NRS 207.030: Everything You Need to Know About Nevada’s Vagrancy Law

Earlier this year, a man was arrested for vagrancy and other crimes including intimidating an officer and resisting with a deadly weapon. The vagrant made threats to kill and eat a police officer after he was caught lying on the sidewalk. He was asked to move but instead chose to make violent threats against the officers. The incident caused the police officer to fire a taser at the vagrant in order to subdue him.

In Nevada, vagrancy is a crime that can be charged against anyone who appears to be homeless or without visible means of support. While the law is not frequently enforced, it can result in significant penalties, including jail time and fines as in the case above.

In this article, we will explore the basics of Nevada’s vagrancy law and discuss some of the potential implications for those who are accused of violating it.

What Does Vagrancy Mean

A vagrant is someone who is homeless or appears to be without visible means of support (jobless), wanders from place to place, and begs for money.

In legal terminology, vagrancy refers to the offense of persons who are without visible means of support or domicile while able to work. In other words, when individuals choose to stay unemployed and fail to provide for themselves and their dependents, they can be charged with vagrancy.

What Is NRS 207.030 and What Does It Cover

NRS 207.030 is the Nevada law that prohibits vagrancy and related activities, such as loitering, panhandling, or sleeping in public places. The law also encompasses certain types of behavior associated with theft and prostitution.

Under this law, it is a violation to:

• Offer or agree to engage in or engage in lewd or dissolute conduct in any public place or in any place open to the public or exposed to public view;
• Offer or agree to engage in, engage in or aid and abet any act of prostitution;
• Be a pimp, panderer or procurer or live in or about houses of prostitution;
• Seek admission to a house upon frivolous pretexts for no other apparent motive than to see who may be therein, or to gain an insight of the premises;
• Keep a place where lost or stolen property is concealed;
• Loiter in or about any toilet open to the public for the purpose of engaging in or soliciting any lewd or lascivious or any unlawful act; or
• Lodge in any building, structure or place, whether public or private:

            (1) Where a notice of default and election to sell has been recorded, unless the person is the owner, tenant or entitled to the possession or control thereof;

            (2) Which has been placed on a registry of vacant, abandoned or foreclosed property by a local government, unless the person is the owner, tenant or entitled to the possession or control thereof; or

            (3) Without the permission of the owner or person entitled to the possession or in control thereof.

What Are the Penalties for Violating Nevada’s Vagrancy Law

The penalties for violating NRS 207.030 vary depending on the offense and the number of violations in a given period.

All violations are considered a misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines.

The “minimum” penalty increases depending on the number of violations in a given period. For example, a second or subsequent violation within 3 years is punishable by a minimum of 30 days to 6 months and $250 to $1,000 in fines.

For the third offense in three years, the penalties will be 6 months in jail with a minimum of $250 (up to $1,000) in fines.

Summary of Nevada’s Vagrancy Law and Penalties

Prohibited Acts	Penalties Under Nevada Law
Offer or agree to engage in or engage in lewd or dissolute conduct in any public place or in any place open to the public or exposed to public view; or Offer or agree to engage in, engage in or aid and abet any act of prostitution; or Be a pimp, panderer or procurer or live in or about houses of prostitution;	First offense in three years: Misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines
	Second offense in three years: Misdemeanor 30 days to 6 months in jail and $250 to $1,000 in fines
	Third offense in three years: Misdemeanor 6 months in jail, and $250 to $1,000 in fines
Seek admission to a house upon frivolous pretexts for no other apparent motive than to see who may be therein, or to gain an insight of the premises	Misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines
Keep a place where lost or stolen property is concealed	Misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines
Loiter in or about any toilet open to the public for the purpose of engaging in or soliciting any lewd or lascivious or any unlawful act	Misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines
Lodge in any building, structure or place, whether public or private: (1) Where a notice of default and election to sell has been recorded, unless the person is the owner, tenant or entitled to the possession or control thereof; (2) Which has been placed on a registry of vacant, abandoned or foreclosed property by a local government, unless the person is the owner, tenant or entitled to the possession or control thereof; or (3) Without the permission of the owner or person entitled to the possession or in control thereof.	Misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines

Other Important Information to Know

In case of consecutive offenses, the NRS also stats that “the terms of imprisonment…must be impost consecutively.” For example, if a person is convicted of multiple violations within three years, they must serve the sentences consecutively.

In addition, people who are not disabled and have been jailed for vagrancy may be required to work on public projects, buildings, grounds, or ways in the county.

It’s also important to note that vagrancy is only one type of offense under Nevada law and other crimes may be associated with it or charged separately. For example, prostitution or solicitation charges may accompany a charge of vagrancy—just like the example at the beginning of the article where other charges were included with the vagrancy charge.

Why Should You Hire Our Las Vegas Criminal Defense Attorneys?

A common U.S. citizen has little or no information and knowledge about how law enforcement or legal systems work. Articles like these can only do so much.

Hiring a lawyer who understands and has the knowledge of law and how court systems function is very essential if you have been charged with a crime. A criminal defense lawyer will apply their legal skills and years of courtroom experience to the specifics of your case. Every case is different and requires a different approach.

Navigating the criminal justice system without a lawyer is not a good idea and can be very confusing, frustrating and risky.

An experienced criminal defense attorney is connected to others within the legal system, so your case won’t be the attorney’s first experience in court.

Our defense attorneys know the procedures, the courtroom personnel, the judges, the jury selection process and the loopholes. If you’re in criminal trouble in Las Vegas, or in Nevada, welcome to the law firm that can help.

The Defenders is a criminal defense law firm whose lawyers defend clients arrested or charged with DUIs, felonies, misdemeanors, domestic violence, sex crimes, murder, drug possession, white collar crimes and more than a dozen other criminal case categories.

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