Foundations, framing, trusses, roofs
Climatic Design Criteria — Wind & Seismic
Wind speed 98 mph for elevations below 3,900 ft; Seismic Design Category D; frost line 1 ft below 5,000 ft; termite risk Moderate to Heavy. Wind exposure category C unless site-specific justification provided. Above 3,900 ft: defer to IBC.
Live Load Requirements
Sleeping and habitable areas: 40 psf. Garages: 50 psf uniform / 2,000 lb concentrated. Uninhabitable attics without storage: 10 psf; with limited storage: 20 psf.
Foundation Drainage — Grade Slope Requirements
Grade must slope away at minimum 5% for 10 ft from foundation. Impervious surfaces within 10 ft: minimum 2% slope away. Swales within 10 ft: minimum 1% along flow line. Exception: low expansive/collapsible/soluble soils permit 2% slope.
Geotechnical / Soils Investigation Required
All structures must have a geotechnical report per 2024 IBC Chapter 18. Exceptions: single-story structures under 600 sq ft, decks/shade structures/patio covers, and ground-mounted solar systems accessory to 1- or 2-family dwellings (use assumed values: 1,000 psf vertical bearing, 100 psf/ft lateral bearing, 0.25 friction, Exposure Class S2 sulfate).
Grading Plan — Registered Design Professional Required
All projects requiring grading must have a grading plan prepared, stamped, and signed by a registered design professional per 2024 IBC Chapter 18 and Appendix J.
Grading Permit Trigger
Grading permit required when total cut + fill exceeds 100 cubic yards OR site exceeds 1.0 acre.
Vapor Retarder Under Slab
Minimum 10-mil polyethylene meeting ASTM E1745 Class A; joints lapped not less than 6 inches. Exceptions: garages, unheated storage under 70 sq ft, driveways/walks/patios.
Attic Access — Size and Clearance
Required where vertical height ≥ 30 in over at least 30 sq ft. Rough opening minimum 22 in × 30 in. Ceiling access requires 30-in clear headroom above on at least one side. Where mechanical equipment is in attic, access must also comply with UMC Section 304.4.
Roofing — Wood Shingles and Wood Shakes Prohibited
Wood shingles and wood shakes are prohibited as a roofing material due to fire risk in desert climate. All roofing materials must be Class A fire-rated.
Townhouse — Structural Independence
Each townhouse unit must be structurally independent except: shared foundations, structural sheathing fastened to common wall framing, nonstructural coverings, flashing at common wall roof termination, and units separated by common wall per R302.2.2.
Climatic & Geographic Design Criteria
Las Vegas design values (below 1,600 ft elevation): Ground snow load 5 psf; Design wind speed 98 mph; Seismic Design Category D; Frost line depth 1 ft; Termite: Moderate to Heavy. These SNBO-published values replace the generic IRC table and govern all structural design.
Foundation Requirements & Soils Report
Plans must show all footings, posts, bearing walls, slabs, stem walls, anchor bolts, hold-downs, reinforcement size/depth, and material specs. A soils report is required for all new structures with a footprint of 600 sq ft or greater.
Foundation Drainage
Section R401.3 is locally amended for desert conditions. Drainage must slope away from foundations. The SNBO amendment modifies the base IRC requirement to address local soil and drainage conditions.
Framing Plans & Lateral Force Resisting System
Framing plans must show trusses, joists, beams, headers, bearing walls, and all framing hardware. Lateral force resisting system must document shear walls, drag struts, collectors, diaphragm, nailing schedule, and hold-downs. A complete load path must be demonstrated from point of load to all resisting elements.
Truss Submittals
Truss design and shop drawings must be prepared, stamped, and signed by a Nevada-licensed engineer and submitted prior to permit issuance (or via deferred submittal). The truss fabricator must appear on the Clark County approved fabricators list. The Engineer of Record must confirm truss calculations comply with design intent.
Floor Live Loads
Sleeping room floor live load is set at 40 psf per SNBO local amendment (footnote: actual live load governs when known to exceed table values). All other residential floor live loads per 2024 IRC Table R301.5.
Special Inspections (QAA Program)
Special inspections are required per the CLV Quality Assurance and Approval (QAA) procedures. QAA1 through QAA9 procedures govern reporting, non-compliance, revisions, final reports, structural observation, and epoxy anchor inspections.
Adopted Codes — Same SNBO Amendments as Henderson
City of North Las Vegas uses the same 2024 IBC, IRC, UPC, UMC, NEC, IECC, and ISPSC with Southern Nevada (SNBO) amendments as Henderson. All technical building requirements in Categories 1–5 are identical. Effective date: January 11, 2026. See Henderson entries for full technical details.
Mandatory Residential Fire Sprinklers — All New Single-Family
All new single-family home permits issued on or after January 5, 2026 require an automatic residential fire sprinkler system. Technical standard: IRC Section P2904 / NFPA 13D. Both Henderson (since 2011) and NLV (since Jan 5, 2026) now require sprinklers for all new residential construction.