Humboldt County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

Unincorporated areas of Humboldt County, including rural properties, agricultural lands, and unincorporated communities such as Denio, Kings River, McDermitt, and Orovada.

Department

Humboldt County Building and Safety Department

Address

25 West Fourth Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445

Phone

(775) 623-6322

Email

buildingdept@hcnv.us

Website

https://www.humboldtcountynv.gov/161/Building-Department

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Contact Humboldt County Planning and Zoning at (775) 623-6393 to confirm zoning requirements, setbacks, and land use compatibility.
2. Complete building permit application package with all required documents (site plan, floor plans, elevations, cross sections, framing plans, foundation details).
3. Coordinate with applicable agencies: Planning & Zoning, Road Department, Nevada Division of Water Resources (well permits), Nevada Bureau of Health Protection Services (septic), Nevada State Fire Marshal.
4. Submit complete application in-person at 25 West Fourth Street, Winnemucca, or via email to buildingdept@hcnv.us.
5. Pay plan review fees at time of submittal (65% of building permit fee).
6. Building Department staff review submitted plans for code compliance.
7. Pay permit fees at time of permit issuance.
8. Receive permit and inspection record form (job card) with one set of approved plans.
9. Call (775) 623-6322 a minimum of 24 hours in advance to schedule required inspections.
10. Complete all required inspections (underground utility, foundation, stem wall, pre-slab, under floor, roof sheathing, shear/brace wall, framing, insulation, sheetrock, final).
11. Upon passing final inspection, Building Department issues certificate of occupancy (final sign-off on job card serves as certificate of occupancy).

Typical processing time: Approximately 10 working days (2 weeks) from complete application to permit issuance for single-family residences, assuming no land use approvals required and no corrections needed.

Source: Humboldt County Building and Safety Department

General Requirements

Building permit required for new construction of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings; additions to existing structures; manufactured home installations; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work; grading and excavation; signs and fences; woodstove/pellet stove installations.

Required Documents

• Address or Assessor's Parcel Number
• Site plan (minimum 8.5 x 11, 11x17 preferred for accessory structures, 24x36 for dwellings)
• Cross section drawings
• Elevations
• Floor/wall/roof framing plan with header and beam sizes
• Floor plan indicating room dimensions, room uses, window sizes
• Foundation detail
• For manufactured homes: Size, make, year, serial number, set-up contractor information
• For electrical permit: Service size, location, number/location of lights/switches/outlets, horsepower of pumps/motors
• For mechanical permit: BTU of appliance, manufacturer's installation instructions
• For plumbing permit: Type and number of fixtures

Permit validity

Permits expire if work not commenced within 120 days of issuance; expire if abandoned for 180 days or more; expire one year from date of issuance per IRC Section R105.5; each permit must have approved inspection within 180 days from permit issue date or from last approved inspection.

Building code

Humboldt County Ordinance 11-04-13a, 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), 2012 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), 2012 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), 2012 International Fire Code (IFC), 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

Owner-builder

Property owners may act as their own general contractor for residential construction intended for their own occupancy. Must file Owner-Builder Affidavit of Exemption with Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) and submit original to building department. Owner must directly supervise construction. All subcontractors must be NSCB-licensed. Cannot sell or lease property within 1 year of completion. Must comply with all state and federal employment laws.

Contractor requirements

All contractors must be licensed by Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) for work valued at $500 or more. Contractor classifications: Class A (General Engineering), Class B (General Building), Class C (Specialty/Trade). NSCB Northern Nevada Office: (775) 688-1141. All contractors must obtain Humboldt County Business License: (775) 623-6345. Workers' compensation insurance required for all contractors with employees.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$51.75

Plan check fee

65% of building permit fee, paid at time of submittal

Permit fee formula

Based on 1991 Uniform Building Code Table 3-A plus 15% increase; regional building valuation modifier 125%

Reinspection fee

$50.00 per hour, minimum one-half hour for plan review revisions

Penalty (no permit)

Equal to permit fee (double fee) for work started without permit (Special Investigation Fee)

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• One-story detached accessory buildings (tool/storage sheds, playhouses, livestock shelters, greenhouses) with floor area not exceeding 200 sq ft (must be detached with minimum 6 feet separation)
• Fences not over 7 feet high
• Retaining walls not over 4 feet high (measured from bottom of footing to top)
• Sidewalks, decks, platforms, driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade and not over basement or story below, provided not part of accessible route
• Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancy, less than 24 inches deep in-ground or less than 5 feet deep when entirely above ground
• Painting, papering, and similar finish work
• Shade cloth structures for nursery storage or agricultural purposes (non-hazardous materials), roof area not exceeding 250 sq ft

Important: Zoning approval may still be required for exempt work. Contact Planning and Zoning at (775) 623-6393. Not all lots are buildable; check with Assessor or Planning Department to confirm legal lot status before construction.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• (775) 623-6322 (phone)
• 25 West Fourth Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445 (in-person)

Scheduling deadline

24-hour notice required for all inspection requests; person doing the work must call and request inspection.

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Closed 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM)

Time windows

Morning or afternoon windows available; outlying areas (Denio, Kings River, McDermitt): Inspections performed on Wednesdays

Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence: Underground Utility, Foundation/Footing, Stem Wall/Basement Walls/Retaining Walls, Pre-Slab, Under Floor, Roof Sheathing (includes framing), Shear/Brace Wall, Framing and Rough Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing (together), Insulation, Sheetrock, Final. Manufactured homes: Stemwall footing/runner, Runner, Underground utilities, Final.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Humboldt County Ordinance 11-04-13a, 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), 2012 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), 2012 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), 2012 International Fire Code (IFC), 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
• Verify contractor license: Nevada State Contractors Board License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Humboldt County Planning and Zoning
• Nevada State Contractors Board (Northern Nevada Office)
• Humboldt County Road Department
• Nevada Division of Water Resources
• Nevada Bureau of Health Protection Services
• Nevada State Fire Marshal
• License lookup guide: Nevada Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Nevada Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Nevada hub: Nevada Contractor License & Permit Hub