Does North Las Vegas allow ADUs?

Yes. Under NLV Municipal Code §17.20.030.F.2.c, an accessory dwelling unit is allowed in the O-L, R-E, R-EL, and R-1 single-family districts by special use review on a lot of at least 6,000 sq ft. The ADU must be 200–800 sq ft and may not exceed 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area (a tiny house is capped at 400 sq ft), must have its own kitchen and restroom, requires at least one extra off-street parking space, and cannot be within 300 ft of another ADU. Separately, NRS 278.257 (effective July 1, 2026) requires NLV — as a city of 60,000+ — to authorize ADUs on single-family lots, and bars NLV from requiring owner-occupancy or prohibiting long-term rental; any Title 17 condition more restrictive than the statute is superseded as of that date.

Can NLV require me to live on the property to build an ADU?

No. Under NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026), any local ordinance requiring owner-occupancy as a condition of ADU approval is superseded. NLV may prohibit use of the ADU as transient (short-term) lodging, but not as long-term rental housing.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit in North Las Vegas, Nevada

Required for construction of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU, also called guest house/casita) on a residential property in the City of North Las Vegas. Local dimensional standards are codified in NLV Municipal Code Title 17 (Zoning), §17.20.030.F.2 — Accessory Dwelling Units (Supp. 144). In the single-family residential districts (O-L, R-E, R-EL, R-1) an ADU requires a special use permit and is limited to lots ≥6,000 sq ft; the ADU must be 200–800 sq ft and may not exceed 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area (whichever is less). NLV (population 60,000+) is also subject to NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026), which mandates NLV authorize ADUs on single-family residential lots and prohibits any local ordinance from barring the owner from renting the ADU as long-term housing (transient/short-term lodging may still be prohibited); local conditions more restrictive than that statute are superseded as of July 1, 2026. Governed by the 2024 IRC with Southern Nevada amendments.

Verified 2026-06-30 · Source

When you need this permit

In O-L, R-E, R-EL, and R-1 districts an ADU is allowed only by special use review and only on a lot of at least 6,000 sq ft whose principal use is a single-family dwelling (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c)
ADU gross floor area: minimum 200 sq ft; maximum is the lesser of 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area or 800 sq ft; a tiny house may not exceed 400 sq ft (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.iv)
ADU must contain its own kitchen and restroom facilities (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.ii)
No more than one ADU per lot, and no ADU may be located within 300 ft of another ADU in these districts (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.v–vi)
At least one off-street parking space in addition to that required for the principal use, and no more than two off-street spaces for the ADU (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.vii)
Mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and travel trailers may not be used as ADUs; the ADU may not be sold apart from the principal dwelling; home occupations are prohibited in an ADU (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.iii, x, xi)
A 'Guest House/Casita' is separately permitted (P) by right in the R-E, R-EL, R-1, and R-CL districts per Table 17.20-3; ADUs (with full kitchen) are 'S' (special use) in those single-family districts and 'P' in PUD/PID, MUD, and PCD districts
NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026) prohibits: requiring owner-occupancy as a condition of approval, prohibiting separate kitchen facilities, requiring >1 extra parking space (where existing + street parking is adequate), setbacks more restrictive than the primary residence, or barring the ADU from long-term rental housing — these supersede any more-restrictive Title 17 condition as of that date
Submit Building Permit Application at Permit Application Center
Plans must comply with 2024 IRC with Southern Nevada amendments
Automatic fire sprinkler system required (permits issued on or after January 5, 2026 per Ord. 3256) — NOTE: NRS 278.257 Sec. 3(b) exempts ADUs from commercial fire-sprinkler codes; the NLV residential sprinkler requirement under IRC/Ord. 3256 applies to residential units; confirm with Building Safety
Separate sub-permits required for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical
Plot plan showing ADU relative to primary dwelling and property lines required

Required documents

Req
Building Permit Application
Official NLV Building Permit Application; available at Permit Application Center
Req
Residential Plot Plan
Plot plan showing primary dwelling, ADU placement, setbacks, and property lines
Req
Construction Drawings
Full plan set for ADU including floor plans, elevations, sections, structural details

Fee schedule

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Building Permit Fee — valuation-based per Table 3-A	Varies — valuation-based per Table 3-A (same schedule as new residential construction)	ADU valuation uses Table 3-E for dwelling type (R-3 Type V-B: $50/sq ft) × 0.89 Nevada Regional Modifier. For a detached ADU (Type V-B), base rate $50.00/sq ft × 0.89 Nevada modifier; fee per Table 3-A. Plus all standard add-ons: $75 admin, 65% plan check, 10% zoning, $100 fire review, 3% recording, $0.36/sq ft park impact, $1,000 Clark County Transportation Tax.
Clark County Transportation Tax	$1,000 per unit	—
Park impact fee	$0.36 per square foot	—

Review timeline

~10–30 business days

Typical estimate — confirm current times with the North Las Vegas building department

Inspection process

1
Foundation
Footings and foundation before concrete pour
2
Framing
Structural framing, fire separation, egress
3
MEP Rough-In
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical rough-ins before walls closed
4
Final
All work complete, smoke/CO detectors, address posted

Tips

Local ADU dimensional standards are in NLV Municipal Code §17.20.030.F.2 (Supp. 144): in O-L/R-E/R-EL/R-1 districts an ADU needs a special use permit, a lot of at least 6,000 sq ft, and is capped at the lesser of 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area or 800 sq ft (min 200 sq ft; tiny house max 400 sq ft).
In these single-family districts no ADU may be within 300 ft of another ADU, and only one ADU is allowed per lot (NLVMC §17.20.030.F.2.c.v–vi).
NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026) mandates NLV authorize ADUs on single-family residential lots — NLV cannot require owner-occupancy as a condition, cannot bar long-term rental of the ADU, and cannot impose setbacks more restrictive than the primary residence; conditions in Title 17 more restrictive than the statute are superseded as of that date.
A 'Guest House/Casita' (accessory living quarters) is permitted by right in the R-E, R-EL, R-1, and R-CL districts per Table 17.20-3 — a full ADU (with kitchen) is the special-use category.
Automatic fire sprinkler systems are required for permits issued on or after January 5, 2026 (Ord. 3256). NRS 278.257 Sec. 3(b) provides ADUs are not required to meet codes for commercial buildings (including commercial sprinkler codes) — verify applicability of residential sprinkler requirement with Building Safety.
The Clark County Transportation Tax ($1,000/unit) applies to each new dwelling unit including ADUs.

Frequently asked questions

Does North Las Vegas allow ADUs?: Yes. Under NLV Municipal Code §17.20.030.F.2.c, an accessory dwelling unit is allowed in the O-L, R-E, R-EL, and R-1 single-family districts by special use review on a lot of at least 6,000 sq ft. The ADU must be 200–800 sq ft and may not exceed 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area (a tiny house is capped at 400 sq ft), must have its own kitchen and restroom, requires at least one extra off-street parking space, and cannot be within 300 ft of another ADU. Separately, NRS 278.257 (effective July 1, 2026) requires NLV — as a city of 60,000+ — to authorize ADUs on single-family lots, and bars NLV from requiring owner-occupancy or prohibiting long-term rental; any Title 17 condition more restrictive than the statute is superseded as of that date.
Can NLV require me to live on the property to build an ADU?: No. Under NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026), any local ordinance requiring owner-occupancy as a condition of ADU approval is superseded. NLV may prohibit use of the ADU as transient (short-term) lodging, but not as long-term rental housing.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.

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 North Las Vegas building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Other permits in North Las Vegas

Residential Building Permit — New Construction (Single-Family)Residential Addition / Remodel Permit Electrical Permit Plumbing Permit Mechanical / HVAC Permit Residential Re-roof Permit Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit Demolition Permit Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit Swimming Pool / Spa Permit Block Wall / Screen Wall / Retaining Wall Permit

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