Washoe County building department

The Washoe County Building Program handles plan check, permits and inspections for unincorporated Washoe County, including Incline Village in the Tahoe Basin. Reno and Sparks have their own building divisions. All three agencies share the regional OneNV (Accela) portal, so choose the right agency when you apply. The front counter at 1001 E. Ninth Street in Reno is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you can book an appointment with a permit specialist online.

Codes

Washoe County adopted the 2024 ICC codes and the 2023 NEC effective July 1, 2025, with the 2024 Northern Nevada Amendments from the Northern Nevada Chapter of the ICC. The adopted set covers the IBC, IRC, IEBC, IECC, IFGC and IMC, Chapter 5 of the IWUIC, the ISPSC, and the 2024 Uniform Plumbing and Uniform Mechanical Codes. Permits submitted under the 2018 codes before January 1, 2026 stay under those codes.

On Red Flag Warning days, no work that could start a fire is allowed.

Work exempt from a permit

The full list is in Washoe County Code Chapter 100, Section 100.105.2. The County’s summary includes:

• Sheds or playhouses under 200 sq ft with no plumbing, electrical or mechanical work (planning setbacks still apply).
• Fences up to 30 inches in the front yard or 6 feet elsewhere, as long as they are not pool barriers or required screening. Same-material fence replacement under 100 linear feet and wire fences under 58 inches on parcels over 2 acres are also exempt.
• Retaining or rock walls under 4 feet that are not terraced and do not hold back extra weight or liquids.
• Decks up to 200 sq ft and no more than 30 inches high that do not serve the required exit door.
• Patios, walks and driveways under 30 inches with no foundation, and not over a basement or septic system.
• Roof repairs under 100 sq ft, or work covered by the roof’s one-year warranty.
• Grading under 50 cubic yards.
• Above-ground pools under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons.

Additional rules apply in the Tahoe Basin, including Tahoe Regional Planning Agency regulations.

Applying through OneNV

All new permits are submitted online. A permit technician checks the application for completeness and invoices the fees, and you pay online by card or e-check. Cash and checks are accepted at the counter. Approved plans come back through your online account only; the County does not issue paper sets. The County-stamped plans must be on site during construction. For corrections, upload a complete plan set with the corrected sheets and a response letter, then email [email protected].

EZ Permits issue the same day without plan review. They cover like-for-like residential HVAC, plumbing and water heater replacements, and electrical services up to 400 amps. Re-roofs, wood or pellet stoves, and owner-builder EZ permits still go to a technician first. EZ Permits are not available for commercial work or for work on manufactured or mobile homes.

Fees

Fees are based on valuation. The County multiplies square footage by its cost-per-square-foot table, then applies a fee schedule. Sample valuation rates:

Construction type	Valuation used
New house or addition (R-3, Type VB)	$94.99/sq ft
Garage, residential remodel, sunroom (U, Type VB)	$36.91/sq ft
Carport, awning, patio cover	$20.00/sq ft
Deck	$15.00/sq ft
Retaining wall	$15.00/linear ft
Fence	$8.00/linear ft

Valuations in the Incline Village area are 15% higher. Sample fee steps from Table 1 of the schedule:

• $500 or less: $45
• $2,000.01 to $25,000: $95.40 plus $15.14 per additional $1,000
• $100,000.01 to $500,000: $1,097.62 plus $5.93 per additional $1,000

Other fees on the schedule:

Item	Fee
After-hours inspection	$135/hour, 2-hour minimum
Re-inspection	$90/hour
Re-roof or siding permit	$45
Building permit renewal	$45 plus 10% of the original fee
Park tax (undeveloped lots)	1% of valuation or $1,000 per unit, whichever is less

Regional Road Impact Fees are also collected with the building permit.

Inspections

You can request inspections three ways:

• In OneNV, under Record Info > Inspections on your permit.
• Through the Washoe County Inspections app.
• By email to [email protected], or by voicemail at (775) 328-2020, by 3:30 p.m. Include the permit number, address, inspection type, requested date and a contact phone.

Next-day inspections are not guaranteed. If you scheduled by phone or email, call (775) 328-2020 between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. on the inspection day to get your time slot.

Under a policy memo effective April 1, 2026, the County moved from one-hour to two-hour arrival windows. Request an inspection only when the work is complete and ready. Inspectors will not wait while work is finished, and repeated not-ready requests can bring re-inspection and trip charges.