A civil action is commenced by filing a complaint with the court.
Rule 3.Commencing an action
Group II: Commencing an Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders · Last amended March 1, 2019 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3 fixes the start of a Nevada civil action at the moment the complaint — or a petition or other document that functions as one — is filed with the court.
Full Text of Rule 3
Notes
Advisory Committee Note — 2019 Amendment: As used in these rules, “complaint” includes a petition or other document that initiates a civil action.
Amendment History
Amended eff. 10-1-59; Amended eff. 3-1-19.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 3 answers a question that matters more than its brevity suggests: when does a lawsuit begin? In Nevada, filing is the trigger. Nothing else has to happen — no summons has to be issued, no defendant has to be served — for a case to commence. That filing date controls calculations like the statute of limitations and determines which version of a rule or statute applies going forward.
A 2019 note clarifies that "complaint" is not limited to a document literally titled that way. A petition or other paper that opens a civil action counts the same as a complaint for purposes of this rule. That clarification keeps parties from getting tripped up by labeling conventions in statutes that use different terms for the document that starts a case.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a lawsuit officially start in Nevada?
The moment the complaint is filed with the court. Service of the summons and complaint on the defendant happens afterward under Rule 4 and does not affect when the case is considered commenced.
Does filing stop the statute of limitations clock?
Filing the complaint is the act that commences the action, and commencement is generally what a statute of limitations measures against. The precise limitations period for a given claim still depends on the statute governing that claim.
What if my case starts with a petition instead of a document called a "complaint"?
Rule 3's use of "complaint" includes a petition or other document that initiates a civil action. The label on the initiating paper does not change how or when the action commences.
Do I need a summons issued before my case commences?
No. Commencement happens at filing. Issuing a summons and arranging service are separate steps governed by Rule 4 that follow after the action has already begun.
What happens right after I file the complaint?
The plaintiff presents a summons to the clerk for issuance and then arranges to have the summons and complaint served on each defendant under Rule 4, within the time that rule allows.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Advisory Committee
Notes, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Nevada Rules of Civil
Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of Nevada. Last verified July 14, 2026.
· Official source
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