On July 1, 2026 the Las Vegas City Council adopted Ordinance No. 6963 (Bill 2026-24), amending LVMC 19.06, 19.12 and 19.18 to conform with Nevada AB 396. The ordinance removes the old 6,500 sq ft minimum-lot Special Use Permit requirement and allows an ADU with a full kitchen without a discretionary SUP hearing; one ADU is allowed per property. The codified text is not yet published - confirm exact size, setback and parking standards with Las Vegas Planning before designing.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3]
Yes — Las Vegas allows ADUs. A detached ADU can typically be up to the city's size limit under current Nevada and Las Vegas zoning rules.
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| Allowed Zones | Residential zoning districts per Ordinance 6963 (July 2026) - the former SUP-only regime in U/R-A/R-E/R-D/R-1 no longer applies as written; confirm the updated LVMC 19.12 use tables with Las Vegas Planning |
| Max Size (Detached) | 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. |
| Max Size (Attached) | No more than the total gross floor area of the primary dwelling — "in no case shall the unit exceed the total gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit" (LVMC 19.12.070, as amended by Ord. 6963 §7). An ATTACHED ADU gets only this 100% ceiling; a detached one is additionally held to the 50% accessory-structure standard. |
| Max Size (JADU) | Not a defined category in Las Vegas; interior conversions with kitchens fall under Accessory Structure Class I rules |
| Max Height | 2 stories or 35 feet, or the height of the principal dwelling, whichever is less — the accessory-structure standard a detached ADU inherits through LVMC 19.06.040(C.8). |
| Max Units | 1 ADU per property (Ordinance 6963) |
Setback Requirements [1][2][3]
Las Vegas requires a rear setback of about 3 ft for a detached ADU, and parking requirements vary by unit size or location. Owner-occupancy is set by local rules (confirm with the city).
| Rear Setback | 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 |
| Side Setback | 3 feet minimum, plus 6-ft separation from the main dwelling; corner lots must match the main dwelling's street-side setback |
| Front Setback | Detached accessory structures are not permitted in front of the primary structure |
| Parking Required | One additional off-street space (LVMC 19.12.070, as amended by Ord. 6963). That is the ceiling Nevada AB 396 permits a city to require. |
| Owner Occupancy | Pre-2026 code required owner residency to rent the unit; treatment under Ordinance 6963 is unconfirmed - verify with Las Vegas Planning |
| Min Lot Size | Minimum lot size removed by Ordinance 6963 (July 2026); previously a lot over 6,500 sq ft was required for the Special Use Permit |
Permit Process & Fees [4][5]
An ADU permit in Las Vegas goes through a standard permit review. Confirm with Las Vegas Planning Department — the SUP hearing process adds months versus over-the-counter permits. Permit fees: The old $1,030 Special Use Permit fee no longer applies to conforming ADUs under Ordinance 6963; building-permit fees are valuation-based.
| Approval Process | Building permit — no Special Use Permit. Ordinance 6963 expressly disapplies the SUP provisions of LVMC 19.12.040(B) to accessory dwelling units, and removed the old 6,500 sq ft minimum-lot trigger. Codified details pending publication |
| Review Timeline | Confirm with Las Vegas Planning Department — the SUP hearing process adds months versus over-the-counter permits |
| Permit Fees | The old $1,030 Special Use Permit fee no longer applies to conforming ADUs under Ordinance 6963; building-permit fees are valuation-based |
| Impact Fees | Confirm with City of Las Vegas Building & Safety |
| Plan Check | Confirm with City of Las Vegas Building & Safety |
| Pre-Approved Plans | No city pre-approved ADU plan program identified as of June 2026 |
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Construction Costs [6][7]
Building an ADU in Las Vegas typically costs $130,000-$250,000 ($140-$280 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $60,000-$140,000.
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| Average Build Cost | $130,000-$250,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $140-$280 |
| Garage Conversion | $60,000-$140,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $90,000-$200,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [8]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Las Vegas rents for around $1,400-$1,750/mo, an estimated 5-8% annual return.
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,150-$1,450/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,400-$1,750/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | No — accessory dwelling rental agreements must exceed 30 days (per Review-Journal reporting on area jurisdictions), and the city's separate short-term rental licensing regime applies |
| Est. Annual ROI | 5-8% annual return |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- September 1, 2026: Ordinance 6963 is now CODIFIED into the LVMC and the operative text is confirmed — 19.12.070 (ADU standards, SUP disapplied, one added parking space), 19.18.020 (definition), and 19.06.040(C.7/C.8) routing attached ADUs to Table 1 and detached ADUs to Tables 2 and 3. The detached routing is the consequential part: it subjects a detached ADU to the R-1 accessory-structure cap of 50% of the principal dwelling, 3 ft side/rear with 6 ft separation, and 2 stories/35 ft or the principal's height. No cleanup amendments; code current through Ord. 6964 (wireless, unrelated).
- July 1, 2026: Las Vegas City Council adopted Ordinance No. 6963 (Bill 2026-24), amending LVMC 19.06/19.12/19.18 to conform with AB 396 - minimum lot size removed, full-kitchen ADUs allowed without a Special Use Permit, 1 ADU per property
- Nevada AB 396 (Chapter 365, Statutes of Nevada 2025): requires Clark and Washoe Counties and cities over 60,000 (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks) to adopt an ordinance authorizing ADUs on residential property; if not adopted by July 1, 2026, ADUs are authorized on any residentially zoned parcel without restriction; local ordinances may not require more than 1 parking space or prohibit kitchens; HOAs may not prohibit ADUs outright
- Reno became the first AB 396 ordinance adopter on October 8, 2025; Las Vegas followed with Ordinance 6963 on July 1, 2026 (unanimous), meeting the statutory deadline
- Las Vegas's existing Class I Accessory Structure framework (Special Use Permit, owner-occupancy for rentals) dates to Ordinance 5895 (March 21, 2007) and predates AB 396
Tips for Building an ADU in Las Vegas
- Check the city's AB 396 compliance ordinance status before filing — the state-mandated rewrite (due July 1, 2026) is likely to relax the Special Use Permit, lot-size, and owner-occupancy rules that currently apply
- Budget about $1,030 and a public hearing for the Special Use Permit before any construction drawings; neighbors are formally notified and can object
- If you don't live in the main house, you cannot legally rent the casita under current rules — investors should verify owner-occupancy requirements before buying
- Lots of 6,500 sq ft or less don't qualify under current rules — verify your parcel size on the Clark County Assessor's map first, and note unincorporated Clark County (much of the metro area) has different, county-level rules
ADU Builders in Las Vegas
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Sources & References
All data on this page is sourced from official government records and verified market data. View our full methodology.
- Las Vegas Zoning Code Title 19, Ch. 19.12 Permissible Uses — Accessory Structure Class I/II (official PDF) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-06-10
- Las Vegas Zoning Code Title 19, Ch. 19.08 Development Standards — Accessory Structures (official PDF) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-06-10
- Nevada AB 396 (2025), Chapter 365 — ADU mandate for large cities/counties State Law — Accessed 2026-06-10
- Las Vegas Review-Journal — Area jurisdictions have different rules for renting out guest home news_media — Accessed 2026-06-10
- City of Las Vegas Unified Development Code (online) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-06-10
- Angi — ADU Construction Cost Data Market Data — Accessed 2026-06-10
- Angi — Guest House / ADU Build Costs Market Data — Accessed 2026-06-10
- RentCafe — Average Rent in Las Vegas, NV (May 2026: 1BR $1,286, 2BR $1,562) Market Data — Accessed 2026-06-10
Frequently Asked Questions
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