Unincorporated Clark County building permit requirements

Clark County Building & Fire Prevention Department

Verified 2026-06-30 · Source

12 permit types(702) 455-3000Mon–Thu 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM (closed Fri, Sat, Sun)

Department information

Address: 4701 West Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118
Phone: (702) 455-3000
Email: pacenter@ClarkCountyNV.gov
Office hours: Mon–Thu 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM (closed Fri, Sat, Sun)
Website: Official site

Codes adopted

Nevada does not mandate a single statewide building code edition. Under NRS 278.580, the governing body of each city or county may adopt its own building code, specifying design, soundness, and materials of structures, together with rules and ordinances for enforcement — a home-rule framework in which each jurisdiction selects and amends its code independently. There is no state-mandated IBC or IRC edition. The one statewide floor is for energy: under NRS 701.220, the Governor's Office of Energy (GOE) is required to adopt the most recently published edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) on a triennial basis. Upon adoption by GOE, local governments must incorporate that edition as the minimum energy standard and may adopt higher or more stringent requirements. GOE adopted the 2024 IECC, effective August 18, 2024, pursuant to NAC 701.185. Because building code editions, local amendments, and energy code effective dates vary by jurisdiction across Nevada, always confirm the current adopted edition and any local amendments with your specific city or county before submitting plans.

2024 International Building Code (IBC) — effective January 11, 2026 (Clark County Building Department Notice to Industry)2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — effective January 11, 20262024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — effective January 11, 20262024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — effective January 11, 2026 (NRS 701.220 statewide floor; Clark County ≥100k pop., NRS 278.581 applies)2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — effective January 11, 20262024 International Fire Code (IFC) — effective January 11, 2026Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — 2024 edition (SNBO jurisdictions use UPC, not IPC)Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) — 2024 edition (SNBO jurisdictions use UMC, not IMC)2023 National Electrical Code (NEC)2009 ICC A117.1 — Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities

Permit types

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)

Required for all new single-family dwellings and duplexes in unincorporated Clark County (covering Paradise, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Sunrise Manor, and other unincorporated Las Vegas Valley communities). Permits are submitted through the Citizen Access Portal and plan review is required. Custom single-family residences have a 21-day first-review goal.

Residential Addition / Remodel Permit

Required for additions, structural alterations, room additions, garage conversions, covered patios, interior remodels involving structural work, and other changes to existing single-family dwellings in unincorporated Clark County. Residential Minor projects (non-standard plan, non-custom home) have a 14-day first-review goal.

Electrical Permit

Required for electrical installations, panel replacements, rewiring, and electrical work in residential and commercial properties in unincorporated Clark County. Simple online permits are available for panel replacements and test-and-tag without plan review. All work must comply with the 2023 NEC.

Plumbing Permit

Required for plumbing installations, repairs, and alterations in unincorporated Clark County. Simple online permits are available for water heaters, re-pipe, reverse osmosis, water softeners, and gas re-tags without plan review. Clark County uses the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), not the IPC.

Mechanical / HVAC Permit

Required for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and mechanical system installations in unincorporated Clark County. Simple online permits are available for single residential A/C and furnace replacements without plan review. Clark County uses the Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), not the IMC.

Re-Roofing Permit

Required for roof replacement, re-roofing, and significant roofing work on residential and commercial structures in unincorporated Clark County. Must comply with 2024 IRC (residential) or 2024 IBC (commercial).

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit

Required for installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on residential and commercial properties in unincorporated Clark County. Requires both a building permit (structural mounting) and an electrical permit (wiring). Video inspections are eligible for residential solar installations.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Permit

Required for construction of a new accessory dwelling unit on a residential property in unincorporated Clark County. In Clark County's Unified Development Code (Title 30, eff. 07/31/2025), the ADU is called an 'Accessory Living Quarters' (ALQ) — a subordinate dwelling unit for one family, used for residential purposes (may include cooking areas), rentable to others, that is not counted as an additional dwelling unit when calculating density (Title 30 §30.07 Definitions). ALQs are an allowed accessory use across the residential zoning districts. Clark County (pop. 100,000+) is also subject to NRS 278.257 (eff. July 1, 2026), which requires the County to authorize ADUs on single-family residential property and bars any local ordinance from preventing the owner from using the ADU as long-term rental housing (transient/short-term lodging may still be prohibited); local conditions more restrictive than that statute are superseded as of July 1, 2026. ALQs must meet 2024 IRC requirements and follow the standard residential permit process.

Demolition Permit

Required for demolition of structures in unincorporated Clark County. Demolition permits require coordination with utilities for disconnection and may require asbestos/hazardous materials surveys for structures built before 1979.

Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit

Required for tenant improvements, interior alterations, and changes of occupancy in commercial buildings in unincorporated Clark County (including Strip corridor / Paradise). Commercial projects with valuation ≥$250,000 have a 21-day first-review goal; Commercial Minor (<$250,000) has a 14-day goal; Commercial 7-Day (Zoning approved, <$100,000) has a 7-day goal.

Swimming Pool / Spa Permit

Required for installation of in-ground and above-ground swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and swim spas in unincorporated Clark County. Pool/spa inspections have their own required sequence per Clark County Code §22.02.470. Saturday inspections are available for residential pool/spa projects. Clark County also adopts the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC).

Block Wall / Screen Wall Permit

Required for construction of masonry block walls, screen walls, and fences in unincorporated Clark County. Block walls are extremely common in the Las Vegas Valley for property enclosure. Saturday inspections are available for residential block walls/fences.

Tips & gotchas

SCOPE: Clark County Building & Fire Prevention (clarkcountynv.gov) covers UNINCORPORATED Clark County — Paradise, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Sunrise Manor, Whitney, Winchester, and the Las Vegas Strip corridor. It does NOT cover the City of Las Vegas, City of Henderson, or City of North Las Vegas, which have their own separate building departments.
CODES AS OF 2026: Clark County adopted the 2024 International Building Codes effective January 11, 2026. Any permit application filed on or after that date (except standard plans) must comply with 2024 codes. Prior applications used 2018 codes.
UPC/UMC — NOT IPC/IMC: Southern Nevada jurisdictions (including Clark County) use the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), confirmed by SNBO. These differ significantly from IPC/IMC used in most other states. The 2024 editions are currently adopted.
NEC 2023: The 2023 National Electrical Code is adopted by all Southern Nevada jurisdictions per SNBO.
IMPACT FEES: MSHCP mitigation fee (desert tortoise), Transportation Tax (Title 4.22), and Residential Construction Tax/Park Fee (Title 19.05) are all collected at permit issuance — these are in addition to building department fees and can be significant. The fee calculator estimates building fees only.
SIMPLE ONLINE PERMITS: Many common residential permits (water heaters $56.57, A/C changeouts $61.88, panel replacements $61.88–$119.16, re-pipe $56.57) are available as Simple Online Permits via the Citizen Access Portal — issued immediately without plan review.
SATURDAY INSPECTIONS: Available for a wide range of residential projects including pools, solar, remodels, additions, block walls, and HVAC changeouts. Call (702) 455-8040 by 2 p.m. Friday.
VIDEO INSPECTIONS: Available for solar, water heaters, water softeners, plumbing re-pipe, A/C changeouts, and detached storage sheds (up to 600 sq ft) using Google Duo on a minimum 4G smartphone.
CITIZEN ACCESS PORTAL: Required for online permit submission, access, and payment — register at citizenaccess.clarkcountynv.gov.
COMBINATION PERMITS: Clark County offers a combination permit covering building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical under one submission — commonly used for new construction.
NO FROST DEPTH: Las Vegas Valley has no frost penetration requirement — footing depths are based on soil bearing capacity, not frost.
DESERT CLIMATE DESIGN: Wind speed 105 mph (3-second gust), Seismic Design Category B, Climate Zone 3B (hot-dry). No snow load design required.

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 Unincorporated Clark County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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