Certificate of Occupancy — Reno, Nevada · Requirements sheet
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source: https://www.reno.gov/business-development/development-services/building-permits.php
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 in Reno, Nevada
Reno does not publish a standalone 'Change of Use Permit' product — this file's research found no such line item in the City's fee schedules or Building Permit Types document. A standard/final Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) is instead issued as the concluding step of an approved building permit's final inspection (see, e.g., this file's commercial-tenant-improvement-permit entry, whose final inspection is listed as 'Final / Certificate of Occupancy'), carrying no separate fee beyond the underlying permit. Where a business changes use or occupancy classification without new construction, the City instead triggers a Building Division compliance review tied to the business-license process, and a distinct, separately fee-bearing 'Temporary Certificate of Occupancy' product exists on the City's own published fee schedule.
Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source
When you need this permit
- No standalone 'Change of Use Permit' or 'Change of Use' fee line item was located in the City of Reno's published fee schedules or Building Permit Types document — this file documents that gap honestly rather than inventing a product
- A standard/final Certificate of Occupancy is issued upon successful final inspection of an approved underlying building permit (new construction, remodel, or commercial tenant improvement, as applicable)
- City of Reno business-licensing guidance indicates that a building/compliance review is triggered when a business makes building improvements to a location or changes the use of a prior business's space at that location; contact Building Compliance at (775) 393-1044 or BuildingCompliance@Reno.Gov to confirm requirements for a given change-of-use scenario before assuming no permit/review is needed
- Separately, Community Development recommends verifying zoning allows the intended use before relocating or changing a business's use at a location — contact the Planner of the Day at 775-321-8309
- A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is available as a distinct, fee-bearing product ($1,125.00) for occupancy sought before all final conditions are met, per the City's published Miscellaneous Application Fees schedule
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Review timeline
Inspection process
- 1
Final Building Inspection
All work complete per approved plans; life-safety systems functional; successful completion triggers issuance of the standard Certificate of Occupancy
See the full Reno inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Reno has no standalone 'Change of Use Permit' — changing a business's use at a location instead triggers a Building Division compliance review tied to the business-license application (Building Compliance, 775-393-1044 / BuildingCompliance@Reno.Gov).
- Verify zoning allows your intended use BEFORE signing a lease or relocating a business — contact the Planner of the Day at 775-321-8309.
- A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy ($1,125.00) is a distinct, separately fee-bearing product from the standard/final CofO, which itself carries no additional fee beyond the underlying permit.
- If a change of use also involves construction (new walls, MEP changes, occupancy-classification-triggering work), it is processed through this file's Commercial Tenant Improvement or Remodel/Addition permit entries, not a separate 'change of use' product.
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 Reno building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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