Any site preparation that moves dirt — clearing, grubbing, cutting, filling, or grading — within the City of Las Vegas requires a grading permit through the Las Vegas Department of Public Works. A drainage study is mandatory if the site is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, near a Clark County Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD) Master Plan facility, or impacted by off-site flows. On-site grading permits cover private property; any work in public right-of-way or drainage facilities requires a separate off-site permit and bond.
Site preparation in the City of Las Vegas is regulated under Title 19 (Zoning Code), Chapter 19.04 (Development Standards), and Las Vegas Municipal Code Title 14 (Building & Construction). Before clearing, grubbing, or grading begins, the property owner or general contractor must submit a grading plan to Las Vegas Public Works (currently routed through the city's electronic plan review portal). The plan must show property limits, accurate existing-ground contours, proposed finished contours, drainage channels, the limits of any FEMA Special Flood Hazard Zone and base flood elevations (BFEs), and proposed Best Management Practices (BMPs) for erosion and sediment control. A separate drainage study (sealed by a Nevada-licensed professional engineer) is required when the site falls within a FEMA SFHA, is adjacent to or impacted by a CCRFCD Master Plan facility, or receives flows from an off-site wash or drainage facility. Cuts and fills, slope angles, and retaining-wall heights are governed by the Hydrologic Criteria and Drainage Design Manual (HCDDM) maintained by CCRFCD, which Las Vegas has adopted by reference. For dust control, contractors must obtain a Dust Mitigation Permit from the Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) for any project that disturbs 0.25 acre or more. Early Grading ('at-risk') approvals are available when off-site permits are still pending. Public Works Development Review can be reached at 702-229-6324.
Clearing, grubbing, or grading without a permit, failing to install required BMPs, or violating the approved grading plan can result in stop-work orders and administrative fines under LVMC Title 14. Dust violations during grading are enforced by Clark County DES under Section 90 of the Air Quality Regulations, with civil penalties commonly $400+ per occurrence escalating to thousands of dollars for repeat violators. Working inside the FEMA SFHA without flood-zone clearance can also trigger federal NFIP enforcement and FEMA compliance review.
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