shall monitor the annual withdrawal of water from the well; and
(d) The date of priority for the use of the domestic well to supply water to the accessory dwelling unit is the date of approval of the accessory dwelling unit by the local governing body or planning commission.
[3:178:1939; A 1947, 52; 1949, 128; 1955, 328]—(NRS A 1971, 868; 1977, 383; 1981, 1843; 1983, 2090; 1985, 1302; 1997, 2010; 2007, 846)

Structure Nevada Revised Statutes

Nevada Revised Statutes

Chapter 534 - Underground Water and Wells

NRS 534.010 - Definitions.

NRS 534.0105 - "Aquifer" defined.

NRS 534.011 - "Area of active management" defined.

NRS 534.0115 - "Area of hydrologic effect" defined.

NRS 534.012 - "Artesian well" defined.

NRS 534.0125 - "Augmentation" defined.

NRS 534.013 - "Domestic use" and "domestic purposes" defined.

NRS 534.0135 - "Percolating waters" defined.

NRS 534.014 - "Person" defined.

NRS 534.0145 - "Project" defined.

NRS 534.015 - "Recharged water" defined.

NRS 534.0155 - "Storage account" defined.

NRS 534.016 - "Stored water" defined.

NRS 534.0165 - "Waste" defined.

NRS 534.017 - "Well driller" defined.

NRS 534.0175 - "Well drilling" and "drilling a well" defined.

NRS 534.020 - Underground waters belong to public and are subject to appropriation for beneficial use; declaration of legislative intent.

NRS 534.025 - Removal of underground waters to alleviate hazards caused by secondary recharge is beneficial use.

NRS 534.030 - Administration by State Engineer: Petition by appropriators in basin; hearing in absence of petition; certain artesian water, underground aquifers and percolating water; advisory services of governing bodies of water districts and water...

NRS 534.035 - Groundwater boards: Establishment; number, appointment, terms and expenses of members; officers; meetings and quorum; duties; dissolution.

NRS 534.037 - Groundwater management plan for basin designated as critical management area: Petition; hearing; approval or disapproval; judicial review; amendment.

NRS 534.040 - Employment and compensation of well supervisor and assistants; levy, collection and distribution of special assessment; exception.

NRS 534.050 - Permit to appropriate water required before sinking well in designated groundwater basin; requirements in undesignated areas; waivers; penalties.

NRS 534.060 - Conditions for sinking wells; casings and appliances; repair of defective wells; liens; sealing of wells; use of abandoned wells to monitor groundwater.

NRS 534.065 - Replacement well: Application to change place of diversion not required in certain circumstances; notice.

NRS 534.070 - Waste of water from artesian well unlawful.

NRS 534.080 - Appropriation of underground water for beneficial use from artesian, definable aquifer or percolating water: Acquisition of rights under chapter 533 of NRS; orders to desist; dates of priority.

NRS 534.090 - Forfeiture and abandonment of rights.

NRS 534.100 - Recognition of existing water rights; classification of water in definable aquifer or percolating water by State Engineer; adjudication of vested underground water rights.

NRS 534.110 - Rules and regulations of State Engineer; statements and pumping tests; conditions of appropriation; designation of critical management areas; restrictions; limit to restrictions on domestic wells.

NRS 534.120 - State Engineer authorized to make rules, regulations and orders when groundwater is being depleted in designated area; preferred uses of water; temporary permits to appropriate water; revocation of temporary permits; restrictions placed...

NRS 534.125 - State Engineer to file notice related to temporary permit.

NRS 534.130 - State Engineer, assistants and Artesian Well Supervisor authorized to enter premises to investigate and carry out duties.

NRS 534.140 - Well drillers: Annual licenses; fees; continuing education; regulations for well drilling; licensing by State Contractors’ Board.

NRS 534.1405 - Well drillers: Petition for review of criminal history to obtain license; requirements; fee; report.

NRS 534.141 - Application for renewal of license must include certain information regarding state business license; grounds for denial of renewal.

NRS 534.142 - Payment of child support: Statement by applicant for license to drill; grounds for denial of license; duty of State Engineer. [Effective until the date of the repeal of 42 U.S.C. § 666, the federal law requiring each state to establish...

NRS 534.144 - Suspension of license for failure to pay child support or comply with certain subpoenas or warrants; reinstatement of license. [Effective until the date of the repeal of 42 U.S.C. § 666, the federal law requiring each state to establish...

NRS 534.146 - Application for license to include social security number of applicant. [Effective until the date of the repeal of 42 U.S.C. § 666, the federal law requiring each state to establish procedures for withholding, suspending and restricting...

NRS 534.150 - Well Drillers’ Advisory Board: Appointment; terms of members; vacancies; compensation; duties.

NRS 534.160 - License required to drill well; revocation of or refusal to reissue license; order to plug well; penalty for allowing unlicensed person to drill.

NRS 534.170 - Well driller to keep log and records; contents; information to be furnished to State Engineer; report of test.

NRS 534.180 - Applicability of chapter to wells used for domestic purposes; registration and plugging of wells used for domestic purposes; wells for accessory dwelling unit of single-family dwelling.

NRS 534.185 - Waiver of certain requirements for domestic wells by State Engineer; exceptions.

NRS 534.190 - Penalties.

NRS 534.193 - Additional penalties.

NRS 534.195 - Injunctive and other relief.

NRS 534.250 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Permit required; issuance, contents, modification and assignment of permit; monitoring requirements.

NRS 534.260 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Contents of application for permit.

NRS 534.270 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Review of application for permit; notice of application; protests; hearing; determination; judicial review.

NRS 534.280 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Annual report to State Engineer.

NRS 534.290 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Permit for recovery well; recovery limited to designated wells; designation of person entitled to recover water; use or exchange of recovered water.

NRS 534.300 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Storage account to be established; limit on amount of water recovered.

NRS 534.310 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Annual fee for permit; disposition of money received by State Engineer; employment of consultants by State Engineer.

NRS 534.320 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Revocation or suspension of permit; orders to cease and desist; injunction.

NRS 534.330 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Penalties.

NRS 534.340 - Project for recharge, storage and recovery of water: Designation of areas of active management.

NRS 534.350 - Requirements for certain public water system to receive credits for addition of new customers to system.

NRS 534.360 - Water Rights Technical Support Account: Creation; administration; uses.