Residential Home Permit Process

Over The Counter Building Permits

Typically permits requiring no plan check are issued daily at your local County Complex or City Hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and most counties nowadays have an online portal were you can apply for various permits.

Building Permits Requiring Plan Check

Home-owners can take advantage of the many public workshops and meetings held by local government and free resource available to the general public. These meetings are free to the public and open a dialogue between the applicant and representatives for each department and can help eliminate costly surprises. To schedule a meeting, please contact the Planning Division in your county. For those readers in Sparks, Nevada call 775-353-2300 or planningreview@cityofsparks.us

Upon submittal of a completed application along with all required forms and payment of the plan review fees. The plans will be routed  to all necessary reviewers based on the scope of work.  This can include Building, Planning, Engineering, Fire, Health and Environmental Control. If reviewers have comments, the applicant will be notified via email and it will be the responsibility of the applicant to coordinate a response.

Time Limits

Depending on the complexity of the project,  the compilation of first reviews can take anywhere from a few days to a month. Reviews of responses to comments are typically faster.  Permits must be issued within 180 calendar days (6 months) from the date of application to avoid expiring. Should an extension be necessary , a written request must be submitted before the 180th day.  Building permits expire 180 days after issuance if no inspections are performed.  The 180 day clock starts over each time an inspection occurs.

Inspections

Building inspections are completed at all levels of construction. Inspections may be requested 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling your assigned inspector and leaving a voice mail; however, inspections must be confirmed by calling and speaking to your inspector directly between 7 a.m.- 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Contact information for each inspector is provided on your permit card.

Modifications to Plans

After issuance, as-builts and revisions to plans after issuance require submittal of only the revised pages prepared by the architect, engineer or plan preparer. Fees for revisions are calculated by the hour.

Requirements for Issuance of Permits

After plans have been approved, the permit will be made ready for issuance. The applicant will be notified of any outstanding issues and quoted fees. The permit will be issued only to authorized representatives members. Requirements for issuance are listed below:

If Permit is Issued to a Contractor:

He/she must have both a current State Contractor’s license and a current City business license.
If the person picking up the permit is anyone other than the principal of the licensed contractor, a signed authorization letter on company letterhead will be required. example authorization letter.

If permit is issued to an owner/builder:

The owner/builder must show proof of ownership and certify that they will reside in the home for at least one year. This agreement is made by the owner/builder signing the State Contractor’s Board owner/builder affidavit.