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Commercial Building Permit (New Construction) in Boulder City, Nevada

Building permit for new commercial/industrial construction in Boulder City, administered by the City's own Building and Safety Division (Community Development Department) — not by Clark County. The City publishes a dedicated 'Commercial – New Construction' permit submittal checklist with its own stated first-review timeframe of 3–4 weeks. Fees are valuation-based under Table A of the 2026 Building and Safety Division Administrative Code, plus a plan review fee of 65% of the building permit fee, collected as a non-refundable deposit before review begins. A shell-only building can be issued a Certificate of Completion (Section 113.3) instead of a Certificate of Occupancy until a tenant build-out follows.

Verified 2026-08-01 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Appropriate zoning must already be in place for the proposed use before a building permit application can be accepted for processing (contact Community Development at (702) 293-9282); a permanent address, including suite numbers if applicable, must be assigned (Commercial – New Construction checklist, Part 2 Prerequisites)
  • A Drainage [Hydrology] Study and a Traffic Study, if applicable, must each be approved for the site before the application can be accepted (checklist Part 2)
  • Construction documents must be prepared by a registered design professional as required by Nevada state statutes, submitted in two or more sets; the Building Official may allow a licensed contractor to prepare plans for work under their control, or waive design-professional preparation where review is not necessary for compliance (2026 Administrative Code Section 108.1) Contractor
  • All submitted documents must be digitally stamped/signed; submittals are emailed to buildingpermits@bcnv.org (20MB per email limit — use Dropbox/OneDrive or similar for larger packages) with subject-line keywords such as 'Initial Submittal – [address]' (checklist Part 4)
  • A non-refundable plan review deposit equal to the full plan review fee must be paid (invoice emailed to applicant) before staff review any plans/documents (checklist Part 1; Administrative Code Section 110.2(E))
  • Incomplete applications are not reviewed until all plans/documents are submitted, and the checklist itself must be filled out — a blank checklist is treated as an incomplete submittal (checklist Part 1)
  • The building permit application form requires the applicant's Boulder City Business License number and Nevada State Contractor's License number (or Owner/Builder declaration); general contractors must have Subcontractor Registration Forms on file for mechanical, plumbing and electrical subs Owner-builderContractor
  • Project must comply with the City's adopted codes: 2018 IBC, 2018 UMC, 2018 UPC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IECC and 2018 IFC edition listed on the checklist, all with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments, plus Title 11 (Zoning and Subdivisions) — see this jurisdiction's codesAdopted notes for the full adopted-code picture
  • Properties in the federally designated Boulder City Historic District may require Historic Preservation Committee review, which can delay the permit (checklist Part 6; Title 11, Chapter 27)
  • Zoning restricts most building heights in Boulder City, including residential, to 25 feet or less (checklist Part 5, Exterior Elevations note)
  • No building or structure may be used or occupied until the Building Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy (2026 Administrative Code Section 113.1); the certificate issues only after the Building Official finds no violations of codes enforced by Building and Safety, Planning and Zoning, Fire Department and Public Works, as applicable (Section 113.4)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (valuation-based, Table A)Full Table A steps: $1–$500 = $27.00; $501–$1,000 = $36.00; $1,001–$2,000 = $45.00; $2,001–$25,000 = $45.00 + $9.00/$1,000; $25,001–$50,000 = $252.00 + $6.50/$1,000; $50,001–$100,000 = $414.50 + $4.50/$1,000; $100,001+ = $639.50 + $3.50/$1,000. Valuation is total value of work including labor and materials; final valuation is set by the Building Official (Sections 110.2(D), 111.1), cross-checked against Table B square-foot construction costs (shell-only buildings deduct 20% per Table B note 3). 2026 Building and Safety Division Administrative Code.
$27.00 at $1–$500 valuation, scaling to $639.50 for the first $100,000 plus $3.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction thereof above $100,001
Plan Review FeeSection 110.2(F). Collected as a non-refundable deposit equal to the full plan review fee at submittal, applied to the total upon permit issuance (Section 110.2(E)). Expedited plan review is 2x the normal plan review fee (Section 110.2(G)).
65% of the building permit fee
Permit Issuance FeeAll permits carry a $40 issuance fee (Section 110.2(A)).
$40.00
Electrical / Plumbing / Mechanical Permit Fees (when associated with the building permit)Section 110.2(I)(1). No separate plan review fee is charged for electrical, plumbing or mechanical work when it is submitted as part of the total package with the building plans (Section 110.2(J)).
Electrical 18.00%, plumbing 16.50%, mechanical 15.00% of the building permit fee
Commercial development fees (new construction)Table H, Development Fees section, 2026 Administrative Code. Tortoise/desert-conservation fees are collected on behalf of Clark County.
Transportation Privilege Tax $1.00 per square foot (commercial development); Boulder City Land Disturbance Fee $100.00 per acre (minimum 1 acre); Clark County Desert Conservation Program Fee $550.00 per acre plus $50 flat compliance-report fee for commercial projects
Utility connection fees (as applicable)Table H, Development Fees section. Water meter connection fees over 2" per Resolution 6570 (Table H note 10).
Electric service installation/connection $2,500 (up to 200 AMPs) to $7,500 (801–1200 AMPs), $6.25/AMP over 1200; commercial sewer connection $10,000 (4" or 6") / $15,000 (over 6"); water meter installation from $7,450 (3/4") to $74,088 (2")
Re-inspection FeeAssessed on the third and subsequent reinspections after an inspection type has twice failed to complete satisfactorily (Section 112.5.1; Table H). Overtime (Friday/Saturday) inspections $90.00/hour, 2-hour minimum.
$90.00 each

Review timeline

Plan reviewBoulder City’s published plan-review target
21–28 business days

How long did your Commercial Building Permit (New Construction) permit actually take in Boulder City?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Inspections per the permit's Inspection Record

    The Building Official, upon notification, makes the inspections set forth on the Inspection Record assigned to each permit (Section 112.3); the permit holder must notify the Building Official when work is ready and provide access (Section 112.5). Work may not proceed beyond each successive inspection point without approval, and non-complying work may not be covered or concealed until authorized (Section 112.6)

  2. 2

    Special Inspections

    As specified by the construction documents and/or required by Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (Section 112.3.2); the special inspection program must be indicated on the plan cover sheet. A continuous dedicated inspection program may additionally be required at the Building Official's discretion, with all costs paid by the contractor or owner of record (Section 112.3.1)

  3. 3

    Final Inspection

    Made after all work required by the building permit is completed (Section 112.3.3)

  4. 4

    Certificate of Occupancy issuance inspection

    The Building Official inspects the building and issues the Certificate of Occupancy after finding no violations of provisions enforced by Building and Safety, Planning and Zoning, Fire Department and Public Works, as applicable (Section 113.4); a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be issued for safely occupiable portions before full completion (Section 113.5)

See the full Boulder City inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Schedule inspections via the hotline (702) 293-9327 or buildinginspections@bcnv.org; requests must be received by 3:30 p.m. for next-business-day scheduling, and the Division performs no Friday, weekend or holiday inspections (overtime Friday/Saturday inspections are available at $90/hour, 2-hour minimum, per Table H).
  • Pay the plan review deposit invoice promptly — it is non-refundable, equals the full plan review fee (65% of the building permit fee), and staff will not begin reviewing anything until it is paid.
  • Buildings constructed as a shell (not intended for occupancy until later build-out) are issued a Certificate of Completion under Section 113.3 rather than a Certificate of Occupancy, and shell-only valuations deduct 20% under Table B note 3; each subsequent tenant build-out is then a separate commercial-tenant-improvement (Commercial – Remodel) permit.
  • A Certificate of Occupancy (Section 113.1) covers the structure; any business operating in the completed space additionally needs a Certificate of Business Occupancy ($60, Section 113.2) obtained through the City's Business License process — see the certificate-of-business-occupancy-permit entry for that flow.
  • Starting work without a permit triggers a special investigation and an investigation fee equal to the full permit fee, on top of the permit fee itself (Section 110.2(Q)).
  • The Building Official may waive any fee or partial fee for extenuating circumstances beyond the applicant's control (Section 110.2(S)), and unused permits are refundable: 100% of permit fees if no work has commenced, 100% of plan review fees only if withdrawn before any review is conducted (Section 110.2(R)).
  • No published fee item is specific to commercial construction as a category — commercial and residential building permits share the same Table A valuation schedule; what differs for commercial is the development fees (Transportation Privilege Tax at $1.00/sq ft, commercial-rate utility connections) and the longer 3–4 week first-review window.

Frequently asked questions

Boulder City requires a commercial building permit (new construction) for: Appropriate zoning must already be in place for the proposed use before a building permit application can be accepted for processing (contact Community Development at (702) 293-9282); a permanent address, including suite numbers if applicable, must be assigned (Commercial – New Construction checklist, Part 2 Prerequisites); A Drainage [Hydrology] Study and a Traffic Study, if applicable, must each be approved for the site before the application can be accepted (checklist Part 2); Construction documents must be prepared by a registered design professional as required by Nevada state statutes, submitted in two or more sets; the Building Official may allow a licensed contractor to prepare plans for work under their control, or waive design-professional preparation where review is not necessary for compliance (2026 Administrative Code Section 108.1); All submitted documents must be digitally stamped/signed; submittals are emailed to buildingpermits@bcnv.org (20MB per email limit — use Dropbox/OneDrive or similar for larger packages) with subject-line keywords such as 'Initial Submittal – [address]' (checklist Part 4); A non-refundable plan review deposit equal to the full plan review fee must be paid (invoice emailed to applicant) before staff review any plans/documents (checklist Part 1; Administrative Code Section 110.2(E)); Incomplete applications are not reviewed until all plans/documents are submitted, and the checklist itself must be filled out — a blank checklist is treated as an incomplete submittal (checklist Part 1); The building permit application form requires the applicant's Boulder City Business License number and Nevada State Contractor's License number (or Owner/Builder declaration); general contractors must have Subcontractor Registration Forms on file for mechanical, plumbing and electrical subs; Project must comply with the City's adopted codes: 2018 IBC, 2018 UMC, 2018 UPC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IECC and 2018 IFC edition listed on the checklist, all with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments, plus Title 11 (Zoning and Subdivisions) — see this jurisdiction's codesAdopted notes for the full adopted-code picture; Properties in the federally designated Boulder City Historic District may require Historic Preservation Committee review, which can delay the permit (checklist Part 6; Title 11, Chapter 27); Zoning restricts most building heights in Boulder City, including residential, to 25 feet or less (checklist Part 5, Exterior Elevations note); No building or structure may be used or occupied until the Building Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy (2026 Administrative Code Section 113.1); the certificate issues only after the Building Official finds no violations of codes enforced by Building and Safety, Planning and Zoning, Fire Department and Public Works, as applicable (Section 113.4). If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Boulder City Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division at (702) 293-9282 before starting work.

The plan review fee is 65% of the valuation-based building permit fee (Table A), collected up front as a non-refundable deposit before review begins. Example at the published rates: a $1,000,000 valuation yields a building permit fee of $639.50 + $3.50 × 900 = $3,789.50, and a plan review fee of about $2,463. Expedited review doubles the plan review fee. Source: 2026 Administrative Code Sections 110.2(E)–(G), Table A.

The City publishes a first-review timeframe of 3–4 weeks for Commercial – New Construction on its own permit submittal checklist. Total time to permit depends on correction cycles (re-submittals are only accepted once all reviewers have finished), and Historic Preservation Committee or Planning Commission involvement can extend it. Once approved and final payment is made, the permit itself is issued within 1–2 business days. Source: Commercial – New Construction Permit Submittal Checklist; Building Permits page, bcnv.org.

You'll need: Completed Building Permit Application; Complete Plan Set (including Civil Improvement plans); Structural Calculations; Energy Compliance Report; Completed Electrical Load Calculation Worksheet. Depending on your project, Boulder City may also ask for: Geotechnical Investigation Report; Fire Sprinkler and Alarm Plans. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Boulder City requires 4 inspection(s) for a commercial building permit (new construction), in order: Inspections per the permit's Inspection Record, Special Inspections, Final Inspection, Certificate of Occupancy issuance inspection. Schedule each through City of Boulder City Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division ((702) 293-9282).

Apply through City of Boulder City Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division at 401 California Avenue, Boulder City, NV 89005. Phone: (702) 293-9282, email: buildingpermits@bcnv.org. Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (excluding holidays); applications submitted after office hours are processed the next available work day. Inspection scheduling hotline: (702) 293-9327 or buildinginspections@bcnv.org; inspection requests must be received by 3:30 p.m. for next-business-day scheduling (no Friday/weekend/holiday inspections).. Official information: https://www.bcnv.org/163/Building-Permits.

Boulder City, Nevada has adopted: Nevada has no mandatory statewide building code; NRS 701.220 requires the Nevada Governor's Office of Energy (GOE) to adopt, on a triennial basis, the most recently published International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as a statewide ENERGY floor only — local governments may not adopt an energy code less stringent than the GOE-adopted IECC edition, but building-code editions for structural/life-safety codes vary city-by-city under home rule. The 2024 IECC was adopted by the GOE effective August 18, 2024, as the current statewide energy floor. Source: NRS 701.220 (Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 701 — Energy Policy), https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-701.html; Nevada Governor's Office of Energy, Building Energy Codes / State Adoption Status, https://www.energy.nv.gov/programs/building-energy-codes/state-adoption-status/. Confirm your city's specific adopted energy-code edition — Boulder City's own adopted edition is documented separately below and is older than the current statewide floor edition (a home-rule city choice, not a floor violation, since IECC 2018 was the floor at the time of Boulder City's last code-cycle adoption).; Boulder City runs its own independent building-permit program (Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division) — it is NOT administered by Clark County. Verified via the City's official Building and Safety Division page and the City's own Administrative Code, fee schedule, and permit-submittal-checklist library, all published on bcnv.org. Source: City of Boulder City Building and Safety Division, https://www.bcnv.org/163/Building-Permits; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments — applies to buildings other than single-family residential homes and townhomes (2026 Administrative Code Section 101.5.1). Source: City of Boulder City Permit Fee Schedule and Valuation Table (eff. 8/3/2020) 'Currently Adopted Codes/Standards' list, and Residential New Construction (Custom) Permit Submittal Checklist (02/16/2021 V1) 'Applicable Codes' section; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — governs additions/modifications to existing buildings (2026 Administrative Code Section 101.5.2); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments — applies to single-family homes and townhomes (2026 Administrative Code Section 101.5.3); 2018 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments — Nevada's Southern Nevada jurisdictions use the Uniform Mechanical Code, not the International Mechanical Code; 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments — not the International Plumbing Code; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments; 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), with Southern Nevada Building Code Amendments — this is Boulder City's own locally adopted energy-code edition (older than the current 2024 IECC statewide floor under NRS 701.220; confirm current status with Building and Safety before relying on this edition for new submittals); 2012 International Fire Code (IFC) per the 2020 Fee Schedule flyer; the 2026 Administrative Code Section 101.5.9 separately lists 'the currently adopted International Fire Code' generically without repeating the edition year — the 2012 edition is the last edition year found published by the City; Southern Nevada Amendments apply to all the above codes per 2026 Administrative Code Section 101.5.10 ('the provisions of the currently adopted Southern Nevada Amendments shall apply to all matters of all of the above mentioned codes'); City of Boulder City Building and Safety Division Administrative Code, 2026 edition — the local administrative/procedural code (permit application, fees, inspections, exemptions); contains substantial copyrighted material from the 2012 IBC per its title page. Source: https://www.bcnv.org/DocumentCenter/View/16731/2026-Building-and-Safety-Division-Administrative-Codepdf; All of the above code editions and amendment references are confirmed current via the City's Permit Submittal Checklists (each dated 02/16/2021 V1, and independently re-served live from bcnv.org as of this review) for Residential New Construction (Custom), Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Demolition, Fence and Retaining Wall, Renewable Energy System Residential PV, and Residential Accessory Building — all list the identical 2018/2018/2018/2017/2018 code-edition set with Southern Nevada Amendments, corroborating the 2020 Fee Schedule flyer. Local amendments apply — see the Boulder City overview page for the full list.

Boulder City runs its own building-permit program through the Community Development Department's Building and Safety Division at 401 California Avenue — Clark County is not involved in plan review or inspections, although two fees (the Desert Conservation/tortoise fees) are collected on the County's behalf at permit issuance. Source: City of Boulder City Building and Safety Division; 2026 Administrative Code Table H.

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