Group XI: General Provisions · Last amended March 1, 2019 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 86 fixes when the civil procedure rules and their amendments take effect and provides that new amendments generally apply to pending cases too, unless the Supreme Court says otherwise or applying them would be infeasible or unjust.
(10)Amendment of Rules 6 and 81, effective July 1, 1973; the abrogation of Rules 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 76A, and Form 27, effective July 1, 1973.
(11)Amendment of Rules 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16.1, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 23.1, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 43, 44, 44.1, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 65.1, 67, 69, 71, 77, 78, 81, and 83 and Forms 3, 19, 31, and the Introductory Statement to the Appendix of Forms, effective January 1, 2005, and the adoption of new Form 33.
(12)Adoption of Rules 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2, 16.22, 16.23, 62.1, and 71.1, the amendment of all other rules and the introduction to the Appendix of Forms, the deletion of the former forms, and the adoption of Forms 1 through 6, effective March 1, 2019.
Amendment History
Amended eff. 3-1-19.
Plain-English Summary
Rules change over time, and Rule 86 answers the practical question of when a change governs a case. Every new rule or amendment takes effect on the date the Nevada Supreme Court sets. From that date forward, it applies to newly filed actions as a matter of course. It also reaches back to cases already pending — the default assumption is that everyone litigates under the current rules, not whatever version was in force when the case was filed.
That reach-back has two safety valves. The Supreme Court can specify that an amendment doesn't apply to pending cases, and a court handling a specific case can decline to apply an amendment if doing so wouldn't be feasible or would work an injustice given how far the case has already progressed. The rest of Rule 86 is a running record of every amendment since the NRCP first took effect on January 1, 1953 — useful for tracing which version of a given rule applied on a particular date, but it doesn't change how the rule itself operates going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
If a rule changes while my case is already pending, which version applies to me?
The amended version generally applies, even to pending cases, unless the Supreme Court says the amendment doesn't reach pending cases or the court finds applying it would be infeasible or unjust.
Can a court refuse to apply a new amendment to my case?
Yes. Rule 86 lets a court decline to apply an amendment to a pending action if doing so isn't feasible or would work an injustice, given the stage the case has already reached.
When did the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure first take effect?
January 1, 1953, with numerous amendments since then, each on its own effective date set by the Supreme Court.
How do I find out which version of a rule applied to my case on a particular date?
Rule 86(b) lists every amendment to the NRCP by date and by rule number, letting you trace which version was in force at a given point in time.
Does Rule 86 itself change the substance of any other rule?
No. It governs timing and applicability — when rules take effect and whether amendments reach pending cases — not the content of the individual rules.
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
Also known as:when did nevada rule change take effectdo amended rules apply to pending case nevadaNRCP effective date historyNRCP 86which version of the rule applies