Building & Fire Safety
Common Questions- Do I need a permit for ... ?
Fences- Any fence that is 24 inches in height or higher, or any fence that is within 24 inches of any property line is required to have a permit pulled before it may be constructed. The City of Henderson has pre-approved wall standards that can be utilized for the engineering of most common cinder-block walls.
Changing out my Water Heater/Air Conditioning Unit- If you are going to change out your water heater or A/C unit, you are required to pull a permit. If the change out will be an upgrade to a different size or type of model, (for instance, if you are changing from an electric to a gas model) there may be different requirements for the permit. You may call the Permit Technician Division at (702) 267-3620 for any questions regarding these situations.Tool/Storage Shed or Playhouse- If the size of the structure is 120 sq. ft. or less, and has no electrical, plumbing, or mechanical involved in its design, there is no permit required. If the size of the structure is more than 120 sq. ft., or if it does have electrical, plumbing, or mechanical involved in its design, then a permit must be pulled before it may be constructed.
Concrete Slab- If the concrete is not being used as the foundation for any structures, a permit is not required. Driveways, walkways, patios, etc. are not required to be permitted. If the concrete is to be used as a foundation for a structure, plans and engineering for the foundation should be included in the plan sets for that structure when it is permitted.
Changing a Wall/Window/Floor Plan of my house- Any time a change is made to the floor plan, whether moving a wall, adding a doorway, adding a room(s), enclosing a loft to make a new room, etc, or if you are going to replace one or more windows in your house, you are required to pull a permit for the work to be done.
Re-Shingling my roof- If you are replacing only the shingles and not any of the wood sheets underneath, then a permit is not required. If any wood sheets need to be replaced, then a permit will be required for the work.
- How much will my permit cost?
The cost of permit will vary depending on what is being built and the size of the project. The fees for our most common permit types can be determined by visiting our Permit Fee Estimator.
- How many plan sets do I need?
The number of plans sets required for submittal will depend on what is being built. Reference the Submittal Checklists page to find out the number of plan sets required, what pre-requisites must be met before a permit may be applied for, and what is required to be on the plan sets themselves.
- As a home owner, can I apply for my own permits?
If you are the registered owner of the home, and it is your primary residence, you may pull your own building permits. There are certain stipulations that you must agree to before the permits will be issued. As a home owner, if you pull your own permits, you may prepare your own drawings and plans. This may be done without consulting an architect or designer, as long as the plans are legible and are Building and Fire Code compliant.**Note** These policies do not apply to owners of rental properties, or owners of commercial properties. In those cases, a licensed contractor must be hired to perform all work and must be listed as the contractor of record on the permits.
- How long is the normal plan review period?
Plan review times vary depending on what is being built. Visit our Service Target Calculator page to calculate an estimate of the time it will take for your permit.
- When will I get an inspection?
Although Building and Fire Safety Department Office is open Monday - Friday, 7:30 AM till 5:30 PM, inspections are performed from 6:00 AM till 4:00 PM. Any inspection requests that are entered into the system prior to 4:30 PM will be inspected the following business day.
- Did my inspection pass?
If your inspection(s) passed, the inspection sheet of your permit will be signed and dated next to the inspection code requested for inspection. You may also check your Inspection History online and review all scheduled inspections.Note: Inspections performed today will not be available to view until after 4 PM.
- How long is my permit good for?
When a permit is issued, the owner of the permit has 6 months to commence work on the structure or project. The permit owner can show proof of this by calling for an inspection and allowing an inspector to come to the site. When this happens, the permit will be renewed for an additional 6 months.If work has not commenced or if no inspection is scheduled within any six month period, the permit will expire. If this happens, the Building and Fire Safety department may decide, at their sole discretion, to re-open the permit. In these cases, new fees will be assessed.
- How do I request a refund for permit fees?
To request a refund of permit fees, you may download and complete a Request for Refund form. Submit that form to the Building and Fire Safety Department within 6 months of the date that the permit fees were paid. There is certain criteria that must be met in order for a refund of any permit fees to be approved.