Nevada exempts an owner who builds a home for personal occupancy, but the owner must apply to the State Contractors Board with a signed disclosure statement. Here are the steps, the 10 day clock and the one year sale rule.
In Nevada, an owner-builder has to ask first. The contractors chapter exempts an owner who builds or improves a residential structure on their own property for their own occupancy, but the owner must apply to the State Contractors Board for the exemption, and the application goes to the local building official as well. This guide explains the statute, the Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement, the 10 day decision clock, the one year sale presumption and the penalties for working without the exemption or a license.
At a glance The exemption is in NRS 624.031 and is administered by the Nevada State Contractors Board. The structure must be residential, on the owner's property, for the owner's own occupancy, and not for sale or lease. The owner submits an Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement, signed under penalty of perjury, to the Board and to the local building official. If the Board does not deny the application within 10 days of submission, the exemption is deemed approved. A sale or lease, or an offer to sell or lease, within 1 year after completion creates a rebuttable presumption that the project was not for the owner's own use.
For license classifications, financial requirements and how a contracting business gets licensed, see our Nevada contractor license guide. This page covers only the owner-builder path.
What NRS 624.031 says
The owner-builder exemption is one of several exemptions in NRS 624.031, the section that lists who does not need a contractor license. It applies to an owner of property who is building or improving a residential structure on that property for their own occupancy. The structure must not be intended for sale or lease.
Two features set Nevada apart from many other states. First, the exemption is not automatic. The statute says the owner must apply to the Board for it, and it directs the Board to adopt regulations on the requirements. Second, the statute contains its own sale test, described below.
| Element | What the rule requires |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | An owner of property |
| What is covered | Building or improving a residential structure on that property |
| Purpose | The owner's own occupancy, not sale or lease |
| Process | Apply to the Board for the exemption |
| Sale test | A rebuttable presumption if the structure is sold or leased, or offered for sale or lease, within 1 year after completion |
The chapter lists the exemption as part of a package of exceptions, so read the whole section if your situation involves a farm building, a minor job or an unusual structure. This guide stays on the residential owner-builder.
The application: Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement
The Board's procedure is in NAC 624.015, and the form itself is described in NAC 624.017. The applicant submits an Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement to two recipients: the Board, and the local building official who issues the permit for the work.
NAC 624.017 says the form asks for the following:
- The owner's name, mailing address, physical address and phone number.
- The county where the property is located and the county assessor's parcel number.
- A description of the work and the type of permit the owner is applying for or will apply for.
- A statement of why the owner-builder exemption applies.
- A declaration signed under penalty of perjury.
The signed declaration says three things. The owner holds title to the property and is building or improving a residential structure for personal occupancy, not for sale or lease. The information in the statement is accurate and complete. And the owner will comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, ordinances and codes.
The perjury language is worth taking seriously. If you intend to sell the house when it is finished, do not sign a statement that says the opposite.
The 10 day clock
NAC 624.015 gives the Board a short window. If the statement is completed fully and accurately and signed under penalty of perjury, the Board will approve the exemption. If the Board does not notify the applicant within 10 days of submission, the exemption is deemed approved.
If the Board denies the application, it must notify the applicant and state its reasons within 10 days of submission. The applicant may then submit supplemental materials, and the Board may approve the exemption if those materials answer the reasons for the denial.
The regulation text read for this guide does not mention a fee. Check the Board's current forms and instructions before you file, because requirements can change.
The one year sale presumption
NRS 624.031 sets a presumption tied to what you do after the building is done. The sale or lease, or the offering for sale or lease, of the newly built structure within 1 year after its completion is treated as evidence that the owner did not intend to occupy it. The presumption is rebuttable, which means an owner can present evidence that the sale was a genuine change of plans.
Rebuttable does not mean harmless. You would be explaining yourself to the Board after the fact, and your disclosure statement was signed under penalty of perjury. If a sale within a year is a real possibility, get advice from a Nevada attorney before you apply.
Why the exemption is not a way to run a business
The exemption protects a person building a home for themselves. It does not cover a person who builds for others, or who builds repeatedly to sell. Nevada makes it unlawful to engage in business or submit a bid as a contractor without a license, and violations can bring prosecution, damages and administrative fines under NRS 624.700 and NRS 624.710.
The chapter also gives the Board tools against unlicensed bidders. Under NRS 624.247, the Board may refuse a license for up to 1 year to an unlicensed person who bids on a job in violation of the chapter, where the work is $1,000 or more. Under NRS 624.245, the Board may bar a person convicted of violating NRS 624.700 from taking a written or oral exam for up to 6 months. Both rules matter to anyone who plans to move from owner projects to a licensed contracting business later.
Penalties are set by statute and can change. Confirm the current text before you rely on any of this.
Trade work and the owner-builder
The owner-builder exemption speaks to the contractors chapter. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work still face permit and inspection rules from the local building department, and the people who do that work may need their own trade licenses. Our guides to the Nevada electrician license, Nevada plumbing license and Nevada HVAC license explain how each trade is credentialed. For landscape and irrigation work, see the Nevada C-10 landscape contractor license guide.
A practical checklist for Nevada owner-builders
- Confirm you hold title to the property and that the structure is residential and for your own occupancy.
- Decide whether a sale or lease could happen within 1 year after completion. If so, speak to a Nevada attorney first.
- Get the Board's current Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement form.
- Fill it out completely and accurately, including the parcel number and a description of the work.
- Sign it under penalty of perjury and submit it to both the Board and your local building official.
- Watch the 10 day window. Keep proof of the date you submitted.
- Hire only licensed contractors for work you do not do yourself, and verify each license before you sign.
- Do not list, advertise or lease the finished home during the first year.
When the owner-builder path ends
The exemption fits a home you will live in. It does not fit a business that builds for customers. Once you take paying work in Nevada, you need a contractor license, and the license depends on a qualifying individual who meets the Board's experience and exam standards. Our Nevada contractor qualifier rules guide explains how that works.
A qualifying agent QUALIFIES a company. The qualifier meets the state's standards and is responsible for the work under the company's license, and a qualifier placed through The Licensing Company is a full-time W-2 employee of the company they qualify.
If you are moving from owner projects to a contracting business, start with what a qualifying agent is, then look at how to hire a qualifying agent or review the consultation packages. If you already hold a license and want to qualify companies, see how to become a qualifying agent. Our founders, Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, have placed qualifiers with contractors nationwide.
To compare Nevada with other states, read our guides to the Arizona owner-builder exemption, the California owner-builder exemption and the Georgia owner-builder exemption.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build my own house in Nevada without a contractor license? Yes, if you own the property, the structure is residential and for your own occupancy, it is not for sale or lease, and you apply to the State Contractors Board for the exemption under NRS 624.031.
Do I have to apply, or is the exemption automatic? You have to apply. The statute says the owner must apply to the Board, and NAC 624.015 sets the procedure.
How long does the Board take to decide? If the Board does not notify you within 10 days of submission, the exemption is deemed approved. A denial must come with reasons within the same 10 days.
What happens if I sell the house within a year? A sale or lease, or an offer to sell or lease, within 1 year after completion creates a rebuttable presumption that you did not build for your own occupancy. You can try to rebut it, but you would be doing so against a statement you signed under penalty of perjury.
Who gets my disclosure statement? Both the State Contractors Board and the local building official who issues the permit.
Is this legal advice? No. It is general information based on the statutes and regulations. Confirm your facts with the Nevada State Contractors Board, your local building department or a Nevada attorney.
Sources
- Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624, Contractors, Nevada Legislature, retrieved October 23, 2026
- NAC 624.015, Exemption for owner-builder: Procedure, Legal Information Institute, retrieved October 23, 2026
- NAC 624.017, Exemption for owner-builder: Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement, Legal Information Institute, retrieved October 23, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.