Reno Building Permit Office
Reno
City of Reno
775-334-2063
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
1 E First Street, 2nd Floor, Reno, Nevada, 89501
A Reno street address does not always mean the City of Reno is the permitting authority. Property inside Reno city jurisdiction is handled through the City of Reno Development Services Department and its Building & Safety Division, while construction in unincorporated Washoe County is permitted through Washoe County. Properties near municipal boundaries or within a city sphere of influence should have their jurisdiction confirmed before an application is started.
For projects under City of Reno jurisdiction, building permit applications are filed electronically through the regional ONE Regional Licensing & Permits system. The same system is also used for application status, fees and other permit activity. Since July 1, 2026, Reno has also used the portal’s Digital Projects component for building-plan files, revisions, review comments and final approved documents.
Confirm Reno or Washoe County Before Filing
The City of Reno Development Services Department handles the building permit process. Planning, engineering, Building & Safety and other city reviews may become part of the same development project depending on the proposed work.
Washoe County handles building permits for property in unincorporated county jurisdiction. The county specifically advises applicants to verify jurisdiction first because some properties may lie within the sphere of influence of Reno or Sparks even though their mailing address suggests otherwise.
Reno and Washoe County both use the ONE regional permitting system. Seeing the same portal for two properties does not mean the same government agency reviews both projects. The parcel’s governmental jurisdiction controls which agency receives the permit application.
Reno’s Building Permit File Workflow Changed in July 2026
Identify the correct permit record
The scope of work determines whether the application follows a standard building permit, an EZ permit, a flat-rate permit, a sign permit or a valuation-based permit path. Planning or engineering applications may be separate records even when they relate to the same development.
Submit the application through ONE
Reno requires building permit applications to be submitted electronically through ONE Regional Licensing & Permits.
Upload plans through Digital Projects
Beginning July 1, 2026, building permit document handling moved to Digital Projects within the permit portal. Initial plan files, supporting documents, responses to review holds and revised documents are handled there.
Respond to departmental review
Digital Projects provides access to review comments and review-cycle tracking. Depending on the project, Building & Safety may not be the only reviewing division; planning, engineering, fire, sewer or other reviews can also apply.
Obtain the permit and approved documents
After required reviews have been completed and applicable permit conditions have been satisfied, the permit can be issued. Final approved documents are available through the electronic project record.
Complete required inspections
Construction proceeds through the inspections assigned to the permit. A project requiring occupancy approval must complete the applicable inspection sequence before the City issues its final occupancy authorization.
What Reno Expects in a Residential Plan Set
Reno’s published residential permit guidelines require a site plan on all plan sets. The City expressly states that Google Earth and Google Maps are not accepted as the site plan.
Depending on the work, the plan set may also need civil engineering, architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and structural design information. Demolition information is included when demolition is part of the project.
- Project address, assessor’s parcel number and applicable unit numbers
- Scope of work on the cover sheet
- Sheet index and applicable code analysis
- Vicinity map and site plan
- Property lines, driveways, easements and setbacks on the site plan
- Existing and proposed structures and the area of work
- Utilities, drainage and grading information where applicable
- Structural calculations when required
- Roof-truss calculations and related engineering documentation when applicable
- Energy documents such as REScheck and Manual S, J or D when applicable
- Special inspection or structural observation documentation when the project triggers those requirements
The City’s residential guidelines also require plan sheets to be legible, consistently sized, drawn to scale and signed or sealed where Nevada law requires professional design documents. Incomplete submittals can be placed on hold while additional information is requested.
Reno Does Not Price or Review Every Permit the Same Way
Reno identifies EZ permits as permit types that do not require building plans or discretionary review. The exact work eligible for the EZ route is controlled by the City’s current permit-type list.
Specified permit types use established flat-rate charges for building plan review and inspection. Other application, issuance or departmental charges may still apply.
For valuation-based permits, project valuation is used to calculate the City’s building plan review and building permit inspection fees. New construction and additions use Reno’s building valuation table; other work is based on overall construction cost.
The City’s online valuation estimator covers base building permit and plan-review amounts only. A development may also generate planning, engineering, fire, health, sewer, impact or other charges when those reviews apply to the project.
Building Inspections Can Be Scheduled Online or Through Reno’s App
City building inspections can be scheduled through a logged-in ONE Regional Licensing & Permits account or through the Reno Building Inspections mobile application. On the scheduled inspection date, the inspector is expected to send a text message to the cell number supplied with the inspection request, giving an approximate arrival window.
After issuance, Reno requires a Pass or Partial inspection status within the first 180 days and during each following 180-day period to keep a building permit active. An application can also expire after more than 180 days without recorded activity. Reno provides a one-time extension process for eligible active permits and applications, but the request must be made before expiration.
Projects That Can Extend Beyond Building & Safety
Planning and engineering applications are submitted electronically through ONE, but they remain distinct from the building permit itself. Projects needing a land-use entitlement, site-plan review, subdivision action or another planning approval may need that process resolved as part of development review.
Construction that enters or uses City right-of-way can require a separate Public Works encroachment or excavation permit. Reno requires an encroachment/excavation permit before applicable work is performed in City streets, rights-of-way or easements.
The Reno Fire Department separately issues operational, construction and special event/use fire permits. A building permit therefore does not replace a fire permit when the proposed occupancy, system or activity triggers Fire Prevention requirements.
Exterior work on a resource listed on the City of Reno Register of Historic Places, or work subject to Reno’s local historic-district controls, can require a Certificate of Appropriateness. Alterations, demolition and new construction affecting protected historic resources can enter this review before the related work proceeds.
Reno’s land-development regulations require building and/or grading approval for development within designated flood-hazard areas and the City’s limited flooding area. Floodplain requirements must be satisfied before the applicable building or grading permit is issued.
Reno requires individuals working in electrical or plumbing trades within the City to hold the applicable pre-apprentice, apprentice or journeyman certification. This is separate from determining whether the construction project itself requires a building permit.
Reno Is Now Accepting New Plans Under the 2024 Code Cycle
The City adopted the 2024 building-code editions together with the 2023 National Electrical Code on July 1, 2025. The transition period has ended: effective January 1, 2026, Reno accepts new plans only under the 2024 building-code editions. Northern Nevada amendments also apply where adopted.
This matters when older drawings are reused for a new application. Plans prepared under Reno’s former 2018-code cycle may require revision before they can be accepted as a new 2026 submittal.
The City of Reno has warned about fraudulent emails impersonating staff from Reno and other regional agencies and demanding permit-related payments. Permit invoices and fee requests should be verified through the official ONE Regional Licensing & Permits account rather than paid from an unsolicited email link.
Reno Permit and Development Links
Reno Building Permits
Building permit requirements, permit types, fees, plan-submittal materials, code information and inspection instructions.
ONE Regional Licensing & Permits
Submit Reno permit applications, work with electronic project records, review application status and manage permit activity.
Reno Planning and Engineering Applications
Land-development applications, engineering submittals, zoning materials and project-specific checklists.
Encroachment and Excavation Permits
City requirements for construction, excavation and certain temporary uses within public rights-of-way.
Reno Fire Permits
Operational, construction and special-event/use permit information administered by the Reno Fire Department.
Reno Register of Historic Places
Information on locally protected historic resources and Certificate of Appropriateness requirements.
Washoe County Building — Getting Started
Use this county resource when a property may be outside Reno city jurisdiction and within unincorporated Washoe County.