Washoe County, NV Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuance fee
- $45.00 flat (Appendix A, Table 6)
- Collector fee, up to 1,000 sq ft
- $8.00
- Collector fee, 1,001-2,000 sq ft
- $12.00
- Storage tank fee, up to 750 gal
- $3.00
- Electrical wiring
- billed separately under Table 8
- Unpermitted install penalty
- 2x-4x fee, up to $4,000
Summary
Washoe County requires a building permit before installing a solar energy system under Washoe County Code § 100.105.1. Fees are set by Appendix A, Table 6: $45 to issue the permit, then a tiered charge for collectors, storage tanks, and rock storage based on square footage, gallons, or cubic feet.
100.105.1 - Required. ... shall first make application to the Building Program and obtain the required permit. TABLE 6: SOLAR ENERGY Schedule of Fees 1.For issuing each permit .....45.00 In addition: 2.For Collectors (including related piping and regulating devices) ..... Up to 1,000 sq. ft. (93 m 2) .....$8.00 Between 1,001 (93.1 m 2) and 2,000 sq. ft. (186 m 2) .....$12.00 More than 2,000 sq. ft. (186 m 2) .....$12.00 plus $1.00 per 1,000 sq. ft. (93 m 2) or fraction thereof over 2,000 sq. ft. (186 m 2). Note— These fees do not include permit fees for any parts of the solar system which are subject to the requirements of other applicable codes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
1 requires anyone who intends to erect or install equipment regulated by the Building Code, including a solar energy system, to first apply to the Building Program and obtain a permit before work begins. 00 per additional 1,000 square feet or fraction for anything over 2,000 square feet. 00 per additional 1,000 gallons or fraction beyond 2,000 gallons. 00 per additional 1,000 cubic feet or fraction beyond 3,000 cubic feet. A note in Table 6 makes clear these fees cover only the solar equipment itself: any electrical wiring tied into the system is billed separately under Table 8's electrical permit fees, so a rooftop photovoltaic or solar water-heating installation is billed under both fee tables on the same permit application.
Violations & Fines
Installing a solar energy system without the required permit is an unlawful act under § 100.113.1 and is prosecuted as a misdemeanor, with each day of continued violation a separate offense under § 100.113.3. Starting the installation before a permit issues triggers an investigative fee equal to double the permit fee under § 100.113.3.1, which the Building Program can raise to four times the fee, up to $4,000, if a licensed contractor did the work first. The county can also issue a stop work order under § 100.114.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washoe County
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