CAN I GET A BENCH WARRANT IF I WASN'T DRIVING?

In Nevada, the legally registered owner of a vehicle CAN receive a bench warrant for illegally parking (a non-moving violation) even if the owner did not actually sign (or receive) the parking violation, if the owner fails to respond to a mailed notice of the parking ticket. If you allow someone else to drive your car, and a parking ticket is issued to that other driver, you must respond to any written notice to appear, even if you were not the person who received the parking citation.

As always, it is important to respond to any notification to appear in court. It is also important that you maintain your current address with DMV so that you will receive any official notices sent to you. By law, you must notify the Nevada Division of Motor Vehicles of any address changes. So, you have no excuse if you didn't get your mail because you moved. You can visit the Nevada DMV's website at www.dmvnv.com to find the link for change of address.

NRS 484.810 Issuance of warrant for failure to obey citation for parking violation.

1. A traffic citation for a parking violation may be prepared manually or electronically.

2. When a traffic citation for a parking violation has been issued identifying by license number a vehicle registered to a person who has not signed the citation, a bench warrant may not be issued for that person for failure to appear before the court unless:

(a) A notice to appear concerning the violation is first sent to the person by first-class mail within 60 days after the citation is issued; and

(b) The person does not appear within 20 days after the date of the notice or the notice to appear is returned with a report that it cannot be delivered.

(Added to NRS by 1977, 576; A 1981, 401; 1999, 1148)