Yes. Failing to return a rental car in Nevada amounts to embezzlement.
Embezzlement in Nevada is wrongfully taking property that you have been legally entrusted with, such as a rental car. If the rental period has expired and the renter has not returned the car, the renter faces arrest for embezzlement.
Note that a key element of the Nevada crime of embezzlement is “intent to steal.” Merely forgetting to return a rental car on time is not a crime. As long as the prosecutor cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intended to permanently deprive the rental company of the car, embezzlement charges should not stand.
The penalties for intentionally failing to return a rental car in Nevada depend on the value of the car.
| Value of car |
Nevada sentence |
|---|---|
| Less than $1,200 | Misdemeanor:
|
| $1,200 to less than $5,000 | category D felony
|
| $5,000 to less than $25,000 | category C felony
|
| $25,000 to less than $100,000 | category B felony
|
| $100,000 or more | category B felony
|
Read more information about the Nevada crime of embezzlement (NRS 205.300).
