Las Vegas Nevada “Carjacking” Laws, Penalties & Defenses

Nevada has no specific carjacking statute. If you are arrested for carjacking, you would instead face charges for one or more of the following crimes depending on the specific circumstances:

• auto theft,
• robbery,
• assault with a deadly weapon,
• battery,
• murder, and/or
• attempted murder.

A conviction for any one of these carjacking-related offenses may result in Nevada State Prison time.

In this article, our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys will address the following key issues regarding Nevada carjacking laws:

• 1. Elements
• 2. Penalties
• 3. Defenses
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Additional reading

1. Elements

Carjacking in Las Vegas, Nevada, is the criminal taking of a motor vehicle from its driver by force, violence, or intimidation.¹

Unlike California law, Nevada law does not have a specific statute addressing carjacking. Instead, carjacking is a “cluster” of related crimes. If you are a carjacking suspect, you face charges for one or more of the following six offenses, depending on the circumstances:

1. Grand larceny of a motor vehicle (NRS 205.228): Stealing – or attempting to steal – a motor vehicle. This is also called “auto-theft.”
2. Robbery (NRS 200.380): An unlawful taking through the use of force, violence, or intimidation.
3. Assault with a deadly weapon (NRS 200.471(2)(b)): Using a deadly weapon such as a gun to place someone in fear of immediate bodily harm.
4. Battery (NRS 200.481): An unlawful use of force on a person, such as punching or grabbing.
5. Murder (NRS 200.030): Deliberately killing a person.
6. Attempted murder: Trying – and failing – to kill a person.²

Because carjacking is a violation of federal law in addition to state law, you also face charges for the federal crime of carjacking in addition to – or instead of – state charges.³

2. Penalties

Your carjacking sentence depends on the specific crime(s) you were convicted of, as the following table shows:

Note if federal prosecutors press carjacking charges, you face the following felony penalties:

• Up to 15 years in Federal Prison and/or a fine if no serious injury or death occurs; or
• Up to 25 years in Federal Prison and/or a fine if serious bodily injury occurs; or
• Life in Federal Prison if the victim dies.¹⁰

Reported carjackings plummeted by 43% in 2025 compared to 2024, continuing a sharp decline from the post-pandemic peak. (Council on Criminal Justice)

3. Defenses

Here at Las Vegas Defense Group, we have represented literally thousands of people charged with carjacking crimes. In our experience, the following seven defenses have proven very effective with prosecutors, judges, and juries at getting these charges reduced or dismissed.

1. You were misidentified out of a lineup. Many carjackings happen at night by suspects wearing masks, and victims may be unable to identify the correct suspect – especially if they are being pressured by impatient police officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) or Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP). In many cases, we can use surveillance video and your phone’s GPS data to show you were nowhere near the scene of the carjacking.
2. The police coerced your confession. Police are not allowed to use illegal interrogation techniques to extract confessions, such as by denying you food, water, or sleep. Here, we can use the police’s own bodycam footage against them to show that your rights were violated and to get your confession thrown out as evidence.
3. You were falsely accused. Perhaps someone wanted to get you in trouble and filed a false police report. When this happens, we compile evidence that impeaches the accuser’s credibility (such as their own text messages or eyewitness accounts). Once prosecutors see the accuser’s motivation to lie, they may dismiss your charge.
4. You were lawfully given the car. Perhaps the car owner misunderstood the situation and wrongly thought you stole it. Often, we can find text messages, voicemails, or other recorded communications that clearly indicate you had legal possession of the vehicle.
5. The police conducted an illegal search and seizure. We have seen many cases where police lacked a valid search warrant, and they had no justifiable reason to conduct a warrantless search. In this situation, we ask the judge to suppress any evidence the police may have found through their unlawful search – which can include the car itself. If the judge agrees, the D.A. may be required to drop the charge due to a lack of evidence.
6. You thought you had permission. If you reasonably believed you had permission to take the vehicle from someone you thought was the owner, then we could argue “mistake of fact.” Since you acted based on an innocent error and not out of criminal intent, the D.A. may decide to dismiss your case. 
7. You used no force or threats. If the prosecution cannot show that you took possession of the car through force or intimidation, then the case could be reduced to a standard car theft. This typically carries lesser penalties than robbery or assault with a deadly weapon.

Carjacking can occur anywhere from remote parking lots to crowded highways like Interstate 15.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does “carjacking” apply if I only intended to use the car temporarily?

Yes. While grand larceny of a motor vehicle typically focuses on the intent to permanently steal a car, charges involving force such as robbery apply even if you only intended to use the vehicle temporarily. In Nevada, the act of taking a vehicle by force or fear completes the crime of robbery the moment the vehicle is taken, regardless of whether you planned to keep it, abandon it, or return it later.

What is the difference between “Carjacking” and “Joyriding” in Nevada?

The primary difference is force and intent.

• Joyriding (NRS 205.2715): Formally called “Unlawful Taking of a Vehicle,” this is taking a car without permission but without using force against a person and without the intent to keep it permanently. It is a gross misdemeanor.
• Carjacking: This is not a specific statute but a combination of crimes (like robbery and grand larceny) where the car is taken from a person using force, fear, or weapons. Because of the violence involved, you would face felony charges.

Can I be charged with carjacking if I was only a passenger or “lookout”?

Yes. Under Nevada’s aiding and abetting laws (NRS 195.020), anyone who encourages, helps, or stands by to assist in a crime can be charged as a “principal.” This means if you acted as a lookout or drove the getaway car during a carjacking, you can face the exact same felony penalties as the person who pulled the driver out of the vehicle.

What if I genuinely believed I had permission to take the car?

This is known as a “mistake of fact” defense. If you had a reasonable, good-faith belief that the owner gave you permission—or if you believed you were the rightful owner—you may lack the “criminal intent” required for a conviction. Evidence such as text messages, witness statements, or prior history of borrowing the car can be used to support this defense.

What are the maximum fines for carjacking-related offenses?

Depending on the specific cluster of charges (such as robbery or grand larceny), a court can impose fines reaching up to $15,000, in addition to mandatory restitution to the victim for any damage to the vehicle or medical expenses.

Additional Reading

For more in-depth information, refer to these scholarly articles:

• Carjacking – United States Attorneys’ Bulletin.
• Carjacking and its consequences: A situational analysis of risk factors for differential outcomes – Security Journal.
• Perceived Sanction Threats and Projective Risk Sensitivity: Auto Theft, Carjacking, and the Channeling Effect – Justice Quarterly.
  
• Carjacking: Scope, Structure, Process, and Prevention – Annual Reviews of Criminology.
• “It takes skills to take a car”: Perceptual and procedural expertise in carjacking – Aggression and Violent Behavior.
  

Legal References