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Building an ADU in Las Vegas

City code and Nevada law · Last reviewed October 9, 2026

Under a 2026 code amendment (Ordinance 6963), the City of Las Vegas allows one accessory dwelling unit (ADU), with a full kitchen, on a lot in its residential zoning districts as a conditional use that can be approved administratively, without a special use permit. It can't be larger than the main home, it needs one extra parking space, and it must meet your zone's development standards. These rules cover only the incorporated City of Las Vegas: unincorporated areas such as Paradise and Spring Valley follow Clark County's code. [1][2][3]

Las Vegas at a glance
Where allowedConditional use ("C") in the U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH districts [1]
Special use permitNot needed; the code says the special use permit provisions of LVMC 19.12.040(B) don't apply [1]
How manyOne ADU per lot [1]
Max sizeNever more than the main home's gross floor area; zone accessory tables also list 50% of the main home's floor area (see conflict note below) [1]
Detached ADU setbacks (R-1)3 ft side and rear, 15 ft corner side, 6 ft from the main house; none from an alley [1]
Height (R-1)Accessory buildings up to 2 stories, 35 ft or the main home's height, whichever is less [1]
ParkingOne space beyond the number normally required [1]
KitchenFull kitchen allowed (state law bars banning one) [1][6]
Short-term rentalThe city's short-term residential rental use doesn't include renting an ADU [1]
JurisdictionCity of Las Vegas only; unincorporated Clark County (Paradise, Spring Valley and other towns) follows Title 30 [2][3][4]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. City of Las Vegas or Clark County?
  3. What you can build here
  4. Size, height and setbacks
  5. Parking
  6. Fees
  7. Garage conversions and tiny houses
  8. Renting it out
  9. HOAs and master-planned communities
  10. Permit steps
  11. Who to call
  12. Questions people ask

City of Las Vegas or Clark County?

This page covers only the incorporated City of Las Vegas. Much of the Las Vegas Valley, including Paradise and Spring Valley, is unincorporated Clark County. Clark County's Title 30 "shall apply to all use of property and all development in unincorporated Clark County," and the county, advised by town advisory boards, governs those unincorporated towns.

The city tells permit applicants to "make sure you are within the city jurisdiction" and links to the county's jurisdiction lookup. Henderson and North Las Vegas are separate cities with their own codes. [2][3][4][5]

What you can build here

Nevada's AB 396 (NRS 278.257) required Las Vegas to adopt an ADU ordinance, with July 1, 2026 as the deadline. The city amended its Unified Development Code with Ordinance 6963, which the code's history notes date July 1, 2026. See our Nevada ADU law page.

The code defines an ADU as a structure that is "either detached, attached or built within the primary residence" on a residential parcel with a single-family home, providing "an independent living space, including full kitchen facilities," for the home's occupants or their tenants, domestic employees or temporary guests.

ADUs are a conditional use in the U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH districts. A conditional use "may be approved administratively" if its conditions are met, and the code says the special use permit provisions of LVMC 19.12.040(B) "do not apply to this use." You can have no more than one ADU on a lot. [1][5][6]

Size, height and setbacks

Size. The ADU follows your zone's development standards, but "in no case shall the unit exceed the total gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit." The accessory structure tables for the U, R-E and R-D districts add that an ADU "shall not exceed 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling," and the R-1, R-CL and R-2 tables cap accessory structures at 50% of the main home's floor area. The code doesn't say how those table limits fit with the floor-area rule, so ask Planning & Zoning which limit applies to your lot.

Detached ADUs follow the accessory structure tables for your district. In R-1, for example, they must be 6 feet from the main house, 3 feet from side and rear lot lines and 15 feet from a corner side lot line, and all accessory buildings together can cover no more than half the rear yard. Accessory buildings in R-1 can be up to 2 stories, 35 feet or the height of the main home, whichever is less.

Attached ADUs follow the main building placement standards for your district and don't need interior access to the main home.

Everywhere: an ADU can't be built before the main house has a building permit, can't sit in front of the main house (except a side-entry ADU outside the front setback), needs no setback from an alley lot line, and must be "aesthetically compatible" with the main home. Nevada law bars side or rear setbacks for ADUs that are stricter than for the main house. [1][6]

Parking

The code requires "one additional parking space ... beyond the number of spaces normally required." State law lets covered cities require up to one additional space when existing and street parking meet the ADU's needs. [1][6]

Fees

Las Vegas does not publish a flat ADU fee. The city's Permit Fee Estimator estimates building permit fees, but the city says zoning, sewer connection and other impact fees are not included. Charges the city lists include:

Ask Building & Safety which charges apply to your ADU. See our ADU cost guide for whole-project budgeting. [4][7][8][9]

Garage conversions and tiny houses

The code allows an ADU that is attached to or built within the primary residence, so converting attached space is possible if it meets your zone's standards. Parking still matters: the ADU needs one more space beyond the normal requirement, so check how a garage conversion affects your required spaces. See our garage conversion guide.

A residential tiny house may be used as an ADU where ADUs are allowed, but a tiny house must "not be mounted on wheels." See our backyard tiny house guide. [1]

Renting it out

Nevada law bars covered cities from banning long-term rental of an ADU but lets them prohibit use "as transient lodging." The city's ADU definition includes housing for the home's "tenants." The city's short-term residential rental use (stays under 31 days) "does not include the rental or occupancy of a ... residential accessory dwelling unit," so an ADU doesn't fit that use. Check with the city before listing an ADU as a short-term rental. [1][6]

HOAs and master-planned communities

City zoning approval doesn't settle what your homeowners' association allows. AB 396 also amended Nevada's common-interest community law, but its ADU section doesn't address HOA restrictions on ADUs. Read your CC&Rs and ask your HOA before you design. See our ADU permit process guide for general steps. [5]

Permit steps in Las Vegas

  1. Confirm you're in the City of Las Vegas

    Many Las Vegas addresses are in unincorporated Clark County. Check with the county's jurisdiction lookup, which the city links from its permit page. If you're in the county, Clark County's Title 30 applies instead. [3][4]

  2. Check your zoning and the ADU standards

    Find your zoning district and read the ADU rules in the Unified Development Code. Call Planning & Zoning at 702-229-6301 with questions. [1][10]

  3. Request a pre-application conference if you need one

    Planning applications, including pre-application conference requests, go through CLV EPLAN, linked from the city's Planning & Zoning page. Planning and zoning review comes before the building process. [4][10]

  4. Prepare electronic plans

    Follow the city's electronic plan requirements and electronic submittal instructions. [4]

  5. Apply for a building permit with plans

    Apply for a permit requiring plans from the Building & Offsite Permits page. Building & Safety will help you fill out applications at 702-229-6251. [4]

  6. Pay fees and schedule inspections

    Estimate fees with the Permit Fee Estimator, pay development permit fees online, and schedule inspections through the city's permit pages. [4]

Who to call

Questions people ask

Do I need a special use permit for an ADU in Las Vegas?

No, not under the current code as amended by Ordinance 6963 in 2026. An ADU is a conditional use that can be approved administratively if it meets the code's conditions, and the code says the special use permit provisions of LVMC 19.12.040(B) don't apply to it. [1]

How big can a casita or ADU be in Las Vegas?

The code says an ADU can never be larger than the main home's gross floor area. Older zone tables also cap accessory structures, or ADUs in some districts, at 50% of the main home's floor area, so confirm the limit for your lot with Planning & Zoning. [1]

Can my Las Vegas ADU have a full kitchen?

Yes. The city's definition of an ADU includes full kitchen facilities, and Nevada law bars covered cities from prohibiting a separate kitchen. [1][6]

Do these rules apply in Paradise, Spring Valley or Enterprise?

No. Those are unincorporated towns governed by Clark County, where Title 30 of the county code applies. Use the county's jurisdiction lookup to check your address. [2][3][4]

Can I Airbnb my ADU in Las Vegas?

The city's short-term residential rental use does not include renting an accessory dwelling unit, and state law lets cities prohibit ADUs as transient lodging. Long-term rental is allowed. Check with the city before listing. [1][6]

Sources (10)
  1. Las Vegas Municipal Code Title 19, Unified Development Code (Chapters 19.06, 19.12 and 19.18, as amended by Ord. 6963, eff. 7/1/2026), City of Las Vegas. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. Town Advisory Boards/Citizens Advisory Councils, Clark County, Nevada. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. Title 30: Unified Development Code (effective September 17, 2026), Clark County, Nevada, Comprehensive Planning. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. Building & Offsite Permits, City of Las Vegas, Building & Safety. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. Assembly Bill No. 396, 83rd Session (2025), Enrolled, Nevada Legislature. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. NRS 278.257 Ordinance authorizing development and use of accessory dwelling unit on residential property; requirements; applicability, Nevada Legislature, Legislative Counsel Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. Permit Fee Estimator, City of Las Vegas, Building & Safety. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. Sewer Connection Charges Based on ERU Unit of $3,235.00, Effective January 1, 2026, City of Las Vegas, Building & Safety. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. Industry Advisory: Increase of Sewer Connection Charges and Residential Construction Tax Fees, Effective January 1, 2024, City of Las Vegas, Department of Community Development. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  10. Planning & Zoning, City of Las Vegas. Accessed October 9, 2026.

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