---
title: "Tip pooling rules in Nevada"
description: "Nevada lets employers require tip pools across different ranks of employees, as long as all tips go to employees and the employer keeps none."
url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/nevada/tip-pooling
language: en
publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated)
date_published: 2026-09-23
last_verified: 2026-09-23
---

# Is a mandatory tip pool legal in Nevada?

**Short answer:** **Yes.** The Nevada Labor Commissioner says employers may set up mandatory tip pools that include employees of different ranks, as long as every tip is distributed among employees and the employer keeps no part for itself. Nevada law (NRS 608.160) also bars your employer from taking any of your tips or counting them toward the minimum wage.

## The rules in Nevada

| Rule | What it says |
| --- | --- |
| Mandatory pools | Allowed, and they may include employees of different ranks. |
| Condition | All tips must be distributed among employees; the employer keeps none. |
| Taking tips or tip credit | The employer may not take any tips or apply them as a credit toward the minimum wage (NRS 608.160). |

> “Yes, employers may establish mandatory tip pools that include employees of different ranks, so long as all the tips are distributed amongst the employees, and the employer does not keep any portion of the tips for themselves.” (Nevada Labor Commissioner: frequently asked questions, https://labor.nv.gov/About/Frequently_Asked_Questions/Frequently_Asked_Questions_-_About_Us/)

## What’s different in Nevada

A federal tip-credit employer can only require a pool among customarily tipped jobs. Nevada takes the tip credit off the table completely, so your employer owes the full $12.00 an hour in cash wages, and the Labor Commissioner describes pools that mix “different ranks” of employees.

That phrase doesn’t map neatly onto the federal duties test, which keeps managers and supervisors out of every pool. The commissioner issued an advisory opinion in August 2025 on whether employees with some managerial tasks can be pooled. We couldn’t extract its conclusion, so this page doesn’t tell you where Nevada draws that line. If a shift lead is in your pool, ask your employer which rule it follows.

## Official sources

- [Nevada Labor Commissioner: frequently asked questions](https://labor.nv.gov/About/Frequently_Asked_Questions/Frequently_Asked_Questions_-_About_Us/)
- [Nevada Labor Commissioner: Advisory Opinion AO-2025-08, tip pooling policy](https://labor.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/labornvgov/content/Employer/AO-2025-08%20Tip%20Pooling%20Policy.pdf)

## Last verified

September 23, 2026. Checked the agency pages linked above.

**Still open:** Nevada’s August 12, 2025 advisory opinion on pooling employees who do some managerial tasks exists, but its conclusion wasn’t readable in the saved copy, so we don’t state it.

## About TipMax

Nevada pools can span different ranks while the whole $12.00 wage is owed first, so a shift-by-shift record of what went in and came out is your own check.

TipMax is an iPhone app for servers and bartenders that tracks tips and tip-outs and turns a restaurant menu into study flashcards.

Download TipMax free: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tipmax-study-track-earn/id6744850146

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TipMax Answers explains public government guidance on pay and workplace rules in plain English for tipped workers. It is **not legal, tax, or accounting advice**. Rules change and local rules can add to them. Confirm with the agency linked on this page or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and pay; it doesn’t enforce wage law or decide disputes.