Yes. Nevada law (NRS 108.297) requires you to account for and pay any surplus from the lien sale. After recovering your documented towing, storage, and auction fees, you must pay excess proceeds first to lienholders, then to the vehicle owner. You cannot simply keep all auction proceeds because you obtained clean title through VP-147. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Nevada lien sales.

A shocked Reddit discussion illustrates the confusion: "I always thought the right thing would be for the tow vendor to pay any excess from the sale over their storage costs to the lienholder but they take possession of the whole vehicle?" The answer: Taking possession for lien sale is legal, but keeping surplus proceeds beyond documented costs is illegal conversion of property.

📋 Nevada Surplus Distribution Hierarchy (NRS 108.297):

1. First priority - Your documented costs: Towing charges, storage fees at your posted daily rate, administrative costs for title search and certified mail, auction fees
2. Second priority - Lienholders on DMV record: If auction sale exceeds your costs, remaining funds go to the first lienholder (bank) up to the amount of their lien. If surplus still remains, it goes to second lienholder if applicable
3. Third priority - Original owner: Any remaining surplus after lienholder(s) are paid must be sent to the registered owner at their DMV-registered address via certified mail
4. Unclaimed surplus: If owner doesn't respond to surplus notification within required time (typically 30-60 days), consult legal counsel about escheat to the state

⚠️ Real-World Example of Surplus Calculation:

• Vehicle sells at Copart for $8,500
• Your documented costs: Towing $250, storage 45 days at $30/day = $1,350, auction fees $400 = $2,000 total
• Remaining: $6,500 surplus
• Lienholder on DMV record: Bank with $12,000 lien = Bank gets entire $6,500
• Nothing left for owner (their debt to bank reduced by $6,500)

Different scenario - No lien on record:

• Same $8,500 sale price, same $2,000 costs
• No lienholder on DMV title
• You must send $6,500 to the registered owner with accounting of costs and surplus calculation

💡 Why This Matters for VP-147 Compliance: When you sign your notarized VP-147 affidavit, you're swearing under oath that you followed Nevada's lien sale procedures. Part of those procedures is accounting for surplus. If the owner later discovers you kept $5,000 in surplus that legally belonged to them or their lender, you face: (1) civil lawsuit for conversion, (2) potential perjury charges for false VP-147 affidavit, (3) loss of your tow operator license, (4) criminal charges for theft by conversion.

🏢 Best Practice for Tow Operators: Create a standard surplus calculation worksheet for every lien sale. Document: (1) Auction gross proceeds, (2) Itemized costs (towing, storage with daily rate and number of days, title search, certified mail, auction fees), (3) Net surplus calculation, (4) Lienholder payment if applicable with proof of payment, (5) Owner surplus payment with certified mail proof of delivery. Keep these records for 3-5 years. When we notarize VP-147 forms at Sun City Aliante or other Clark County tow yards, we can review your surplus calculation to ensure it's properly documented before you sign under oath.

Related Questions

• Do I need to notify both the owner AND lienholder for VP-147?
• What if certified mail comes back undeliverable? Can I still do lien sale?
• What are the legal limits on storage fees for Nevada tow operators?

Nevada apostille coordination for common certificates is offered with simple “from” pricing per document. Our certificate tiers include Nevada filing + standard U.S. return shipping, and we coordinate document intake, request preparation, submission to the Nevada Secretary of State, and return delivery with tracking.

Certificate pricing (per document):

• Standard: From $185 (estimated total turnaround to you: ~6–8 weeks)
• 24-Hour: From $282 (estimated total turnaround to you: ~4 days)
• 4-Hour: From $333 (estimated total turnaround to you: ~3 days)

Note: The apostille certificate itself is issued exclusively by the Nevada Secretary of State. Mobile notaries cannot issue apostilles—we provide preparation and submission coordination to help ensure proper processing, reduce rejections, and keep timelines predictable.

💰 Complete Cost Breakdown (Typical Ranges):

1. Lake Mead certificate apostille coordination (“from” pricing): Standard $185, 24-Hour $282, 4-Hour $333 (includes Nevada filing + standard U.S. return shipping)
2. Notarization (only if required before apostille): billed separately when needed (e.g., $15 per signature + any travel/after-hours/venue access fees shown at booking)
3. Shipping upgrades (optional): available if you prefer faster carrier service, international return, or using your own label
4. Additional documents (when eligible to process together): +$49 LMMN processing per additional document, plus Nevada SOS fees per extra document by speed:
   • $20.50 (Standard)
   • $97.37 (24-Hour)
   • $148.62 (4-Hour)

📋 When Notarization Is Required Before Apostille:

• Powers of attorney and affidavits (must have a proper Nevada notarial certificate before the Secretary of State will authenticate)
• Personal consent forms and travel authorizations
• Corporate resolutions and business documents signed by officers
• Educational documents if the school or registrar requires notarization of the record

⚠️ Real-World Cost Example – Birth Certificate (Certificate Tier, No Notarization Needed):

• Choose speed based on your deadline:
  • Standard: From $185
  • 24-Hour: From $282
  • 4-Hour: From $333
• Standard U.S. return shipping is included; upgrades available if requested

⚠️ Real-World Cost Example – Power of Attorney (If Notarization Is Needed First):

• Mobile notarization: billed separately (e.g., $15 per signature + travel shown at booking)
• Then apostille coordination is priced by your selected service speed (Standard / 24-Hour / 4-Hour)
• Optional: expedited carrier return or international return (quoted based on destination and carrier)

💡 Why Professional Coordination Saves Money: DIY apostille submissions are frequently rejected for issues such as incorrect notarial wording, missing certified copies, or incomplete Nevada request forms. Each rejection can add weeks of delay and may require resubmission. Our apostille coordination service includes pre-submission review designed to catch these problems in advance so your document is more likely to be accepted the first time.

🏢 Service Areas for Document Coordination: We provide mobile document preparation and apostille coordination throughout Henderson business districts, Las Vegas Strip hotels, Boulder City residences, and North Las Vegas corporate offices, with most appointments available Monday–Saturday. Online scheduling lets you choose the time and place that works best for you.

Related Questions

• How Fast Can I Get an Apostille in Las Vegas
• Which Documents Need an Apostille vs a Certified Copy in Nevada
• How Long Does Nevada Secretary of State Apostille Processing Take