City-by-city ADU cost data across Nevada's major markets. Built from permit records, contractor data, and regional labor rates.
AB 396 forces large jurisdictions to authorize ADUs — the deadline just passed. Counties over 100,000 residents (Clark, Washoe) and cities over 60,000 (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks) had to adopt a compliant ADU ordinance by July 1, 2026. Miss the deadline, and ADUs are authorized on any residential-zoned parcel without restriction. Smaller jurisdictions like Carson City aren't directly bound by AB 396's mandate.
Calculate My ROI →Freestanding backyard structure. Nevada requires new detached ADUs to include solar panels and independent utility disconnects from the primary home. Las Vegas and Reno push toward the top of this range due to labor demand.
Detached ADU Guide →An addition sharing a wall with the main house. Shared utility connections reduce hookup costs versus a fully detached unit, and AB 396 requires local ordinances to permit its use as long-term rental housing.
Attached ADU Guide →Nevada's dry climate keeps most garages in solid structural condition, making conversion one of the most cost-efficient paths to an ADU statewide.
Garage Conversion Guide →True basements are uncommon across most of Nevada, though some higher-elevation properties near Reno and Carson City may have an existing lower level worth evaluating for conversion.
Basement ADU Guide →Several prefab ADU providers serve the Las Vegas and Reno markets, typically reaching occupancy faster than site-built construction while still meeting Nevada's solar and utility-separation requirements.
Prefab ADU Overview →A converted interior space within the existing home footprint, with its own private entrance. Allowed in some Nevada jurisdictions and may share utilities with the primary residence, keeping costs low.
Junior ADU Overview →
*Total-cost ranges outside Las Vegas are derived from regional construction-cost data at a representative ~600 sq ft build; verify against local bids before publishing final figures. Carson City, below AB 396's 60,000-population threshold for cities, is not directly bound by the state mandate and is grouped near the Sparks/Reno area here.
AB 396 requires an authorizing ordinance, but each covered city or county still runs its own fee schedule and plan review process within that framework.
AB 396 (Chapter 365, 2025) required counties over 100,000 residents (Clark, Washoe) and cities over 60,000 (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks) to adopt an ADU-authorizing ordinance by July 1, 2026. Unlike Arizona's or Oregon's direct statewide overrides, Nevada works by forcing local governments to write their own compliant ordinance — meaning specifics still vary by city, though the July 2026 deadline has now passed.
Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno each wrote their own ordinance to comply with AB 396 — with different size, setback, and parking specifics. Reno's ordinance (adopted October 2025) caps ADU height at the primary residence and requires a minimum 5,000 sqft lot. Confirm your specific city's rules before finalizing a design.
1-bed rent ranges verified July 2026 against current listings (RentCafe/Yardi Matrix, Zumper, Rent.com, Apartments.com). Note that Henderson runs higher than Las Vegas proper — a genuine, sourced market condition tied to its master-planned communities. *Payback and added-property-value figures are modeled (rent ÷ construction cost) and should be checked against local bids and actual project outcomes before publishing as final.
AB 396 now forces most large jurisdictions to allow ADUs. These moves target the solar, utility, and design costs that remain within your control.
Calculate My ADU ROI →
Illustrative 1-bedroom layout. Actual floor plans vary by ADU type, size, local code, and homeowner needs.
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