Step one: figure out which jurisdiction you're in
A "Las Vegas" mailing address can fall under any of four building departments: the City of Las Vegas, unincorporated Clark County (which includes the Strip corridor, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Paradise and Summerlin South), the City of Henderson or the City of North Las Vegas. Each has its own portal, review queue, fire review and inspection scheduling. Check the parcel's jurisdiction before you plan anything else.
Clark County (unincorporated)
Clark County Building & Fire Prevention publishes first-review goals by project type and valuation:
| Project type | Definition | First-review goal |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial | Valuation $250,000 or more | 21 days |
| Commercial Minor | Under $250,000 (not 7-day eligible) | 14 days |
| Commercial 7 Day | Under $100,000 with zoning approval | 7 days |
| Corrections / later reviews | All | 10 days |
| Phased projects | Phased design agreement | 42 days |
The County also publishes a monthly timeliness report. In September 2026, the average first review was about 18 days for commercial projects, about 13 days for commercial minor and under 6 days for the 7-day queue. Each round of corrections adds time, so a complete first submittal is the biggest schedule lever you control. The County's tenant improvement permit guide (BPG023) lists what a TI submittal must include, including energy-code documentation.
City of Las Vegas
The City of Las Vegas Building & Safety division lists about three weeks for routine non-structural and structural reviews, and about three weeks for fire reviews tied to building permits. All new commercial plans must be submitted electronically. The City offers counter review for minor projects, with review within one business day of submission. Business or retail tenant improvements up to 1,500 square feet are eligible, among other scopes. Projects that may need a grease interceptor (restaurants, coffee shops, bars), tenant improvements in major projects such as hotel-casinos, hospitals, malls and high-rises, and some other uses are excluded. Express plan review can also be scheduled. The City adopted the 2024 IBC family of codes, effective January 2026.
City of Henderson
Henderson takes all permit applications electronically through DSC Online and requires plans to follow the City's electronic plan standards. Its Virtual Counter reviews some small commercial tenant improvements live over video with the plan reviewers. Eligible scopes include Group A (assembly) spaces under 1,500 square feet, Group B (business) under 3,000 square feet and most other occupancies under 10,000 square feet. High-hazard (H) and institutional (I) occupancies, dry cleaners, projects that need a life safety report, projects with structural plans and projects with more than 20 plumbing fixtures are not eligible.
City of North Las Vegas
North Las Vegas Building Safety also takes plans electronically, one combined PDF per discipline. Site and civil work goes through a separate Public Works review. Eligible commercial projects can use the City's Self-Certification Program, which can shorten review for qualified design teams.
Approvals beyond the building permit
Many commercial projects need other approvals that run in parallel. Restaurants and other food businesses need Southern Nevada Health District plan approval. Licensed healthcare facilities such as ambulatory surgery centers need state plan review (see our medical office build-out requirements guide). Changes of use or exterior changes may need zoning or land-use approval first, which in unincorporated towns goes through a Town Advisory Board. Fire sprinkler and alarm changes are often permitted separately as deferred submittals.
How we use this in a schedule
During preconstruction we confirm the jurisdiction, choose the fastest review track the project actually qualifies for, order long-lead equipment early, and check the submittal for completeness before it goes in. That way the permit window is a known item in the schedule and doesn't become a surprise.
Sources
- Clark County plan review timelines
- Clark County Building Plan Review Timeliness Report, Sept 2026
- Clark County BPG023: Tenant Improvements
- City of Las Vegas Building & Safety
- City of Las Vegas Counter Review Guideline
- City of Henderson Virtual Counter
- City of North Las Vegas Building Safety
- Southern Nevada Health District plan review
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Rules, fees and review times change, so confirm current requirements with the agency before you rely on them. This article is general information, not legal advice.