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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use in Unincorporated Washoe County, Nevada

Washoe County requires a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) before any building or structure is used or occupied, and before any change in the existing occupancy classification is made (WCC §100.110.1). There is no standalone 'change of use permit' product — a change of use is processed through the applicable building or commercial tenant-improvement permit that brings the space up to current code, culminating in issuance of a new Certificate of Occupancy. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) is available for up to 90 days.

Reviewed 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No building or structure may be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification may be made, until the Building Division issues a Certificate of Occupancy (WCC §100.110.1)
  • A change of use (e.g., an office/Business occupancy converting to retail/Mercantile occupancy) triggers upgrade to current codes covering zoning use compatibility, parking, accessibility (IBC/ANSI A117.1), fire alarm/sprinkler (IFC/NEC/IBC), plumbing fixture counts, lighting/HVAC/electrical, and building envelope — processed via the standard commercial building or tenant-improvement permit, not a separate 'change of use' permit
  • Final inspection requires all work under the approved permit to be complete (WCC §100.109.3.12) before a CO is issued
  • Commercial CO requires sign-off from: Nevada State Office (elevators, boilers/pressure vessels over 200,000 Btu/h), County Road Department, District Health Department (well/septic, food service licensing), Community Development (landscaping, parking striping, zoning), and the Fire Department (fire alarm/sprinkler test, seismic bracing, standpipes, Fire Department Connection)
  • Residential CO requires completed life-safety systems (smoke/CO detectors, GFCI/AFCI), a final gas manometer test, blower-door and duct-testing certification, an insulation certificate, and a completed grading/drainage letter
  • A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) may be issued for up to 90 days (WCC §100.110.3) if incomplete work does not block access or create a hazard, and only OSHA-trained construction/stocking staff — not the general public — may occupy the space under a TCO
  • A residential TCO additionally requires a Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit') before the Final Certificate of Occupancy can be issued
  • A Pre-Development meeting with the Community Services Department is recommended for any change-of-use project before design begins

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Certificate of Occupancy — final inspectionGrounded-extraction gap: no dedicated Certificate of Occupancy line item was found in WCC Chapter 100, Appendix A (Tables 1–9); the final inspection culminating in CO issuance appears to be included in the underlying building/tenant-improvement permit fee already charged for that permit
No separate CO fee identified
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy — Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit')Genuine gap, not invented: the Residential Certificate of Occupancy Handout names the 'Trip Permit' requirement but states no fee for it, and no line item titled 'Trip Permit' or 'TCO' appears in Table 2 (Other Inspections and Permit Fees); it may be billed under Table 2's general re-inspection fees ($90.00/hour under Article 109, or $45.00/hour where no fee is otherwise specified, one-hour minimum) but this is not confirmed
Not separately published in the fee tables reviewed

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Building Inspection

    All work required by the building permit is completed (WCC §100.109.3.12)

  2. 2

    Other-Agency Sign-Offs

    Road, Health (well/septic), Community Development (parking/zoning/landscaping), Fire Department, and Nevada State Office inspections as applicable, verified on the permit card in Accela

  3. 3

    Certificate of Occupancy Issuance

    Building Division issues the CO (or TCO, up to 90 days) once all required sign-offs are complete

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

Tips

  • Washoe County does not have a standalone 'change of use permit' — a change of use is processed through the normal building or commercial tenant-improvement permit for the space, which must bring the space up to current code before a new Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
  • Under a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, no access to the general public is allowed — only OSHA-trained construction or stocking staff may occupy the space, and a TCO cannot exceed 90 days.
  • A residential TCO requires an additional Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit') before the Final Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.
  • Request a Pre-Development meeting with the Community Services Department before designing a change-of-use project — parking, accessibility, and fire sprinkler/alarm upgrades are common triggers that are easy to miss.

Frequently asked questions

Unincorporated Washoe County requires a certificate of occupancy / change of use permit for: No building or structure may be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification may be made, until the Building Division issues a Certificate of Occupancy (WCC §100.110.1); A change of use (e.g., an office/Business occupancy converting to retail/Mercantile occupancy) triggers upgrade to current codes covering zoning use compatibility, parking, accessibility (IBC/ANSI A117.1), fire alarm/sprinkler (IFC/NEC/IBC), plumbing fixture counts, lighting/HVAC/electrical, and building envelope — processed via the standard commercial building or tenant-improvement permit, not a separate 'change of use' permit; Final inspection requires all work under the approved permit to be complete (WCC §100.109.3.12) before a CO is issued; Commercial CO requires sign-off from: Nevada State Office (elevators, boilers/pressure vessels over 200,000 Btu/h), County Road Department, District Health Department (well/septic, food service licensing), Community Development (landscaping, parking striping, zoning), and the Fire Department (fire alarm/sprinkler test, seismic bracing, standpipes, Fire Department Connection); Residential CO requires completed life-safety systems (smoke/CO detectors, GFCI/AFCI), a final gas manometer test, blower-door and duct-testing certification, an insulation certificate, and a completed grading/drainage letter; A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) may be issued for up to 90 days (WCC §100.110.3) if incomplete work does not block access or create a hazard, and only OSHA-trained construction/stocking staff — not the general public — may occupy the space under a TCO; A residential TCO additionally requires a Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit') before the Final Certificate of Occupancy can be issued; A Pre-Development meeting with the Community Services Department is recommended for any change-of-use project before design begins. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Washoe County Building Program at (775) 328-2020 before starting work.

In Unincorporated Washoe County, the published Certificate of Occupancy — final inspection is: No separate CO fee identified. Additional published fees: Temporary Certificate of Occupancy — Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit') — Not separately published in the fee tables reviewed. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Up to 90 days (WCC §100.110.3), with approval from all applicable agencies/departments. All life-safety systems must be complete and operational, and no member of the general public may access the space under a TCO. A residential TCO also requires a Special Inspection Permit ('Trip Permit') before the Final Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

You'll need: Underlying Building or Commercial Tenant Improvement Permit Application. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Washoe County may also ask for: Change of Occupancy Handout; Commercial Certificate of Occupancy Handout; Minimum Requirements for a Residential Certificate of Occupancy (handout). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Washoe County requires 3 inspection(s) for a certificate of occupancy / change of use permit, in order: Final Building Inspection, Other-Agency Sign-Offs, Certificate of Occupancy Issuance. Schedule each through Washoe County Building Program ((775) 328-2020).

Apply through Washoe County Building Program at 1001 E. Ninth Street, Building A, Reno, NV 89512. Phone: (775) 328-2020, email: building@washoecounty.gov. Office hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Official information: https://www.washoecounty.gov/building/.

Unincorporated Washoe County, Nevada has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), Chapters 1–35 — effective July 1, 2025 (compliance mandatory January 1, 2026); adopted per Washoe County Code Chapter 100 with 2024 Northern Nevada Amendments; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), Chapters 1–44 — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — effective July 1, 2025; Nevada statewide energy floor per NRS 701.220 (eff. 2024-08-18) also applies; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), Chapters 1–8 — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), Chapters 1–15 — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 NFPA 54 and NFPA 58 — effective July 1, 2025; 2024 Northern Nevada Amendments by the Northern Nevada Chapter of the International Code Council (NNICC) — incorporated by reference. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Washoe County overview page for the full list.

No. A change of use is processed through the standard building or commercial tenant-improvement permit for the space — there is no distinct change-of-use permit type or fee. The Change of Occupancy Handout explains which code upgrades (parking, accessibility, fire alarm/sprinkler, plumbing, etc.) are typically triggered, and the project culminates in a new Certificate of Occupancy per WCC §100.110.1.

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

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Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use in other cities

Carson City, NevadaLander County (including Battle Mountain), NevadaMesquite, NevadaNye County (Unincorporated, incl. Pahrump), NevadaReno, NevadaUnincorporated Lincoln County, NevadaUnincorporated Mineral County, NevadaWest Wendover, Nevada

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