Nevada · Custody and support · Updated Oct 2026

Child custody and support in Nevada

The Nevada rules for parents who divorce, from official sources: the legal term for custody, the parenting class, the official support calculator, custody mediation and the child support agency.

Quick answer

Nevada law uses the term “legal custody and physical custody (joint or primary)” for custody. Parenting class: Some district courts require a class for separating parents by local rule. Nevada publishes an official child support calculator or guidelines.

Custody term
Legal custody and physical custody (joint or primary)
Parenting class
Depends on the court
Child support calculator
Official child support calculator or guidelines
Child support agency
Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, Child Support Enforcement Program

Custody terms in Nevada

Legal custody and physical custody (joint or primary)

Mediation

In counties with 100,000 or more people (Clark, Washoe), the district court must run a mandatory mediation program for custody and visitation disputes; a judge can exclude a case for good cause, such as domestic violence or child abuse. Smaller counties may have one. NRS 3.475, 3.500.

Parenting class in Nevada

  • Some district courts require a class for separating parents by local rule.
  • Ask your court clerk or the self-help center for your county.

Child support in Nevada

Children in a Nevada divorce: what the process includes

  1. Custody

    The court's orders use Nevada's term for custody: legal custody and physical custody (joint or primary).

  2. Parenting class

    Some district courts require a class for separating parents by local rule.

  3. Mediation

    In counties with 100,000 or more people (Clark, Washoe), the district court must run a mandatory mediation program for custody and visitation disputes; a judge can exclude a case for good cause, such as domestic violence or child abuse.

  4. Child support

    The official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines

Questions about custody and child support in Nevada

What is child custody called in Nevada?

Nevada uses the term “legal custody and physical custody (joint or primary)”.

Do parents have to take a class in a Nevada divorce?

Some district courts require a class for separating parents by local rule. Ask your court clerk or the self-help center for your county.

Is there an official child support calculator for Nevada?

Yes. Nevada's official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines

Which agency handles child support in Nevada?

Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services, Child Support Enforcement Program.

Is mediation required for custody in Nevada?

In counties with 100,000 or more people (Clark, Washoe), the district court must run a mandatory mediation program for custody and visitation disputes; a judge can exclude a case for good cause, such as domestic violence or child abuse. Smaller counties may have one. NRS 3.475, 3.500.

More about divorce in Nevada

Custody and support in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.