Compare ADU zoning rules across 3 Nevada cities. Average ADU score: 5.7/10.
Gathered from the 3 cities below, with the bill or ordinance each one names. Statewide measures are listed once with the cities they reached, rather than repeated for each.
Statewide law sets a floor; the numbers that decide your project are local. Here is the spread across the 3 Nevada cities covered here, taken from each city's own ordinance rather than a state summary.
| Question | Across Nevada |
|---|---|
| Are ADUs permitted? | 2 of 3 permit them, 1 only by discretionary approval. |
| Detached size cap | Median 400 sq ft, from 400 to 400 sq ft across the 2 cities publishing a numeric cap. |
| Owner-occupancy | Required in none of them. |
| Build cost | $130,000 to $250,000 depending on city and unit type. |
| Easiest and hardest here | Henderson scores 7/10; North Las Vegas scores 5/10. |
Recomputed whenever a city page changes, so this and the city pages below cannot disagree.
| City | Max Size | Setbacks | Permit Fees | Build Cost | 1BR Rent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | the greater of 25% of the principal dwelling's floor area or 1,000 sq ft — a guaranteed minimum, not a cap (Sec. 19.9.4.B.6.b.ii). Tiny-house ADUs max 400 sq ft excluding lofts; an attached garage doesn't count toward ADU size | 5 ft for a detached ADU 14 ft or less in height; taller ADUs must meet the main house's rear setback (RS-1/RS-2: 25 ft; RS-4/RS-6/RS-8: 15 ft). Detached ADUs need 6 ft of separation from other buildings, or a connecting roof. | Confirm with Henderson Development Services Center | $130,000-$250,000 | $1,300-$1,650/mo | 7/10 |
| Las Vegas | 50% of the primary dwelling's floor area. Ordinance 6963 routes a DETACHED ADU to the accessory-structure standards via LVMC 19.06.040(C.8) (Tables 2 and 3), which in R-1 cap an accessory structure at half the principal dwelling — so the detached cap is tighter than the attached one, which is the opposite of what most homeowners expect. LVMC 19.12.070 also provides that in no case may the unit exceed the primary dwelling's total gross floor area. | 3 feet minimum for detached accessory structures, plus 6-ft separation from the main dwelling; no setback required from a property line abutting an alley | The old $1,030 Special Use Permit fee no longer applies to conforming ADUs under Ordinance 6963; building-permit fees are valuation-based | $130,000-$250,000 | $1,150-$1,450/mo | 5/10 |
| North Las Vegas | Under the published code: at least 400 sq ft and no more than the lesser of 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area or 800 sq ft (§17.20.030.F.2.c.iv). A guest house/casita without a kitchen is separately capped at the lesser of 25% of the principal dwelling's living area or 800 sq ft, on a lot of at least 6,000 sq ft (§17.20.030.D.2.a.iii). Ordinary accessory buildings are held to 600 sq ft, or 1,200 sq ft on a lot of 15,000 sq ft or more, and no accessory building may occupy more than 25% of the rear yard (§17.20.030.D.2.a and D.2.c) | 3 feet for an accessory structure in R-1, R-E, R-EL, R-CL, R-2, R-3 and R-4, and in O-L (Table 17.24.010-2). The principal dwelling in R-1 must keep 15 feet, so the accessory allowance is a real gain. Note the separate rear-yard coverage rule: all accessory buildings, detached garages and casitas together may not occupy more than 25% of the rear yard (§17.20.030.D.2.c) | Confirm with North Las Vegas Planning and Zoning at (702) 633-1537 — the Planning and Zoning fee schedule is not published on the city's ADU-relevant pages, and the city's official code and fee host could not be reached from this research session. Budget for a Special Use Permit application fee on top of valuation-based building permit fees if the SUP requirement still applies to your lot | $130,000-$250,000 | $1,150-$1,450/mo | 5/10 |
Building on land outside city limits? Unincorporated county areas follow the county's ADU code, not a city's. We cover these Nevada counties:
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