Yes, scraping public data in Nevada is generally permissible, but strict adherence to federal and state laws is required. Publicly accessible information—such as government records, court filings, or business licenses—may be scraped unless restricted by terms of service or privacy statutes. The Nevada Attorney General’s 2024 guidance emphasizes compliance with the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 205.463 (computer crimes) and the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), while the 2026 Nevada Privacy Act (SB 220) introduces additional consumer data protections that indirectly impact scraping practices.
Key Regulations for Scraping Public Data in Nevada
- NRS 205.463 (Computer Crimes Act): Prohibits unauthorized access to computer systems or data, including circumventing technical barriers (e.g., CAPTCHAs, password protections) to scrape restricted public records. Violations may result in felony charges for repeat or large-scale offenses.
- Nevada Privacy Act (SB 220, effective 2026): Requires businesses handling scraped consumer data to implement opt-out mechanisms and data minimization practices, even if the data originates from public sources. Non-compliance risks fines up to $5,000 per violation.
- Federal CFAA & State Common Law: Courts in Nevada (e.g., HiQ Labs v. LinkedIn, 2022) have ruled that scraping publicly available data without violating a site’s terms of service is not a CFAA violation, but misrepresenting bot traffic or accessing password-protected data remains illegal.