Nevada
Is Lane Splitting Legal in Nevada? (2026 Motorcycle Law)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 10, 2026). · 24 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
No. Lane splitting and lane filtering are both illegal in Nevada. NRS 486.351(1) provides that a person, "except a police officer in the performance of his or her duty, shall not drive a motorcycle or moped between moving or stationary vehicles occupying adjacent traffic lanes," so the ban covers stopped traffic as well as moving traffic. Passing on the right may never be done when it requires driving off the paved portion of the highway (NRS 484B.210(3)). A violation of 486.351 is a civil infraction, not a crime, under NRS 486.381, with a civil penalty of up to $500 under NRS 484A.7043, and the DMV demerit schedule assigns it 2 points (NAC 483.510). For how other states treat the same maneuvers, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.
Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Nevada state law in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and Nevada Administrative Code (NAC): the motorcycle rules in NRS 486.341, 486.351 and 486.381; the passing, lane and speed rules in NRS 484B.210, 484B.223 and 484B.600; aggressive and reckless driving (484B.650, 484B.653); the roadway definition (484A.220); the civil infraction and penalty sections (484A.704, 484A.7043, 484A.900); the work-zone and school-zone penalties (484B.130, 484B.370); and the demerit point system (NRS 483.473, NAC 483.510). It does not cover city or county ordinances, local fine amounts beyond the one labeled example below, insurance consequences, or the law of other states.
What Nevada's law says about riding between lanes
Nevada's motorcycle lane rules are in NRS 486.351. Subsection 1 is the ban:
"1. A person, except a police officer in the performance of his or her duty, shall not drive a motorcycle or moped between moving or stationary vehicles occupying adjacent traffic lanes."
The words "moving or stationary" decide the filtering question. Riding between lanes of moving traffic (lane splitting) and riding up between stopped cars at a light (lane filtering) are both "between moving or stationary vehicles occupying adjacent traffic lanes." The subsection sets no speed below which riding between lanes is allowed.
Nevada's wording differs from the model text in the 1968 revision of the Uniform Vehicle Code, which bars operating a motorcycle "between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles," but it reaches the same two maneuvers. The only exemption is for "a police officer in the performance of his or her duty." The section was last amended in 2017, and no Nevada statute authorizes lane filtering or lane splitting.
Splitting, filtering, shoulders and riding two abreast
| Maneuver | Nevada rule |
|---|---|
| Lane splitting (riding between lanes of moving traffic) | Prohibited by NRS 486.351(1) |
| Lane filtering (riding between stopped vehicles) | Prohibited by 486.351(1), which covers "moving or stationary" vehicles |
| Passing a vehicle within its own lane | Prohibited by 486.351(2) |
| Riding on the shoulder to pass traffic | Passing on the right may not be done when it requires driving off the paved portion of the highway (484B.210(3)); no motorcycle section allows shoulder riding |
| Riding two abreast in one lane | Allowed for no more than two motorcycles or mopeds, with the consent of the drivers (486.351(3)) |
Passing in the same lane and riding two abreast
Subsections 2 and 3 of 486.351 deal with sharing a lane:
"2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person shall not drive a motorcycle, moped or trimobile abreast of or overtake or pass another vehicle within the same traffic lane. 3. Motorcycles and mopeds may, with the consent of the drivers, be operated no more than two abreast in a single traffic lane."
Two-abreast riding is allowed only with the drivers' consent. Subsection 2 also names trimobiles, which subsection 3 does not, so riding abreast of another vehicle in the same lane is not available to a trimobile.
NRS 486.341 protects the rider's space: "Every motorcycle or moped when being driven on the highway is entitled to full use of the traffic lane it is occupying, and a person shall not drive another motor vehicle in a manner which would deprive any such motorcycle or moped of such use."
Riding on the shoulder and passing on the right
The shoulder answer starts with what Nevada calls the roadway. NRS 484A.220 provides: "'Roadway' means that portion of a highway which is improved and ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, exclusive of the shoulder."
NRS 484B.210 then limits passing on the right:
"1. The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (a) When the driver of the vehicle overtaken is making or signaling to make a left turn. (b) Upon a highway with unobstructed pavement which is not occupied by parked vehicles and which is of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction. (c) Upon a highway with unobstructed pavement which is not marked as a traffic lane and which is not occupied by parked vehicles, if the vehicle that is overtaking and passing another vehicle: (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, does not travel more than 200 feet in the section of pavement not marked as a traffic lane; or (2) While being driven in the section of pavement not marked as a traffic lane, does not travel through an intersection or past any private way that is used to enter or exit the highway. (d) Upon any highway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, where the highway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles. 2. The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. 3. The driver of a vehicle shall not overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right when such movement requires driving off the paved portion of the highway."
Subsection 4 of the same section lets emergency vehicles, traffic incident management vehicles, tow cars, coroner vehicles and public transit buses use a paved shoulder where signage allows. Motorcycles are not on that list, and neither 486.341 nor 486.351 gives motorcycles any shoulder access. The DMV demerit schedule in NAC 483.510 lists "Driving on a sidewalk, ditch or shoulder" at 1 demerit. Whatever the shoulder rules allow, riding between vehicles in adjacent lanes remains barred by 486.351(1).
Staying in a single lane
NRS 484B.223(1) applies on any highway with two or more marked lanes in one direction:
"1. If a highway has two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic traveling in one direction, vehicles must: (a) Be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane; and (b) Not be moved from that lane until the driver has given the appropriate turn signal and ascertained that such movement can be made with safety."
The two requirements are joined by "and": stay in a single lane as nearly as practicable, and signal and check for safety before moving out of it.
What happens if you are caught
A civil infraction, not a crime
Section 486.351 does not make a violation a crime. NRS 486.381 provides: "Any person violating any provisions of NRS 486.011 to 486.361, inclusive, is guilty of a civil infraction unless a provision of those sections specifically provides that a particular violation is a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony." The general passing and lane rules in chapter 484B work the same way: under NRS 484A.900(1), unless chapters 484A to 484E declare otherwise for a particular offense, a forbidden act "is a civil infraction punishable pursuant to NRS 484A.703 to 484A.705, inclusive."
Nevada's Assembly Bill 116 of the 2021 Legislature made that change for many traffic offenses. As the City of Las Vegas Municipal Court explains, "certain traffic violations in Nevada will become civil infractions instead of criminal misdemeanors," and the changes took effect January 1, 2023.
The civil penalty
NRS 484A.7043(1) sets the cap:
"Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who is found to have committed a civil infraction shall be punished by a civil penalty of not more than $500 per violation unless a greater civil penalty is authorized by specific statute."
Under 484A.7043(2), the court also orders the person to pay the administrative assessments set out in NRS 176.059, 176.0611, 176.0613 and 176.0623, in the amount that would apply if the civil penalty were a misdemeanor fine. The section also lets the court waive or reduce the civil penalty, or reduce a moving violation to a nonmoving one.
Under NRS 484A.704(1), a person who receives a civil infraction citation "shall respond to the citation as provided in this section not later than 90 calendar days after the date on which the citation is issued."
What one court charged
No statewide fine schedule sets a figure for 486.351. As one local example only, the City of Las Vegas Municipal Court's fine and bail schedule, dated December 29, 2022, listed "Passing between stopped or moving veh" (NRS 486.351.1) as a civil violation with a first-offense option of $100 plus costs (marked "No School/No Points"), second-offense options of $125 plus costs with or without a 5-hour class, and third-offense options of $150 plus costs with or without an 8-hour repeat-offender class. The same schedule listed first-offense options for passing on the right (NRS 484B.210) of $300 plus costs, $300 plus costs and a 5-hour class, or $360 plus costs with no school or points, and second-offense options of $360 plus costs with or without a 5-hour class. Those amounts are one city's figures on that date; other courts set their own, and later changes are not reflected.
Demerit points
The DMV demerit schedule in NAC 483.510 lists:
| Violation | Demerits |
|---|---|
| Riding between vehicles which occupy adjacent lanes or operating more than two motorcycles abreast in a single lane | 2 |
| Unsafe passing on the right | 4 |
| Driving on a sidewalk, ditch or shoulder | 1 |
| Changing lanes improperly | 4 |
| Reckless driving | 8 |
A civil infraction counts toward the point system. NRS 483.473(1) defines a "traffic violation" for that section to include "a finding by any municipal court or justice court in this State that a person has committed a civil infraction pursuant to NRS 484A.703 to 484A.705, inclusive."
Work zones and school zones
NRS 484B.130 adds a penalty for violations of listed sections, including 484B.200 to 484B.217 (which covers passing on the right in 484B.210) and 484B.223, committed in a temporary traffic control zone when workers are present or the condition of the highway may aggravate the act. For a civil infraction, the added civil penalty equals the one the court imposes for the primary infraction, and the additional penalty must not exceed a total of $250 (484B.130(2)(b)). The list does not name NRS 486.351, and neither do the similar lists in 484B.135 and 484B.370. Assembly Bill 6 of the 36th Special Session (approved November 29, 2025, effective July 1, 2026) added NRS 484B.370, an additional penalty for listed violations, including 484B.200 to 484B.217 and 484B.223, committed in an active school zone or active school crossing zone. For a civil infraction, the added civil penalty equals the one the court imposes for the primary infraction and must not exceed a total of $250 (484B.370(2)(b)), and the DMV assesses twice the number of demerit points assigned to the offense (484B.370(3)). Section 484B.223(5) now reads: a violator "may be subject to any additional penalty set forth in NRS 484B.130, 484B.135 or 484B.370."
Other rules and heavier charges
Reckless driving and aggressive driving are separate charges with their own elements; whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts. A between-lanes stop can also involve the general speed rule:
| Rule | What it requires | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Single lane, NRS 484B.223(1) | On a highway with two or more marked lanes in one direction, stay as nearly as practicable within a single lane, and signal and make sure the move is safe before leaving it | Civil infraction; up to $500 (484A.7043(1)); 4 demerits for changing lanes improperly |
| Passing on the right, 484B.210 | Only in the listed conditions, in safety, and never when the move requires driving off the paved portion of the highway | Civil infraction; up to $500; 4 demerits for unsafe passing on the right |
| Basic speed, 484B.600(1)(a)-(b) | No speed "greater than is reasonable or proper, having due regard for the traffic, surface and width of the highway, the weather and other highway conditions," and no speed that endangers "the life, limb or property of any person" | Civil infraction; a fine under paragraph (a) or (b) may not exceed $20 for each mile per hour above the posted limit or the proper rate of speed (484B.600(6)); a civil penalty of up to $1,000 if the violation causes physical injury or property damage (484B.600(7)); a misdemeanor if the driver was going 30 miles per hour or more over the posted limit (484B.600(8)), punishable by up to 6 months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both (NRS 193.150) |
| Aggressive driving, 484B.650 | All of the elements below, within 1 mile of a single, continuous period of driving | Misdemeanor. First offense: a fine of $250 to $1,000, or that fine and up to 6 months in county jail. Second: $1,000 to $1,500, or that fine and up to 6 months. Third or later: $1,500 to $2,000, or that fine and up to 6 months (484B.650(3)). A first offense within 2 years also requires a traffic safety course and allows a license suspension of up to 30 days; a second or later offense within 2 years requires revocation of the license for 1 year (484B.650(4)) |
| Reckless driving, 484B.653(1)(a) | Driving a vehicle "in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property on a highway or premises to which the public has access" | Misdemeanor. First offense: a fine of $250 to $1,000, or that fine and up to 6 months in county jail. Second: $1,000 to $1,500, or that fine and up to 6 months. Third or later: $1,500 to $2,000, or that fine and up to 6 months (484B.653(3)). If the willful or wanton act proximately causes the death of or substantial bodily harm to another person: a category B felony, 1 to 6 years in prison (1 to 10 years at 50 miles per hour or more over the limit or in a pedestrian safety zone or school zone) and a fine of $2,000 to $5,000 (484B.653(9)). 8 demerits (NAC 483.510) |
What aggressive driving requires
Nevada has an aggressive-driving crime, and two of its predicate acts are lane-use and right-side passing violations that a rider between lanes may also commit. NRS 484B.650(1) provides that a driver commits the offense "if, during any single, continuous period of driving within the course of 1 mile, the driver does all the following, in any sequence":
"(a) Commits one or more acts of speeding in violation of NRS 484B.363 or 484B.600. (b) Commits two or more of the following acts, in any combination, or commits any of the following acts more than once: (1) Failing to obey an official traffic-control device in violation of NRS 484B.300. (2) Overtaking and passing another vehicle upon the right by driving off the paved portion of the highway in violation of NRS 484B.210. (3) Improper or unsafe driving upon a highway that has marked lanes for traffic in violation of NRS 484B.223. (4) Following another vehicle too closely in violation of NRS 484B.127. (5) Failing to yield the right-of-way in violation of any provision of NRS 484B.250 to 484B.267, inclusive. (c) Creates an immediate hazard, regardless of its duration, to another vehicle or to another person, whether or not the other person is riding in or upon the vehicle of the driver or any other vehicle."
All three paragraphs must be met. A violation of 486.351 itself is not on the predicate list in paragraph (b), and without a speeding act and an immediate hazard, lane violations alone do not make out the offense.
Chapter 484B does not use the term careless driving; the single-lane rule, the basic speed rule and the reckless driving section are the closest provisions.
Recent changes and open points
The ban has been stable: NRS 486.351 was last amended in 2017, and 486.381 in 2021. The penalty and speed sections have moved more recently:
- Senate Bill 359 (2025) amended 484A.7043 to change where civil penalties are paid and to bar awards of attorney's fees or costs in a hearing to contest a civil infraction citation. It also amended 484B.600 so a court may reduce a speeding citation to a nonmoving violation only if the person admits the violation, pays the entire fine and all fees on or before the date of the first required appearance and provides a copy of his or her driving record, and not where the record shows a pattern of moving traffic violations. Assembly Bill 417 (2025) amended 484B.653 on vehicle inspection and registration cancellation after impoundment for an unauthorized speed contest or trick driving display. The text quoted above is each section as it now reads in the NRS.
- Assembly Bill 6 of the 36th Special Session (approved November 29, 2025, effective July 1, 2026) amended 484B.223 only to add the school-zone cross-reference quoted above, and also touched 484B.210, 484B.600, 484B.650 and 484B.653. It did not amend 486.351.
Two practical points are not settled by the sources covered here. The Las Vegas amounts are dated December 2022, and current amounts in that court or any other may differ. And the sections covered here contain no general shoulder-driving statute beyond 484B.210 and the 1-demerit entry in NAC 483.510.
Federal law and lane splitting
We found no federal statute or regulation that addresses lane splitting or filtering; the rules come from state traffic law. The federal motorcyclist safety grant rule, 23 CFR 1300.25, sets criteria for training, motorist-awareness and impaired-riding programs and says nothing about lane use, and NHTSA's motorcycle safety guidance does not mention splitting or filtering. Nevada's rule comes from state law.
If a crash happens while splitting or filtering
Riding between lanes violates NRS 486.351(1), and that fact can come up after a collision. How it bears on fault, insurance and an injury claim is covered in our guide to Nevada motorcycle accident laws. For the rules that apply to crashes generally, see Nevada car accident laws.
Related pages
- Lane splitting laws by state
- Nevada motorcycle accident laws
- Nevada car accident laws
- California lane splitting laws
- Utah lane splitting laws
This article provides general legal information about Nevada law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Nevada.
Last updated: 2026-10-09.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lane splitting legal in Nevada?
No. NRS 486.351(1) bars driving a motorcycle or moped between moving or stationary vehicles occupying adjacent traffic lanes; only a police officer in the performance of duty is exempt.
Is lane filtering legal in Nevada?
No. Because NRS 486.351(1) covers stationary as well as moving vehicles, riding up between stopped cars at a light is prohibited too.
Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Nevada?
Not to pass traffic. NRS 484B.210(3) bars passing on the right when the movement requires driving off the paved portion of the highway, NRS 484A.220 defines the roadway to exclude the shoulder, and no motorcycle section allows shoulder riding.
What is the fine for lane splitting in Nevada?
A violation of NRS 486.351 is a civil infraction under NRS 486.381, with a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation under NRS 484A.7043(1) plus administrative assessments. One local schedule, the Las Vegas Municipal Court schedule dated December 29, 2022, listed $100 plus costs for a first offense.
How many points is a lane splitting ticket in Nevada?
NAC 483.510 assigns 2 demerits for riding between vehicles which occupy adjacent lanes or operating more than two motorcycles abreast in a single lane.
Is lane splitting aggressive driving in Nevada?
Aggressive driving is a separate charge. Under NRS 484B.650 it requires, within 1 mile of continuous driving, at least one speeding act, two or more listed acts such as unsafe lane use or passing on the right off the paved portion of the highway, and an immediate hazard to another vehicle or person.
Can two motorcycles ride side by side in Nevada?
Yes, but only with the consent of the drivers and never more than two abreast in a single lane (NRS 486.351(3)).
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 486: MOTORCYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
§ 486.351Unlawful passing; driving abreast; prohibition on driving in extreme left lane; exceptions.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
1. A person, except a police officer in the performance of his or her duty, shall not drive a motorcycle or moped between moving or stationary vehicles occupying adjacent traffic lanes. 2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person shall not drive a motorcycle, moped or trimobile abreast of or overtake or pass another vehicle within the same traffic lane. 3. Motorcycles and mopeds may, with the consent of the drivers, be operated no more than two abreast in a single traffic lane. 4. A person, except a police officer in the performance of his or her duty, driving a moped shall, except: (a) When preparing to turn left as provided in subsection 5; (b) When doing so would not be safe; or (c) In compliance with the directions of a police officer, Ê drive in the extreme right-hand lane if the highway has two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic traveling in the same direction in which the driver is traveling. 5. A person driving a moped as required pursuant to subsection 4 who is preparing to turn left may enter the lane from which the left turn will be made not more than one-quarter of a mile from where the left turn will be made.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.nv.us
Also relied on in: Motorcycle Accident Laws in Nevada (2026): Deadlines
§ 486.381Violation of provisions concerning motorcycles and similar vehicles.In force
Any person violating any provisions of NRS 486.011 to 486.361, inclusive, is guilty of a civil infraction unless a provision of those sections specifically provides that a particular violation is a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.nv.us
Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 484A: TRAFFIC LAWS GENERALLY
§ 484A.7043Penalties.In forcecited in 5 of our articles
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who is found to have committed a civil infraction shall be punished by a civil penalty of not more than $500 per violation unless a greater civil penalty is authorized by specific statute. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 484A.792, any civil penalty collected pursuant to NRS 484A.703 to 484A.705, inclusive, by a: (a) Municipal court must be paid to the treasurer of the city in which the court is located. (b) Justice court must be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the court is located. 2. If a person is found to have committed a civil infraction, in addition to any civil penalty imposed on the person, the court shall order the person to pay the administrative assessments set forth in NRS 176.059, 176.0611, 176.0613 and 176.0623 in the amount that the person would be required to pay if the civil penalty were a fine imposed on a defendant who pleads guilty or guilty but mentally ill or is found guilty or guilty but mentally ill of a misdemeanor.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leg.state.nv.us
Also relied on in: Nevada Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits, Nevada Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide), Nevada E-Scooter Laws: Sidewalk, Helmet & Age Rules (2026)
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Sources and References
- NRS 486.351, Unlawful passing; driving abreast(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.210, Overtaking and passing on the right(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 486.381, Penalty (civil infraction)(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484A.7043, Civil penalty for civil infraction(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- Uniform Vehicle Code and Model Traffic Ordinance, Revised 1968, section 11-1303(law.resource.org)
- NRS 486.341, Full use of traffic lane by motorcycle or moped(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484A.220, Roadway defined(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NAC 483.510, Demerit point schedule(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.223, Driving on highway with marked lanes(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484A.900, Civil infraction default for chapters 484A to 484E(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- City of Las Vegas Municipal Court, AB 116 Explained(files.lasvegasnevada.gov).gov
- NRS 484A.704, Response to civil infraction citation(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- City of Las Vegas Municipal Court, Fine and Bail Schedule (dated December 29, 2022)(files.lasvegasnevada.gov).gov
- NRS 483.473, Demerit point system; traffic violation defined(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.130, Additional penalty in temporary traffic control zones(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.370, Additional penalty in active school zones and school crossing zones; double demerit points(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- Statutes of Nevada 2025, 36th Special Session, Chapter 10 (AB 6)(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.600, Basic speed rule and penalties(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 193.150, Punishment of misdemeanors(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.650, Aggressive driving(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- NRS 484B.653, Reckless driving(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- Statutes of Nevada 2025, Chapter 260 (SB 359), civil infraction hearings and speeding reductions(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- Statutes of Nevada 2025, Chapter 148 (AB 417), vehicle inspection after speed contest impoundment(leg.state.nv.us).gov
- 23 CFR 1300.25, Motorcyclist safety grants(ecfr.gov).gov
- NHTSA, Motorcycle Safety(nhtsa.gov).gov