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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in Unincorporated Clark County, Nevada

Required whenever the occupancy classification of a building, structure, or portion of one changes in unincorporated Clark County — with or without accompanying construction. Per Clark County Code §22.02.550 (Occupancy authorization), no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure may be made until the Building Official has issued a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). When the change of use is accompanied by construction or tenant improvements, it is processed through the Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (see that entry in this file), which culminates in CO/TCO issuance; this entry covers the underlying occupancy-authorization requirement and the case of a change of use with no construction.

Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No change in the existing occupancy classification of a building, structure, or portion of one is permitted until the Building Official has issued a Certificate of Occupancy (Clark County Code §22.02.550)
  • Where the change of use involves construction, alterations, or life-safety-system work, it is processed as a Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (Table 3-A valuation-based fees; see that permit type in this file), with final inspection and CO/TCO issuance as the last step
  • Where the change of use involves no construction (an occupancy classification change alone), applicants apply through the Citizen Access Portal; a Zoning Compliance review from Comprehensive Planning is the applicable check confirming the new use is permitted in the zoning district
  • Prior to Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) issuance, clearances may be required from the Sanitation District (Sewer), Health District (Septic), Civil/Public Works (off-site improvements), Water District, and Fire Department, depending on the project
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is issued within approximately 3 working days of final building inspection approval
  • Activities such as stocking goods, training employees, or installing furnishings may be treated by county inspectors as a form of occupancy — occupying a space before CO issuance can be a violation even without opening for business
  • A Certificate of Completion is a distinct document issued for a structure not intended for occupancy (e.g., a water tank) or one requiring further permitted interior work (e.g., a shell building); it does not authorize occupancy

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Zoning Compliance Review (Comprehensive Planning)Title 30 Fee Schedule, Table 2 (Administrative Fees – General), latest amendment effective 07/01/2026. This is the applicable zoning check identified for a change of use where no construction/building permit is otherwise being filed.
$150.00
Certificate of Occupancy / TCO issuanceClark County's official TCO/CO information page (checked 2026-07-22) does not list a standalone CO/TCO issuance fee; when construction accompanies the change of use, CO/TCO issuance is the final step of the associated Commercial Tenant Improvement (or other building) permit and its Table 3-A fees.
Not separately itemized
Change of occupancy with no construction — building permit feeNo distinct, itemized 'change of occupancy, no construction' fee line was found in Table 3-A/3-B/3-C/3-D, the Building Simple Online Permits list, or the Citizen Access Portal descriptions after an active chase on 2026-07-22 (Municode Title 22 fee tables, TCO/CO page, and Comprehensive Planning forms all checked). This is a genuine, disclosed gap — the figure is not stated here as fact, and should be confirmed directly with the Building Department at (702) 455-3000 before relying on it.
Not confirmed

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Clark County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Life-Safety / Final Inspection

    Verifies the space meets code requirements for the proposed occupancy classification — egress, fire separation, occupant load, and accessibility

  2. 2

    Fire Department Final

    Verifies fire and life-safety systems are appropriate to the new occupancy classification, where applicable

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

Tips

  • A change of use that involves no physical construction still legally requires Building Official sign-off (a new Certificate of Occupancy) before the new use may occupy the space — this is a real permit step, not a formality, per Clark County Code §22.02.550.
  • If any construction, tenant improvement, or fire-system modification accompanies the change of use, apply through the Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit (see that entry in this file) — its process and Table 3-A fees will govern the construction side, with CO/TCO issuance as the final step.
  • Occupying a space in ways such as stocking inventory, training staff, or installing furnishings before CO issuance can itself be treated as unauthorized occupancy by county inspectors.
  • A Certificate of Completion is not the same as a Certificate of Occupancy — it is issued for non-occupiable structures (e.g., shell buildings, water tanks) and does not authorize occupancy.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Per Clark County Code §22.02.550, no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure may be made until the Building Official has issued a Certificate of Occupancy. If no construction is involved, the applicable check is a Zoning Compliance review from Comprehensive Planning ($150) plus Building Official sign-off; a distinct 'no construction' building-permit fee was not found published and should be confirmed with the Building Department directly.

In Unincorporated Clark County, the published Zoning Compliance Review (Comprehensive Planning) is: $150.00. Additional published fees: Certificate of Occupancy / TCO issuance — Not separately itemized; Change of occupancy with no construction — building permit fee — Not confirmed. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Clark County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Clark County Building & Fire Prevention Department at (702) 455-3000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Certificate of Occupancy / TCO Request; Final Building/Fire/Utility Inspection Approvals. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Clark County may also ask for: Zoning Compliance Confirmation. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Clark County requires 2 inspection(s) for a change of use / certificate of occupancy permit, in order: Life-Safety / Final Inspection, Fire Department Final. Schedule each through Clark County Building & Fire Prevention Department ((702) 455-3000).

Apply through Clark County Building & Fire Prevention Department at 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). Official information: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/building___fire_prevention/.

Unincorporated Clark County, Nevada has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — effective January 11, 2026 (Clark County Building Department Notice to Industry); 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — effective January 11, 2026; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — effective January 11, 2026; 2024 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, 2026; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — effective January 11, 2026; Uniform 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. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Clark County overview page for the full list.

A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) authorizes occupancy of a completed, code-compliant structure or space and is required before any change in occupancy classification. A Certificate of Completion is issued for a structure not intended for occupancy (such as a water tank) or one still requiring further permitted interior work (such as a shell building) — it does not authorize occupancy.

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 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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Change of Use / Certificate of Occupancy Permit in other cities

Carlin, NevadaElko, NevadaEly, NevadaFallon, NevadaFernley, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaNorth Las Vegas, NevadaPershing County (includes Lovelock), Nevada

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