Yes. Since July 1, 2026 the City of Las Vegas allows one "Residential, Accessory Dwelling Unit" with a full kitchen on any lot in its residential districts (U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH) as a conditional use approved administratively with a building permit: no Special Use Permit, no public hearing, no minimum lot size and no owner-occupancy condition (LVMC 19.12.070, as amended by Ordinance 6963). The unit may never exceed the main home's gross floor area, and a detached casita is held to the district's accessory-structure standards: no more than 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area, 3 ft side and rear setbacks in R-1 (5 ft in U and R-E), 6 ft from the house, and no taller than 2 stories, 35 ft or the house itself (LVMC 19.06.040(C) and 19.06.070 Tables 2 and 3); one added off-street parking space is required. The city's own fee estimator prices a wood-frame casita with kitchen up to 1,000 sq ft at $1,488 in plan-check, inspection and administration fees, plus a $1,941 sewer connection charge (0.60 ERU, 2026 rate) and a 1% residential construction tax. Nightly rental is not an option: the city's short-term rental use is defined to exclude accessory dwelling units, so plan on leases of 31 days or longer.
Outside city limits? If your property is in unincorporated Clark County (not within Las Vegas's boundaries), different rules apply — see our Clark County (unincorporated) ADU rules.
Zoning & Size Requirements [1][2][3][4][5]
Yes — Las Vegas allows ADUs. The size limit is a formula rather than one figure — see the size rule in the table below — under current Nevada and Las Vegas zoning rules.
See what this means for your lot — ask Las Vegas ADU builders for a quote →
| Allowed Zones | All residential zoning districts - U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH - as a conditional use ("C" in the LVMC 19.12.010 land-use table, row added by Ord. 6963 sec. 6). Conditional means administrative approval when the LVMC 19.12.070 conditions are met - no Special Use Permit and no hearing (the SUP route of 19.12.040(B) is expressly disapplied). Not listed in P-O, O or any commercial district. Lots in a Form-Based Code district follow LVMC 19.09, and Summerlin's adopted development standards (rev. June 9, 2022, not amended by Ord. 6963) still describe a guest house/casita as one room, no stove, not rentable, in the EQR, ER, SF1, SF2 and SF3 land-use districts only - confirm with Planning (702-229-6301) which rule governs a Summerlin lot |
| Max Size (Detached) | 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area. A detached ADU must meet the district's accessory-structure standards (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(8)): in R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH the Table 2/3 accessory size limit is "not to exceed 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit", and U, R-E and R-D carry the same 50% rule as an ADU footnote to their tables. All accessory buildings together may also cover no more than 50% of the rear yard, and total lot coverage stays within the district cap (50% in R-1). The separate 19.12.070 ceiling - no larger than the home's gross floor area - applies on top, so a detached casita is always the smaller of the two |
| Max Size (Attached) | No more than the total gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit (LVMC 19.12.070, Ord. 6963 sec. 7). An attached ADU conforms to Table 1 Building Placement for the district (the house's own front, side and rear setbacks and lot coverage) rather than the accessory-structure tables, so the 50% detached cap does not apply to it; interior access to the main home is not required (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(7)). Gross floor area is measured to the exterior face of exterior walls, excluding space under 6 ft of ceiling height (LVMC 19.18) |
| Max Size (JADU) | No junior ADU category exists in Las Vegas. A unit built within the primary residence is simply a "Residential, Accessory Dwelling Unit" (the definition covers detached, attached or built-within units) and follows the attached-ADU rules; a second kitchen that is not an ADU is an "auxiliary kitchen", which must be inside the house, directly accessible from it and for household use only (LVMC 19.18.020) |
| Max Height | 2 stories or 35 ft, or the height of the principal dwelling, whichever is less, for a detached ADU in R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH (Table 3, Accessory Bldg.). In U and R-E the limit is 2 stories or 35 ft, and the accessory building may not exceed the principal dwelling's height for any portion within 10 ft of a property line. Height is measured from average finished grade along the front to the coping of a flat roof or the midpoint between eaves and ridge of a pitched roof (LVMC 19.18.030) |
| Max Units | 1 accessory dwelling unit per lot (LVMC 19.12.070, conditional use regulation 1). A second unit, or one that cannot meet the 50% size, setback or height standards, needs a Variance or Administrative Deviation under LVMC 19.16, not an ADU permit |
Setback Requirements [1][2][3][4][5]
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 not required — you can rent it out without living on the property.
| Rear Setback | 3 ft minimum for a detached ADU in R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-D, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH (Table 2, Accessory Structures); 5 ft in U and R-E. No setback is required from a property line that abuts an alley (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(3)). An attached ADU uses the house's rear setback instead (15 ft in R-1) |
| Side Setback | 3 ft minimum for a detached ADU in R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-D, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH; 5 ft in U and R-E; plus a 6 ft separation from the main building in every district. Corner side yard: 15 ft in U, R-E, R-D and R-1, 10 ft in R-SL, R-CL and R-MH, 5 ft in R-2, R-3 and R-4. An attached ADU uses the house's 5 ft side setback |
| Front Setback | A detached ADU may not sit in front of the primary structure unless it is a side-loaded garage used as an ancillary use or an ADU with side entry that does not encroach into the front setback area (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(2)). An attached ADU meets the district front setback (20 ft in R-1, 25 ft in R-D, 15 ft in R-SL, 50 ft to a public street in U and R-E) |
| Parking Required | 1 additional off-street space beyond the spaces required for the house (LVMC 19.12.070, Ord. 6963 sec. 7). That is the most Nevada AB 396 lets a city require; the code does not allow it to be waived for conversions or transit proximity |
| Owner Occupancy | Not required. LVMC 19.12.070 attaches only two conditions to the use (one unit per lot, no larger than the home), and the LVMC 19.18 definition lets the unit house "the occupants of the principal dwelling or their tenants, domestic employees or temporary guests", so the owner need not live in the main house to rent the casita on a long-term lease. The 2007-era condition that a Class I accessory structure could not be rented unless the principal dwelling was owner-occupied is gone. Exception to confirm: Summerlin's development standards (rev. June 2022) still say a guest house/casita "shall not be rented" |
| Min Lot Size | None for the ADU: the former Special Use Permit condition that the lot exceed 6,500 sq ft was removed by Ord. 6963 (July 1, 2026). The district's own minimum lot size still applies to the lot itself (R-1 6,500 sq ft, R-SL 4,500, R-CL 3,000, R-TH 1,600, R-D 10,000, R-E 18,000, U 20,000), and on small lots the 50%-of-rear-yard accessory coverage rule and the lot-coverage cap decide the footprint |
Permit Process & Fees [6][7][8][9][10][11]
An ADU permit in Las Vegas goes through a standard permit review. Review time: not published by the city for any residential permit type; Building & Safety posts no review-turnaround target. Plan on at least one correction cycle. A Building Express Plan Review (non-refundable $550 administrative fee plus $660 per hour above regular plan-review fees, pre-review appointment from $176 per hour, 702-229-6251) lets the design team sit with the plans examiners until approval. Las Vegas builders' 2026 guides (see cost sources) put a detached casita at roughly 3-5 months from application to permit and 7-12 months from design to move-in. Permit fees: Square-footage based (Building & Safety 2020 Building User Fees, Table 3-A, effective July 1, 2021 and still in force). The city's Permit Fee Estimator carries a "Single-Family Casita with Kitchen" line at the R-3 single-family rates: for a wood-frame (Type V) casita up to 1,000 sq ft, plan check $500 + inspection/permit $933 + $55 administration = $1,488; a 1,200 sq ft unit is about $1,676 and a 1,500 sq ft unit about $1,961 (plan check adds $0.467 and inspection $0.477 per sq ft over 1,000). Zoning fees arise only if a standard cannot be met: Administrative Deviation $300; Variance $300 plus $500 notification; Special Use Permit $500 plus $500 notification; Zoning Verification Letter $100 (Department of Planning Fee Schedule, Resolution R-21-2008). Contractors need a Nevada license and a city business license before a permit issues.
| Approval Process | Administrative approval with a building permit; a code-compliant ADU has no hearing, no Special Use Permit and no neighbor notice (LVMC 19.12.040(A), 19.12.070). Steps: 1) confirm the parcel is inside city limits (much of the valley is unincorporated Clark County, Henderson or North Las Vegas) and check its zoning district and any Summerlin, Form-Based Code or HOA overlay; 2) have plans drawn - each sheet must be stamped and signed by a Nevada-registered architect or engineer, or drawn by a Nevada-licensed contractor; 3) submit electronically through the Building & Safety ePlan dashboard (required for all new residential plans since January 1, 2020) using the Residential Building Application, a site plan with property lines, setbacks and easements, construction drawings, stamped structural calculations or SNBO standard details, REScheck energy calculations, truss calculations or a deferred-submittal agreement, a soils report under one year old for any structure over 599 sq ft, and the Desert Conservation Program form on a never-graded lot; 4) plan review with correction cycles (the city lists improper setbacks and mismatched plans as the usual delays); 5) pay permit, sewer and construction-tax fees; 6) inspections (dispatch 702-229-6914) and final. The Director may require a notarized Conditional Use Verification form (LVMC 19.12.040(C)). Homeowners may pull the permit as owner-builder with a Nevada State Contractors Board owner/builder affidavit; a licensed contractor also needs a city business license |
| Review Timeline | Not published by the city for any residential permit type; Building & Safety posts no review-turnaround target. Plan on at least one correction cycle. A Building Express Plan Review (non-refundable $550 administrative fee plus $660 per hour above regular plan-review fees, pre-review appointment from $176 per hour, 702-229-6251) lets the design team sit with the plans examiners until approval. Las Vegas builders' 2026 guides (see cost sources) put a detached casita at roughly 3-5 months from application to permit and 7-12 months from design to move-in |
| Permit Fees | Square-footage based (Building & Safety 2020 Building User Fees, Table 3-A, effective July 1, 2021 and still in force). The city's Permit Fee Estimator carries a "Single-Family Casita with Kitchen" line at the R-3 single-family rates: for a wood-frame (Type V) casita up to 1,000 sq ft, plan check $500 + inspection/permit $933 + $55 administration = $1,488; a 1,200 sq ft unit is about $1,676 and a 1,500 sq ft unit about $1,961 (plan check adds $0.467 and inspection $0.477 per sq ft over 1,000). Zoning fees arise only if a standard cannot be met: Administrative Deviation $300; Variance $300 plus $500 notification; Special Use Permit $500 plus $500 notification; Zoning Verification Letter $100 (Department of Planning Fee Schedule, Resolution R-21-2008). Contractors need a Nevada license and a city business license before a permit issues |
| Impact Fees | No ADU exemption exists; the city's fee page lists these charges outside the permit fee, collected at issuance: sewer connection charge - the 2026 schedule (effective January 1, 2026, $3,235 per ERU) rates "Guest Quarters / Casitas" at 0.60 ERU = $1,941 per structure and a dwelling unit at 1.00 ERU = $3,235; Residential Construction Tax (park fee) of 1% of construction valuation on habitable space (the $1,000-per-unit cap the city states applies to apartments and condominiums); traffic impact fee $195 per single dwelling, exceptions reviewed by Traffic Engineering; the Clark County Transportation Tax of $1,000 per single-family dwelling unit as listed by the city; and the Desert Conservation Program fee of $550 per acre plus $58 administration only on land never previously graded. Ask Building & Safety (702-229-6251) at intake which of these it assesses on a casita; a new Las Vegas Valley Water District meter, if you want one, is a separate LVVWD charge |
| Plan Check | $500 for a Type V casita up to 1,000 sq ft, then $0.467 per additional sq ft (Building & Safety Fee Tables, R-3 use group, matched by the estimator's casita line); paid with the inspection fee and a $55 administration fee. Plans must be to scale, digitally signed, and stamped by a Nevada architect or engineer unless a city or SNBO regional standard detail is used; a Nevada-licensed contractor may also draw them. Structural calculations, a soils report for structures over 599 sq ft and 2018 IECC REScheck energy calculations are checked with the plans (Residential Submittal Guideline) |
| Pre-Approved Plans | No city pre-approved or model ADU plan program exists as of September 2026. Every casita is a custom submittal drawn and stamped by a Nevada architect, engineer or licensed contractor; a prefabricated or manufactured unit is permitted under the R-3 "Prefabricated / Manufactured Dwelling" fee line ($176-$195 plan check) but still needs the full site, foundation and utility review |
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Construction Costs [12][13][14][15]
Building an ADU in Las Vegas typically costs $110,000-$230,000 ($180-$330 per sq ft); a garage conversion runs $50,000-$120,000.
See what this means for your lot — ask Las Vegas ADU builders for a quote →
| Average Build Cost | $110,000-$230,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $180-$330 |
| Garage Conversion | $50,000-$120,000 |
| Prefab ADU (Installed) | $80,000-$180,000 |
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Rental Income Potential [16][17][18][19][20]
A 2-bedroom ADU in Las Vegas rents for around $1,450-$2,000/mo, an estimated 5-7% annual return on cost.
| Avg Rent (1 Bedroom) | $1,200-$1,700/mo |
| Avg Rent (2 Bedroom) | $1,450-$2,000/mo |
| Short-Term Rental | No. |
| Est. Annual ROI | 5-7% annual return on cost |
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Recent Law Changes
What's Changed Recently
- September 20, 2026 re-verification: the codified Unified Development Code on enCodePlus (current through Ord. 6964 of July 15, 2026) carries Ord. 6963 sections 2-8 in full - LVMC 19.06.040(C)(1)-(8) accessory-structure and ADU standards, the ADU footnote in the U, R-E and R-D accessory tables (secs. 2-5), the "Residential, Accessory Dwelling Unit" land-use row in 19.12.010 (sec. 6), the use standard in 19.12.070 (sec. 7) and the 19.18 definitions of "Residential Accessory Dwelling Unit" and "Kitchen Facilities" (sec. 8). No ordinance after 6963 touches ADUs. The fee figures on this page come from the city's 2026 sewer connection schedule, its Permit Fee Estimator data and the Building & Safety fee tables
- July 1, 2026: 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 old "Accessory Structure (Class I)" Special Use Permit use became the "Residential, Accessory Dwelling Unit" conditional use in every residential district; the 6,500 sq ft minimum-lot and owner-occupancy-to-rent conditions were dropped; one unit per lot, no larger than the home, full kitchen allowed, one added parking space, Special Use Permit provisions disapplied
- January 1, 2026: the city's sewer connection charge rose to $3,235 per ERU (from $2,979 in 2025); the casita class is 0.60 ERU, $1,941
- Nevada AB 396 (Chapter 365, Statutes of Nevada 2025, approved June 6, 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 adopted the first AB 396 ordinance on October 8, 2025; Las Vegas followed with Ordinance 6963 on July 1, 2026, meeting the statutory deadline
- Before July 2026 (Ord. 5895 of March 21, 2007): a Class I accessory structure with a kitchen needed a Special Use Permit, was allowed only in the U, R-A, R-E, R-D and R-1 districts, required a lot over 6,500 sq ft, could not be rented unless the main house was owner-occupied, and required one added parking space
Tips for Building an ADU in Las Vegas
- Size the casita from the house, not the lot: a detached unit is capped at half the main home's floor area in every district, and no ADU may exceed the home's gross floor area. If you need more room than 50% allows, an attached ADU is held only to the 100% ceiling and the house's own setbacks (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(7)-(8))
- Confirm the jurisdiction before you design: Spring Valley, Enterprise, Paradise, Sunrise Manor and Whitney are unincorporated Clark County with their own Title 30 rules, and Henderson and North Las Vegas differ again. The city's Building & Safety page tells applicants to check jurisdiction first; Summerlin lots also carry the Summerlin Development Standards, which still describe a no-stove, no-rental guest casita - ask Planning (702-229-6301) which rule applies, and read your HOA's CC&Rs, because architectural review is separate from zoning
- Budget the add-ons the fee estimator leaves out: the $1,941 sewer connection charge (0.60 ERU casita class), 1% residential construction tax, $195 traffic fee, a soils report (required over 599 sq ft) and stamped structural plans - a homeowner cannot draw the plans; they must come from a Nevada architect, engineer or licensed contractor
- No nightly rentals: the city's short-term rental use excludes accessory dwelling units, so plan on leases of 31 days or longer. No owner-occupancy is required for a long-term tenant under the July 2026 code, which makes a casita a workable rental for an investor-owned house outside Summerlin
- Keep the 6 ft separation from the house and 3 ft side and rear setbacks (5 ft in U and R-E); if the rear lot line is an alley, no setback is needed on that side. A detached casita cannot go in front of the house unless it has a side entry and stays out of the front setback
- Cost basis (September 2026): avg build cost $110,000-$230,000 for a 400-800 sq ft detached casita, from three Las Vegas industry guides - a brokerage's July 2026 client-project data ($180-$300 per sq ft; $90,000-$180,000 for 400-700 sq ft), a property manager's 2026 bid survey ($200-$350 per sq ft all-in; 600 sq ft at $275 = $165,000) and a 2026 budgeting guide ($130,000-$260,000 for 500-1,200 sq ft); a local casita builder's models start at $95,000 (one bedroom) and $125,000 (two bedrooms). Garage conversion $50,000-$120,000 ($100-$180 per sq ft on the existing shell); prefab installed $80,000-$180,000. Utility trenching, the sewer fee, a panel upgrade and a mini-split add $15,000-$30,000 that shell quotes omit. Rents: HUD FY2027 fair market rents for the metro are $1,435 (1BR) and $1,686 (2BR), with city ZIP-level small-area FMRs from $1,340/$1,570 in the 89101-89107 core to $2,150/$2,530 in Summerlin (89135, 89138); RentCafe's August 2026 averages are $1,307/$1,579 and Zumper's September 2026 medians $1,110/$1,440
- Cost basis (2026-09-20 re-verification): short term allowed: No. The city's Short-Term Residential Rental use (any rental of a dwelling unit for less than 31 consecutive days) is defined to exclude "a residential accessory structure, residential accessory dwelling unit, a tent, a trailer or a mobile unit", and a parcel is limited to one short-term unit that is owner-occupied during each rental and licensed under LVMC 6.75 (LVMC 19.12.070, Short-Term Residential Rental, regulations 1 and 7). Leases of 31 days or longer are permitted, and the ADU definition expressly allows tenants
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.
- LVMC Title 19 (Unified Development Code) Ch. 19.12 Permissible Uses - 19.12.010 land-use table row 'Residential, Accessory Dwelling Unit' (Ord. 6963 sec. 6), 19.12.040 Conditional Uses, 19.12.070 use standard (Ord. 6963 sec. 7) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- LVMC Title 19 Ch. 19.06 Residential Districts - 19.06.040(C) accessory structures and ADUs (Ord. 6963 sec. 2), Tables 1-3 for U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-MH (Ord. 6963 secs. 3-5) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- LVMC Title 19 Ch. 19.18 Definitions & Measures - 'Residential Accessory Dwelling Unit', 'Kitchen Facilities' (Ord. 6963 sec. 8), 'Auxiliary Kitchen', 'Gross Floor Area', 'Building Height' Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Summerlin Development Standards, adopted by the Las Vegas City Council (rev. June 9, 2022) - Specific Land Use Standards item 18, Guest Houses/Casitas Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Nevada AB 396 (2025), Chapter 365 - ADU mandate for counties over 100,000 and cities over 60,000 (enrolled bill; host Cloudflare-blocked on 2026-09-20, terms carried from the project's 2026-07-09 reading) State Law — Accessed 2026-07-09
- City of Las Vegas Building & Safety - Permit Fee Estimator (casita-with-kitchen fee line; 'Examples of Additional Fees': residential construction tax, traffic impact fee, transportation tax, Desert Conservation Program, sewer connection) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Las Vegas Building & Safety - Sewer Connection Charges, based on ERU unit of $3,235, effective January 1, 2026 ('Guest Quarters / Casitas' 0.60 ERU) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Las Vegas 2020 Building User Fees, Table 3-A Fee Schedule - New Construction (effective July 1, 2021), R-3 single-family rows Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Las Vegas Department of Planning Fee Schedule (Resolution R-21-2008) - Special Use Permit, Variance, Administrative Deviation, notification fees Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Las Vegas Building & Safety - Residential Submittal Guideline (Casita or Utility Structure column; stamped plans, soils report over 599 sq ft, ePlan submittal) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- City of Las Vegas - Building & Offsite Permits (electronic submittal since Jan 1, 2020; Building Express Plan Review fees; typical plan-check delays) Planning Department — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Building an ADU or Casita in Clark County: 2026 Rules - cost table by build path (Las Vegas brokerage, July 9, 2026) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Adding a Casita or ADU to a Las Vegas Rental, Costs and Returns - bid ranges and return on cost (Las Vegas property manager, 2026) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- How Much Does an ADU Cost in Las Vegas in 2026? - budgeting ranges by type and size (ADU Wizard) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- How Much Does a Casita Cost? - Las Vegas casita builder model pricing (March 24, 2025) industry — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HUD FY 2027 Schedule of Metropolitan & Non-Metropolitan Fair Market Rents - Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- HUD FY 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent Schedule - Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA ZIP codes Government Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- RentCafe - Average Rent in Las Vegas, NV (last updated August 31, 2026: 1BR $1,307, 2BR $1,579) Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- Zumper - Las Vegas, NV Rent Research (September 19, 2026 medians: 1BR $1,110, 2BR $1,440) Market Data — Accessed 2026-09-20
- LVMC 19.12.070 Short-Term Residential Rental - use description excluding accessory dwelling units; regulation 7 (one owner-occupied unit per parcel) Municipal Code — Accessed 2026-09-20
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an ADU in Las Vegas?
Yes. ADUs are allowed in All residential zoning districts - U, R-E, R-D, R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH - as a conditional use ("C" in the LVMC 19.12.010 land-use table, row added by Ord. 6963 sec. 6). Conditional means administrative approval when the LVMC 19.12.070 conditions are met - no Special Use Permit and no hearing (the SUP route of 19.12.040(B) is expressly disapplied). Not listed in P-O, O or any commercial district. Lots in a Form-Based Code district follow LVMC 19.09, and Summerlin's adopted development standards (rev. June 9, 2022, not amended by Ord. 6963) still describe a guest house/casita as one room, no stove, not rentable, in the EQR, ER, SF1, SF2 and SF3 land-use districts only - confirm with Planning (702-229-6301) which rule governs a Summerlin lot in Las Vegas. The maximum size for a detached ADU is 50% of the principal dwelling's floor area. A detached ADU must meet the district's accessory-structure standards (LVMC 19.06.040(C)(8)): in R-1, R-SL, R-CL, R-TH, R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-MH the Table 2/3 accessory size limit is "not to exceed 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit", and U, R-E and R-D carry the same 50% rule as an ADU footnote to their tables. All accessory buildings together may also cover no more than 50% of the rear yard, and total lot coverage stays within the district cap (50% in R-1). The separate 19.12.070 ceiling - no larger than the home's gross floor area - applies on top, so a detached casita is always the smaller of the two. Owner-occupancy is not required, so you can rent out the ADU.
How much does an ADU cost in Las Vegas?
ADU construction in Las Vegas typically costs $110,000-$230,000. Garage conversions run $50,000-$120,000, and prefab ADUs cost $80,000-$180,000.
How much can I rent an ADU for in Las Vegas?
Average ADU rents in Las Vegas are $1,200-$1,700/mo for a 1-bedroom and $1,450-$2,000/mo for a 2-bedroom unit.
Do I need parking for an ADU in Las Vegas?
1 additional off-street space beyond the spaces required for the house (LVMC 19.12.070, Ord. 6963 sec. 7). That is the most Nevada AB 396 lets a city require; the code does not allow it to be waived for conversions or transit proximity. Check with Las Vegas planning department for the latest Nevada ADU parking rules, as many states have relaxed requirements in recent years.
How long does it take to get an ADU permit in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas does not publish a standard ADU review timeline. Building & Safety posts no review-turnaround target. Plan on at least one correction cycle. A Building Express Plan Review (non-refundable $550 administrative fee plus $660 per hour above regular plan-review fees, pre-review appointment from $176 per hour, 702-229-6251) lets the design team sit with the plans examiners until approval. Las Vegas builders' 2026 guides (see cost sources) put a detached casita at roughly 3-5 months from application to permit and 7-12 months from design to move-in. Permit fees: Square-footage based (Building & Safety 2020 Building User Fees, Table 3-A, effective July 1, 2021 and still in force). The city's Permit Fee Estimator carries a "Single-Family Casita with Kitchen" line at the R-3 single-family rates: for a wood-frame (Type V) casita up to 1,000 sq ft, plan check $500 + inspection/permit $933 + $55 administration = $1,488; a 1,200 sq ft unit is about $1,676 and a 1,500 sq ft unit about $1,961 (plan check adds $0.467 and inspection $0.477 per sq ft over 1,000). Zoning fees arise only if a standard cannot be met: Administrative Deviation $300; Variance $300 plus $500 notification; Special Use Permit $500 plus $500 notification; Zoning Verification Letter $100 (Department of Planning Fee Schedule, Resolution R-21-2008). Contractors need a Nevada license and a city business license before a permit issues.
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