Lyon County, NV Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Lyon County adopted the 2024 International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Existing Building Code and related uniform codes under section 15.239.01, pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes 244.105, 278.580, 278.583 and 444.350. Section 15.239.06 then requires a separate permit for each building or structure regulated by that chapter before it may be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished, except as the adopted codes themselves exempt certain work. A single permit may combine building, plumbing and electrical work for one structure, so an owner-builder does not file three applications.

Permits and inspections are obtained from the Community Development Department, and the Board of County Commissioners sets the associated fees by resolution rather than by the fee tables printed in the national codes. Section 15.239.01C gives the Board authority to hear and decide appeals of a building official's orders, decisions or interpretations under this chapter, and lets the Board adopt its own appeal procedures or delegate fire-code appeals to the applicable Fire Protection District Board. Where the adopted codes conflict with the Nevada Constitution or Nevada Revised Statutes, the conflicting provision is not adopted, and where they conflict with state or local water and sewage requirements, those state or local requirements control instead.

This permitting scheme applies only in unincorporated Lyon County communities such as Dayton, Silver Springs, Stagecoach, Mound House and Smith Valley; the incorporated cities of Fernley and Yerington administer their own separate building permits.