Building permits, zoning and land rules in Reno, Nevada

At a glance

Building permits

Required for most construction; exemptions apply¹

Zoning

City zoning applies inside Reno²

Residential septic

Northern Nevada Public Health; new designs coordinated with building permits³⁶

Accessory dwellings

Allowed subject to city zoning and building requirements⁴

Tiny homes and RVs

Private-lot occupancy unconfirmed; ask the Planner of the Day⁵

Owner-builder

State contractor-license exemption for qualifying owner-occupied projects⁷

Domestic wells

State water-permit exceptions have limits; public water availability can require a waiver⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Reno, NV?

Most construction and building projects in Reno require a city building permit, with exemptions listed in the adopted building codes.¹ Reno accepts new plans under the 2024 code edition, following the end of its transition period in January 2026.⁹ For a proposed home, addition or other project, ask Reno Building and Safety which building permit application and submittal guidelines apply.¹⁰ Reno’s fee estimator covers base building permit and plan-review fees; formal application establishes additional applicable charges, including possible engineering, planning, health, fire, sewer and impact fees.¹¹

Who handles Reno building permits and zoning questions?

Reno Building and Safety answers building permit questions, and the city provides a permitting counter on the second floor of City Hall.¹⁰ Reno’s Planner of the Day answers planning and zoning questions and is also available on the second floor of City Hall.⁵ Submit Reno building permit applications electronically through the ONE Regional Licensing and Permitting portal; document handling uses Digital Projects beginning July 2026.¹² For land outside city limits, consult the Washoe County guide: the county’s land-use rules govern unincorporated land.¹³

Does Reno have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Reno has an Annexation and Land Development Code that governs zoning inside city limits.² Reno adopted an ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units in October 2025, subject to applicable city standards and building permit requirements.⁴ We could not confirm Reno’s private-lot RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy requirements; ask the Planner of the Day about the proposed dwelling and parcel before committing to either plan.⁵ We also could not confirm the principal residential district’s lot-size, setback, coverage or height limits; request the parcel’s zoning requirements from the same city office.⁵

How do residential septic permits work inside Reno?

Northern Nevada Public Health Environmental Health Services regulates residential sewage and wastewater disposal within Washoe County, including land inside Reno.⁶ A new residential septic system starts with a test-trench inspection, and the test-trench permit application goes through the online permitting portal.⁶ New septic designs must be permitted along with the building permit for the building served, so coordinate the sanitation plan with the city building application rather than treating sewage disposal as a later task.⁶ Commercial septic permitting belongs to Nevada’s Bureau of Water Pollution Control, rather than the residential health authority.¹⁴

What are the steps to building a home in Reno?

Start with Reno’s Planner of the Day to resolve zoning questions for the parcel and proposed use.⁵ If the home will use septic, begin the residential test-trench process with Northern Nevada Public Health and coordinate the new system design with the building permit.⁶ Submit the Reno building permit application electronically, using the city’s Digital Projects document process.¹² Budget beyond the base building and plan-review estimate because additional fees can apply.¹¹ After issuance, Reno requires a Pass or Partial inspection within the first 180 days and every subsequent 180-day period to maintain building permit validity.¹⁵

What should you check before buying land in Reno?

For a domestic well serving a Reno home, Nevada’s water rules matter: the domestic-use exception generally allows up to 2 acre-feet annually, but public water availability can require a waiver before drilling or modifying the well.⁸ Work within state highway right-of-way requires an NDOT encroachment permit and an approved traffic-control plan.¹⁶ If you intend to build your own residence, Nevada’s owner-builder contractor-license exemption requires an application to the State Contractors’ Board and a disclosure statement submitted to the Board and local building official.⁷ Ask Reno Building and Safety to resolve the city’s final occupancy requirements before scheduling a move; we could not confirm those requirements.¹⁰

Watch-outs

• A Reno accessory dwelling approval does not establish permission for a particular tiny-home design; ask the Planner of the Day about the proposed unit.⁴⁵
• Reno building permits can expire without a Pass or Partial inspection in each required 180-day period.¹⁵
• Reno’s building permit fee estimator omits additional applicable charges, so budget from the formal application assessment.¹¹

Sources

1. Building Permits (Reno), quoted and re-checked
2. Annexation and Land Development Code (Reno), quoted and re-checked
3. Septic Systems & Liquid Waste, quoted and re-checked
4. Zoning Code Updates (Reno), quoted and re-checked
5. City of Reno Planner of the Day (reno.gov)
6. Northern Nevada Public Health, Environmental Health Services (nnph.org)
7. NRS 624.031 — Applicability of chapter: Exemptions (Nevada statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. NAC Chapter 534 — Underground Water and Wells (Nevada statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Building Permits (Reno), quoted and re-checked
10. City of Reno Building and Safety Division (reno.gov)
11. Building Permits (Reno), quoted and re-checked
12. Building Permits (Reno), quoted and re-checked
13. Codes & Regulations, quoted and re-checked
14. Septic Systems & Liquid Waste, quoted and re-checked
15. Building Permits (Reno), quoted and re-checked
16. Right-of-Way Occupancy Permits/Encroachments, quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.