Certificate of Occupancy Assessment (Change of Use / Occupancy) — Las Vegas, Nevada · Requirements sheet
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/building-safety/Forms/Commercial/Certificate-of-Occupancy-Assessment-Guideline.pdf
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Certificate of Occupancy Assessment (Change of Use / Occupancy) in Las Vegas, Nevada
The City of Las Vegas does not issue a separate stand-alone 'change of use permit' product. A change in use or occupancy that would place a building in a different division of the same occupancy group, or in a different occupancy group, is processed as a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) Assessment by Building & Safety when no construction is proposed or has previously been required. Where construction work is proposed for the new use, the change is instead processed through a standard Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement permit, with an updated C of O issued at final inspection (see the Commercial Tenant Improvement permit type). A C of O belongs to the building, unit, or space -- not the tenant -- so a change of business name or ownership alone does not require a new C of O.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
When you need this permit
- Required whenever a change in use or occupancy would place the space in a different division of the same occupancy group, or a different occupancy group entirely, per the International Building Code; subject to Building Official approval
- If there is no change to occupancy, no new C of O is required -- the City does not issue a new C of O solely for a change in business name or owner
- If a use/occupancy change is proposed, plans must be drawn by a licensed design professional or contractor -- the City will not accept plans submitted directly by a tenant
- If no prior permits exist for the space, plans by a design professional/contractor are still the minimum requirement
- If no construction work is proposed, the Building Owner may submit plans (still must be drawn by a design professional) and no contractor is required
- A Records Request may be needed to determine the building's originally approved occupancy if it is unknown
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Review timeline
Inspection process
- 1
Final Assessment / Walkthrough
Building Official reviews the space against approved plans and code analysis before issuing an updated Certificate of Occupancy; formal construction inspections apply only if work is also being performed under a separate building/TI permit
See the full Las Vegas inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- A Certificate of Occupancy belongs to the building, unit, or space -- not the tenant. Changing a business name or owner without changing the use/occupancy does not require a new C of O.
- The City will not accept use/occupancy-change plans submitted directly by a tenant; they must be drawn by a licensed design professional or contractor, even if no construction work is proposed.
- If you don't know the building's originally approved occupancy, file a records request at lasvegasnevada.gov/recordsrequest before applying.
- If your new use also requires construction work (walls, MEP changes, etc.), the change of occupancy is processed through a standard Commercial Building Permit or Commercial Tenant Improvement permit instead of a stand-alone C of O Assessment, with the C of O issued at final inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Sources & verification
Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-22.
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 Las Vegas building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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