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Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in Unincorporated Washoe County, Nevada

Required for all new single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhouses, and residential accessory structures in unincorporated Washoe County. Applies to construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, and change of occupancy of residential buildings up to three stories.

Verified 2026-06-30 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Confirm property is in unincorporated Washoe County (not City of Reno or City of Sparks) using the Washoe Regional Mapping System (WRMS)
  • Contact Planning Division (775-328-6100) to verify zoning and land use regulations before applying
  • Submit permit application online via ONe NV permit portal (www.onenv.us) or in person at 1001 E. Ninth Street
  • Plans must comply with 2024 IRC and 2024 IECC (mandatory as of January 1, 2026)
  • Plans must include site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, and structural details; see Site Plan Checklist (2025)
  • Setback and Elevation Certification Letter required at footings inspection
  • Soils Compaction Certification Letter required at footings inspection
  • Grading and Drainage Certification Letter required at final inspection

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit — valuation $0.01–$500WCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 1 (Ordinance 1766, effective August 2016 — confirmed live on washoecounty.gov fee page as of 2026-06-30)
$45.00
Building Permit — valuation $500.01–$2,000
$45.00 for the first $500.00 plus $3.36 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof
Building Permit — valuation $2,000.01–$25,000
$95.40 for the first $2,000.00 plus $15.14 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Building Permit — valuation $25,000.01–$50,000
$443.62 for the first $25,000.00 plus $10.90 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Building Permit — valuation $50,000.01–$100,000
$716.12 for the first $50,000.00 plus $7.63 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Building Permit — valuation $100,000.01–$500,000
$1,097.62 for the first $100,000.00 plus $5.93 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Building Permit — valuation $500,000.01–$1,000,000
$3,469.62 for the first $500,000.00 plus $5.07 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Plan Review Fee — Single Family DwellingWCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 9 — paid at time of submittal
50% of building permit fee
Park TaxNRS 278.4983 — must be paid in cash or check at final permit issuance
1% of permit valuation or $1,000 per dwelling unit, whichever is less
Regional Road Impact Fee (RRIF)Collected at permit issuance; cash or check only; schedule at washoecounty.gov/building/Files_2020/RRIF-FEE-STRUCTURE.pdf
Varies — see RTC Regional Road Impact Fee Schedule
Residential Valuation basis — R-3 (one- and two-family), Type VB constructionUsed to calculate permit valuation per WCC Chapter 100 Appendix A Building Valuation Data
$94.99–$126.86 per sq ft (Type VB cost table)

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Washoe County building department
~10–45 business days

How long did your Residential Building Permit (New Construction) 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

    Footings / Foundation

    Before concrete pour — Setback and Elevation Certification Letter and Soils Compaction Certification Letter required

  2. 2

    Framing

    After structural framing, sheathing, and rough-in trades are complete and before insulation or wall cover

  3. 3

    Insulation / Energy

    Insulation installed and energy code compliance items verified before drywall

  4. 4

    Final

    All work complete; Grading and Drainage Certification Letter required; ready for Certificate of Occupancy

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

Tips

  • Verify your parcel is in unincorporated Washoe County before applying — many parcels near Reno or Sparks city limits are within those cities' jurisdiction.
  • Call (775) 328-2020 between 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM on your inspection day to get your specific time slot.
  • Inspections can be scheduled via voicemail at (775) 325-8000, email at inspections@washoecounty.gov, or online through your Accela account.
  • Incline Village area projects add 15% to the construction cost per square foot for valuation purposes.
  • Check whether your parcel is in a WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) zone before finalizing your design — many unincorporated Washoe County areas require Class A or B roofing and ignition-resistant construction.
  • Frost depth is 24 inches minimum; footings must extend below this depth.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. All new residential construction in unincorporated Washoe County requires a building permit from the Washoe County Building Program. Apply online at www.onenv.us or in person at 1001 E. Ninth Street, Reno. Call (775) 328-2020 for assistance.

Fees are based on project valuation using the county's Building Valuation Data table (per WCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 1). For a typical single-family home (R-3 occupancy, Type VB construction), the per-square-foot cost used is $94.99–$126.86. Apply that to the gross square footage to get a valuation, then look up the fee in Table 1. A 50% plan review fee is also charged at submittal.

Plan review for a residential building permit (new construction) in Unincorporated Washoe County typically runs 10–45 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Washoe County Building Program at (775) 328-2020.

You'll need: Residential Building Permit Application (2023); Site Plan Checklist (2025). Depending on your project, Unincorporated Washoe County may also ask for: Single Family Dwelling Handout (2022); Owner/Builder Affidavit (2023). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Washoe County requires 4 inspection(s) for a residential building permit (new construction), in order: Footings / Foundation, Framing, Insulation / Energy, Final. 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.

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

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Residential Building Permit (New Construction) in other cities

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