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Sign Permit in Unincorporated Washoe County, Nevada

Required for construction of any new permanent sign over 4 square feet in display area, and for repair of existing signs beyond routine maintenance, in unincorporated Washoe County. Governed by Washoe County Development Code Article 505 (Sign Regulations) and issued by the Washoe County Building and Safety Division. Most permanent signs also require an Administrative Permit confirming compliance with the size/height table for the property's principal use type; illuminated signs require a separate electrical permit.

Verified 2026-07-22 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Sign permit required from Washoe County Building and Safety Division for any permanent, non-exempt sign whose display area exceeds 4 square feet (WCC Development Code §110.505.40(a))
  • Signs 4 square feet or smaller, and other listed exemptions (address plates, plaques under 4 sq ft, warning signs under 2 sq ft, flags, election-period signs, etc.), do not require a sign permit (§110.505.05(b))
  • The property must have an established principal use type (§110.505.20) before a permanent sign may be erected, except mobile and temporary signs
  • Permanent signs require an Administrative Permit (Article 808) confirming compliance with Table 110.505.15.1 maximum number, height, and area limits for the property's principal use type
  • Regional Recreation, Travel and Tourism developments seeking to exceed the Table 110.505.15.1 size/height limits for one freestanding sign must obtain a Special Use Permit (Article 810) per §110.505.40(c)
  • Freestanding signs must be set back a minimum of 5 feet from all property lines, not located within 75 feet of any other freestanding sign or billboard, and not located within 300 feet of the Truckee River centerline or within a special flood hazard area (§110.505.15(f))
  • Wall signs shall not extend above the building wall/frontage or project more than 1 foot from the wall (§110.505.15(g)); roof signs must meet separate height and mounting criteria (§110.505.15(h))
  • Submit the Sign Permit Application (job address, parcel number, project valuation, allowable/existing/proposed/remaining sign area, freestanding sign height, electrical circuit information) to the Washoe County Building and Safety Division
  • Illuminated signs require a separate Electrical Permit for the sign circuit wiring (WCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 8)

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit — valuation-based per Table 1WCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 1. No dedicated sign valuation rate is published; the Sign Permit Application itself asks the applicant to state a project valuation, consistent with the same 'Exceptions' applicant-valuation methodology used elsewhere in Appendix A when a project type has no defined per-unit valuation (e.g., demolition).
Varies — valuation-based (same tiered table as other building permits, $45 minimum)
Plan Review FeeWCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 9 — 'Grading and all other Permits' category
65% of building permit fee
Electrical Permit — Signs, Outline Lighting and MarqueesWCC Chapter 100, Appendix A, Table 8 — only applies to illuminated signs requiring an electrical connection; confirmed in the January 2017 printing of the Chapter 100 fee tables, same table structure as the 2021 printing cited elsewhere in this file
$45.00 base issuance + $15.00 for signs/outline lighting systems/marquees supplied from one branch circuit, each, plus $3.00 for each additional branch circuit within the same sign
Administrative Permit (Article 808) application feeGenuine gap: the Administrative Permit required by §110.505.40(b) is a Planning Division land-use approval, not a Building Division permit, and its fee was not found in WCC Chapter 100 Appendix A; contact the Planning Division (775-328-6100) to confirm the current amount
Not published in the Building Division fee tables (Tables 1–9) reviewed

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Sign Permit 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

    Sign construction and structural attachment verified per approved plans; electrical connections verified for illuminated signs

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

Tips

  • Signs 4 square feet or smaller are generally exempt from permitting, but several other exemption categories (address plates, tombstones, flags, election-period signs) have their own size caps under WCC Development Code §110.505.05(b).
  • Illuminated signs require a separate electrical permit in addition to the building sign permit — budget for the Table 8 'Signs, Outline Lighting and Marquees' fee.
  • Freestanding sign height and area limits vary significantly by principal use type under Table 110.505.15.1 — Commercial/Retail is capped at 20 ft (up to 30 ft with an Administrative Permit) and up to 200 sq ft, while Residential — Single Family is capped at 4 ft / 4 sq ft.
  • Temporary signs (e.g., 'for sale,' construction, real estate) do not require a sign permit if they comply with Table 110.505.15.2 size/height/setback limits and the 10-consecutive-day, 90-day-between-displays rule.
  • By statute, if the county has not decided on a complete sign permit application within 60 days, the permit is deemed approved (§110.505.40(a)(4)).

Frequently asked questions

Yes, for any new permanent sign with a display area over 4 square feet, or for repairs beyond routine maintenance (WCC Development Code §110.505.40(a)). Sign permits are issued by the Washoe County Building and Safety Division and must be issued within 60 days of a complete application, or the permit is deemed approved. Most permanent signs also require an Administrative Permit confirming compliance with the size/height table (Table 110.505.15.1) for the property's principal use type.

The structural/building portion is calculated from the applicant-stated project valuation using the same tiered Table 1 schedule as other building permits ($45 minimum), plus a 65% plan review fee (Table 9). Illuminated signs also require a separate electrical permit ($45 base plus $15 per branch circuit, Table 8). The Administrative Permit required for most permanent signs is a separate Planning Division fee not published in the Building Division's Table 1–9 fee schedule.

Unincorporated Washoe County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Washoe County Building Program at (775) 328-2020 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Sign Permit Application; Administrative Permit Application (Article 808). Depending on your project, Unincorporated Washoe County may also ask for: Copy of Special Use Permit or Variance. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Washoe County requires 1 inspection(s) for a sign permit, in order: 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 2026-07-22.

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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