Local building department guide · Updated 2026-07-30

Reno Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

Use this guide to find the official Reno Building and Safety Division, start a permit application, search permit records, schedule an inspection, and locate the correct zoning or plan review contact.

Start here

Quick actions

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Apply for a building permit

Review the typical application path and prepare your project details.

See permit steps

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Track or search permits

Find Reno permit search resources and application status links.

Search permits

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Schedule a building inspection

Learn what to have ready before requesting your next inspection.

Schedule inspection

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Accela portal login

Open the department's official online services and permit portal.

Open portal

The City of Reno Building and Safety Division handles building permits, plan review, inspections, and development-code coordination for property inside Reno city limits. Washoe County and Sparks have separate building authorities; the OneNV portal is regional but the selected agency and jurisdiction still matter.

Reno permit process

Submit building permit applications electronically through OneNV, the City’s regional Accela licensing and permitting portal. Reno’s official development-services pages explain that project valuation affects plan-review and inspection fees and that applications move through submittal, review, issuance, and inspection stages. Larger projects may also require planning, engineering, fire, grading, or other approvals.

Inspections, zoning, and occupancy

Reno lists (775) 334-2063 for Building and Safety and directs customers to the regional portal and inspection tools for permit management. The City also lists inspection scheduling through the Building and Safety phone menu. Planning staff handle zoning information, land-development cases, variances, conditional-use permits, map amendments, and related development questions.

Reno’s development-data guidance states that a Certificate of Occupancy is issued after a permit completes submittal, review, and inspection steps. Do not use or occupy a project that requires a certificate until final approvals are recorded; confirm any separate fire, utility, or off-site conditions with the City.

Official contact information

Reno Development Services is contacted at 1 E. First Street, Reno, Nevada 89505, with the main City contact at (775) 334-INFO (4636) and Building and Safety at (775) 334-2063. Use OneNV for online applications, permit searches, payments, and inspection requests, selecting Reno as the agency.

Permit process

How to Apply for a Reno Building Permit

Confirm the project scope

Identify the work, property address, project valuation, and whether plans are required.

Prepare your documents

Gather plans, owner and contractor details, site information, and any zoning approvals.

Submit and monitor

Submit through the department’s stated process, pay fees, and watch for review comments.

Field work & closeout

Building Inspections & Code Compliance in Reno

Most permitted work must remain accessible for inspection at defined stages. Before scheduling, check your permit record for the required inspection sequence and make sure the site is safe and ready. Final inspections can be especially important for code compliance and a certificate of occupancy.

Helpful preparation

Keep the permit card or approval number available, confirm the property address, and ask the official office about lead times or reinspection fees.

Planning & review

Zoning and Plan Review Requirements

A building permit is not always the only approval your project needs. Zoning guidelines may affect use, setbacks, height, parking, signage, or lot coverage. Residential and commercial building permits can also follow different plan review tracks, so confirm the correct path before investing in a full plan set.

For a project in Reno, start with the official department below and ask which zoning, planning, conservation, or fire review approvals apply to your address.

Keep this handy

Official Contact Information

Department	Reno Building and Safety Division
Phone	(775) 334-2063
Address	1 E. First Street, Reno, NV 89505
Official website	https://www.reno.gov/business-development/development-services/index.php
Last verified	2026-07-30

Official source pages used for this guide

These links were checked on 2026-07-30. Requirements, fees, office hours, and portal addresses can change; use the official source as the final authority.