“Work Card” & “Work Permit” Laws in Las Vegas, Nevada

Work cards are required in Nevada for certain occupations, such as

• bartenders,
• child care workers, and
• adult entertainers.

In Las Vegas, employers provide work card applications to employees.

Workers then must get fingerprinted and possibly background checked at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Fingerprinting Bureau. Work permits last for five years before they need to be renewed.

In this article, our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys discuss:

• 1. What jobs require work cards?
• 2. How do I get a work card in Las Vegas?
• 3. What are the fees?
• 4. Why would my work card application be denied?
• 5. How long are work cards good in Las Vegas?
• 6. Is it a crime to work without a work card?
• Additional Resources

1. What jobs require work cards?

In Las Vegas, work cards (also referred to as sheriff’s cards) are generally required to work as:

• bartenders or employees in package stores
• exotic dancers, escorts, and outcall entertainers
• dealers or cage workers in casinos
• child care workers
• locksmiths
• pawnbrokers
• mobile food vendors
• carnival and traveling show workers
• peddlers and temporary merchants¹

2. How do I get a work card in Las Vegas?

Prospective employers provide you a work card application. You can usually get the application from your employer’s Human Resources department.

You should then complete the application form and have your employer sign it. (Here is a sample work card application.) Note that your employer must submit a location change form to the LVMPD within five days of you starting work.

You must then go to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) Fingerprinting Bureau:

400 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Bldg. C

Las Vegas, NV 89106

(702) 828-3271

Open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and weekends and holidays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. (Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.)

You must bring two forms of identification, and one must have a photograph. Acceptable IDs are:

• a state-issued driver’s license,
• U.S. passport,
• social security card,
• state-issued ID,
• military ID,
• naturalization certificate,
• baptismal certificate,
• alien ID card, or
• DD214.

If you are not born in the U.S., you must show either a naturalization certificate, U.S. Passport, U.S. Birth Certificate, or INS authorization to work. Plus if you are under 26 years of age, you have to show a copy of your certified birth certificate.

The LVMPD will then use the fingerprint cards to run an FBI background check if the job requires it. Work cards are usually issued the same day.

Note that security guards must apply for a work card here, not at the LVMPD. Childcare workers must apply for work cards with the Nevada Department of Public Safety, not at the LVMPD; call 702-486-3822 for more information. Also, applicants in the gaming industry who require a gaming card should contact the Nevada Gaming Control Board.²

3. What are the fees?

The LVMPD work card fee is $62. The fingerprinting fee is $18. And the FBI background check (if necessary) is $40.25.

The LVMPD accepts these forms of payments:

• Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover)
• Debit Card
• Cash
• Cashier’s check payable to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
• Money order payable to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department³

4. Why would my work card application be denied?

Depending on the occupation, the LVMPD may deny issuing work cards if you have felony or gross misdemeanor convictions on your criminal history record. Plus, work cards will not be issued if you have outstanding arrest warrants or bench warrants.

If you are denied a work card, you may appeal the denial. The LVMPD will give you instructions on the appeals process.⁴

See our related articles on quashing bench warrants and sealing criminal records in Nevada.

5. How long are work cards good in Las Vegas?

LVMPD-issued work cards last for five years. The renewal fee is $62.⁵

6. Is it a crime to work without a work card?

Depending on the occupation, working without a current and valid work card is a misdemeanor in Las Vegas. The penalties include:

• Up to 6 months in jail, and/or
• Up to $1,000 in fines⁶

Additional Resources

For more in-depth information, refer to these Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) articles:

• Work Cards: Overview – General information about what work cards are and the process of applying for them.
• Work Cards: FAQs – Frequently-asked-questions and answers about work cards in Las Vegas.
• Fingerprinting Services – Prices and locations for getting fingerprinted.

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Legal References