Are Autopsy Reports Public in Nevada? (2026 Guide)

Nevada autopsy and toxicology reports are public records under NRS 239.010, the Nevada Public Records Act, but the coroner or medical examiner redacts private medical and health information unrelated to the cause and manner of death. Offices generally hold a report while the case is still open, and only the legal next of kin or a court order unlocks an unredacted copy.

Are Autopsy Reports Public in Nevada?

Yes. Autopsy and examination reports in Nevada are public records under NRS 239.010, the Nevada Public Records Act, which opens all public books and records to inspection unless a specific statute declares them confidential. No provision of NRS Chapter 259, the coroner chapter, makes an autopsy report confidential. That means a member of the public can request a copy, not just the family.

The access is not unlimited, though. The Nevada Supreme Court found a non-trivial privacy interest in private medical and health-related information contained in autopsy reports. So coroner and medical examiner offices redact private contact, medical, and health details that are unrelated to the cause and manner of death before releasing a report to the general public.

Because Nevada handles death investigation at the county level, the exact process depends on which county the death occurred in. The two largest offices are the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner and the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office.

For a national overview of how this works in other states, see Are Autopsies Public Records?

Who Performs Autopsies in Nevada?

Nevada does not have one statewide medical examiner. Under NRS 259.010, every county in the state is a coroner's district, except a county where a coroner is appointed under NRS 244.163. Larger counties such as Clark and Washoe run regional medical examiner offices staffed by forensic pathologists, while smaller counties rely on a coroner system.

NRS 259.050 sets the trigger. The coroner investigates when informed that a person has been killed, has committed suicide, or has died suddenly in circumstances giving reasonable ground to suspect that the death was occasioned by unnatural means. Where a death may have been caused by a criminal act, the coroner notifies the district attorney, who investigates with the coroner's assistance.

Not every death gets an autopsy. The office decides whether a full autopsy, an external examination, or toxicology testing is needed based on the circumstances. One examination is mandatory: under NRS 259.050, if the coroner can reasonably infer that a death may have been caused by drug use or poisoning, a forensic pathologist must perform a postmortem examination, unless the death followed a hospitalization stay of 24 hours or more. Under NRS 259.053, that pathologist determines the cause of death and the certifier records it on the death certificate. When testing is ordered, the office produces an investigation report, an examination or autopsy report, and a separate toxicology report.

Who Can Request a Nevada Autopsy Report?

Anyone can request a redacted public copy of a Nevada autopsy report, because these are public records. The version released to the general public will have private medical and health information unrelated to the cause and manner of death removed.

The legal next of kin has broader rights. To obtain an unredacted report, you generally need either written authorization from the legal next of kin or a court order. This is how families, attorneys, and insurers access the complete file.

The death certificate and the autopsy report are handled separately, and the coroner or medical examiner is not the office that issues certified death certificates for most purposes.

How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Nevada

You request a report directly from the county coroner or medical examiner office that handled the death, using that office's public records request form.

In Clark County, complete the Coroner/Medical Examiner public records request form and submit it by email to Coroner@ClarkCountyNV.gov, by fax to (702) 455-0416, or by mail to 1704 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106. The office handles three documents: the Coroner Investigation Report, the Coroner Medical Examination Report, and the Toxicology Report. The service is taxpayer-funded, so there is no cost to the family.

In Washoe County, submit the online request through the Regional Medical Examiner's Office website. Records are delivered by secure email once available. Examination reports generally take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.

Expect a hold while the case is open. Washoe County states that reports will not be released if the case is pending further investigation or is part of an ongoing legal proceeding, and other Nevada offices follow similar practice. That hold is office practice rather than a statutory exemption, because Nevada's Public Records Act contains no open-case or investigative-records exemption, and under NRS 239.0113 a governmental entity that asserts a record is confidential carries the burden of proving it. If your county is outside Clark or Washoe, contact that county's coroner directly, because fees and forms vary locally.

Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Nevada

An autopsy report and a death certificate are two different documents. The death certificate is a vital record that includes the cause-of-death line and is the document banks, courts, and agencies usually require to settle an estate.

The autopsy report is the detailed forensic file from the coroner or medical examiner: the examination findings, toxicology results, and the basis for the cause and manner of death. It contains far more medical detail than the single cause-of-death line on a certificate.

You request certified death certificates through Nevada vital records and the local county, not from the coroner for most purposes. You request the autopsy and toxicology reports from the coroner or medical examiner. See Nevada Death Records for how to order the certificate itself.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Autopsy report access, fees, and request procedures vary by Nevada county and can change. Confirm the current process with the coroner or medical examiner office that handled the death.

Sources

This guide relies on the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner, the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office, and Nevada Revised Statutes NRS 239.010, NRS 239.0113, NRS 259.010, NRS 259.050 and NRS 259.053.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are autopsy reports public record in Nevada?

Yes. Autopsy and toxicology reports are public records under NRS 239.010, the Nevada Public Records Act, and no provision of NRS Chapter 259 makes them confidential. However, the coroner or medical examiner redacts private medical and health information unrelated to the cause and manner of death before releasing a report to the general public.

How do I get an autopsy report in Nevada?

Submit a public records request to the county coroner or medical examiner office that handled the death. In Clark County, email, fax, or mail the Coroner/Medical Examiner request form. In Washoe County, use the online request form. Reports are delivered once the case is closed.

Who can request an autopsy report in Nevada?

Anyone can request a redacted public copy, since these are public records. To obtain an unredacted report, you generally need written authorization from the legal next of kin or a court order.

How much does a Nevada autopsy report cost?

In Clark County the service is taxpayer-funded and there is no cost to the family. Fees vary by county elsewhere, so contact the specific coroner or medical examiner office to confirm any charge.

Can I get an autopsy report while the case is open?

Usually not. Washoe County states that reports will not be released while a case is pending further investigation or is part of an ongoing legal proceeding, and other Nevada offices follow similar practice. This is office practice rather than a statutory exemption: Nevada's Public Records Act has no open-case exemption, and under NRS 239.0113 the agency carries the burden of proving a record is confidential if the withholding is challenged.

Is an autopsy report the same as a death certificate?

No. The death certificate is a vital record with the cause-of-death line, issued through vital records. The autopsy report is the detailed forensic file from the coroner or medical examiner, including examination findings and toxicology results.