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Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in Unincorporated Churchill County, Nevada

Required for construction of a new single-family dwelling in unincorporated Churchill County, reviewed against the currently adopted 2024 IBC/IRC/IECC (with the County's mid-transition acceptance of 2018-cycle-code applications submitted before December 31, 2025) and Churchill County's own design-criteria table (Table R301.2). Applications and plans are submitted through the County's online portal or in person at 270 S. Maine Street, Suite A.

Verified 2026-07-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Churchill County, not the City of Fallon, which has a separate, self-administered Building Department
  • Submit application and plans through the online portal (https://www.citizenserve.com/Portal/PortalController?Action=showHomePage&installationID=437) or in person at the Building Department, 270 S. Maine Street, Suite A, Fallon, NV 89406
  • Only one (1) set of structural drawings (plans) plus a site plan is required if hard copies are submitted; electronic plans/site plans may be emailed instead if available
  • Follow the County's published 'Instructions for completing a site plan for Single Family Homes, Additions, or Accessory Structures' (PDF)
  • Plans must comply with the County's currently adopted 2024 IBC, 2024 IRC, and 2024 IECC (or, for applications submitted before December 31, 2025, the prior 2018-cycle codes per the County's transition allowance)
  • Design must meet Churchill County's published design criteria: 115 mph wind speed, Seismic Design Category D1, 18-inch frost line depth, ground snow load per IBC Table 1608.2.1, severe weathering, moderate-to-heavy termite exposure, and flood-hazard review per Churchill County Code Title 19
  • A Dust Control Handout applies to the construction site
  • Septic system approval (new construction requires a soil profile pit inspection and a post-completion inspection before backfill) if not connected to public sewer
  • More complex or commercial projects require stamped engineering drawings and/or an architectural stamp per the Building Department's Guidelines and Requirements

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit FeeChurchill County Building Permit Procedures & Application page: 'The cost of permits is based on the valuation of construction. For further information, contact the Building Department at buildings@churchillcountynv.gov or call (775) 428-0264.' Confirm current cost directly with the Building Department.
Not published — the cost of permits is based on the valuation of construction; no dollar-figure or valuation-based fee table was found published on the County's website

Review timeline

Plan reviewUnincorporated Churchill County’s published plan-review target
15–20 business days

How long did your Residential Building Permit (New Construction) permit actually take in Unincorporated Churchill County?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation

    Made after excavations for footings are complete and any required reinforcing steel is in place

  2. 2

    Stemwall

    Made before concrete is poured, forms or block are in place, and rebar is set and positioned as required

  3. 3

    Concrete Slab / Under-Floor

    Made after all in-slab or under-floor building service equipment, conduit, piping accessories, and other ancillary equipment items are in place but before any concrete is poured

  4. 4

    Rough Framing

    Made after the roof, all framing, fire blocking, and bracing are in place and all pipes, chimneys, and vents are complete, and rough electrical, plumbing, heating wires, pipes, and ducts are approved — must occur before insulation and drywall are installed

  5. 5

    Other Inspections (insulation, drywall nail, roof nail, stucco lath, etc.)

    The building official may make or require other inspections to ascertain code compliance; call the Building Department before permanently covering any construction to confirm whether an inspection is required

  6. 6

    Septic — Soil Profile Pit

    First of two septic inspections, made when the soil profile pit is dug (if applicable)

  7. 7

    Septic — Final

    Second septic inspection, made after completion of the septic system but before anything is covered with soil (if applicable)

  8. 8

    Final

    Made after finish grading and the building is completed and ready for occupancy

See the full Unincorporated Churchill County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Plan review normally takes 15 to 20 working days for standard residential plans; complex or commercial projects can take 10-12 weeks. These are approximate and can vary with workload and plan completeness.
  • Request inspections a minimum of 24 hours in advance by phone ((775) 428-0264) or email (buildings@churchillcountynv.gov), with the property address, inspection type, and permit number ready.
  • A building permit is valid for 180 days from issuance or from the date of the last inspection — schedule inspections to keep the permit active.
  • Confirm you are contacting the correct department: Churchill County Building Department (270 S. Maine St., Suite A, (775) 428-0264) for unincorporated county land, versus the City of Fallon Building Department (55 W. Williams Ave, (775) 423-5107) for property within Fallon city limits.
  • The County is mid-transition on code editions as of this review — plans submitted before December 31, 2025 may still be accepted under the prior 2018-cycle codes. Confirm which edition set applies to your submittal timing.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Churchill County requires a residential building permit (new construction) for: Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Churchill County, not the City of Fallon, which has a separate, self-administered Building Department; Submit application and plans through the online portal (https://www.citizenserve.com/Portal/PortalController?Action=showHomePage&installationID=437) or in person at the Building Department, 270 S. Maine Street, Suite A, Fallon, NV 89406; Only one (1) set of structural drawings (plans) plus a site plan is required if hard copies are submitted; electronic plans/site plans may be emailed instead if available; Follow the County's published 'Instructions for completing a site plan for Single Family Homes, Additions, or Accessory Structures' (PDF); Plans must comply with the County's currently adopted 2024 IBC, 2024 IRC, and 2024 IECC (or, for applications submitted before December 31, 2025, the prior 2018-cycle codes per the County's transition allowance); Design must meet Churchill County's published design criteria: 115 mph wind speed, Seismic Design Category D1, 18-inch frost line depth, ground snow load per IBC Table 1608.2.1, severe weathering, moderate-to-heavy termite exposure, and flood-hazard review per Churchill County Code Title 19; A Dust Control Handout applies to the construction site; Septic system approval (new construction requires a soil profile pit inspection and a post-completion inspection before backfill) if not connected to public sewer; More complex or commercial projects require stamped engineering drawings and/or an architectural stamp per the Building Department's Guidelines and Requirements. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Churchill County Building Department at (775) 428-0264 before starting work.

In Unincorporated Churchill County, the published Building Permit Fee is: Not published — the cost of permits is based on the valuation of construction; no dollar-figure or valuation-based fee table was found published on the County's website. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Plan review usually takes 15 to 20 working days for standard residential plans. More complex plans and commercial projects have a 10-12 week processing time. These are approximate and can vary based on current workload and plan completeness. Source: Churchill County Building Department FAQ.

You'll need: Online Portal Building Permit Application; Site Plan (per County Instructions PDF); Dust Control Handout Acknowledgment. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Churchill County requires 8 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction), in order: Foundation, Stemwall, Concrete Slab / Under-Floor, Rough Framing, Other Inspections (insulation, drywall nail, roof nail, stucco lath, etc.), Septic — Soil Profile Pit, Septic — Final, Final. Schedule each through Churchill County Building Department ((775) 428-0264).

Apply through Churchill County Building Department at 270 S. Maine Street, Suite A, Fallon, Nevada 89406. Phone: (775) 428-0264, email: buildings@churchillcountynv.gov. Office hours: The Churchill County Building Department is responsible for issuing permits and inspecting residential and commercial construction projects in the unincorporated areas of the county, and also permits and inspects septic system construction (new systems and repairs). This is a genuinely distinct jurisdiction from the City of Fallon Building Department (55 W. Williams Avenue) — Fallon self-administers permitting within its own city limits and does not route through the County. Source: Churchill County Building Department page ('The Churchill County Building Department is responsible for issuing permits and the inspection of residential and commercial construction projects in the unincorporated areas of the county...').. Official information: https://www.churchillcountynv.gov/98/Building-Department.

Unincorporated Churchill County, Nevada has adopted: Nevada is a home-rule state for building codes: there is no single mandatory statewide building-code edition — each city and county adopts and amends its own code. The only genuine statewide floor is the energy code, administered per NRS 701.220 (State Office of Energy). Source: Nevada Legislature NRS Chapter 701.; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), currently adopted by Churchill County per the County's own 'Building Code & Design Criteria Information' page. Source: https://www.churchillcountynv.gov/100/Building-Code-Design-Criteria-Informatio; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), currently adopted by Churchill County — satisfies the NRS 701.220 statewide energy-code floor. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page; NRS 701.220.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), currently adopted by Churchill County — Nevada jurisdictions may adopt either the UPC or the IPC; Churchill County adopted the UPC. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2024 Northern Nevada Amendments (NNA), published by the Northern Nevada Chapter of the International Code Council (2024 NNICC Code Amendments, finalized February 20, 2025), adopted by Churchill County amending the design-criteria tables (e.g., ground snow load) for the region. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page and https://www.churchillcountynv.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18596/2024-NNICC_Code_Amendments_Final_2-20-2025; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; 2017 ICC A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, currently adopted by Churchill County. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page.; Transition note: as of this review, the County's webpage states plans will still be accepted under the prior (2018-cycle) code editions until December 31, 2025, with applications required to be submitted before that date to be reviewed under the 2018 codes; the County's own 'Guidelines and Requirements' technical handout (PDF, Building Department) still documents the older adopted list (2017 NEC, 2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, 2018 IFC, 2018 UMC, 2018 UPC, 2018 IFGC, 2006 International Property Maintenance Code, 2006 International Private Sewage Disposal Code, 2018 IECC) as a legacy artifact. Confirm the currently governing edition set directly with the Building Department at (775) 428-0264 given the mid-transition timing. Source: Churchill County Building Code & Design Criteria Information page; Churchill County Building Department Guidelines and Requirements (PDF), https://www.churchillcountynv.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9016.; Churchill County Code Title 15 (Buildings and Construction) is the codified local ordinance; full text is referenced from the County's own site via the Municode Library platform, though the specific chapter/section numbering for the current 2024-cycle adoption was not independently re-verified via Municode itself (Municode's rendering requires JavaScript and did not yield section text via direct fetch during this review — the County's own webpage is used as the authoritative source instead). Source: https://library.municode.com/nv/churchill_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=15946 (referenced from the County's own Quick Links) and https://churchillcounty.municipalcodeonline.com/.. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Churchill County overview page for the full list.

If your property is in unincorporated Churchill County, the Churchill County Building Department (270 S. Maine Street, Suite A, (775) 428-0264) issues the permit and performs inspections. If your property is within Fallon city limits, the City of Fallon Building Department (55 W. Williams Avenue, (775) 423-5107) — a separate, self-administered department — handles it instead.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-13.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Unincorporated Churchill County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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