Clark County staff walk landlords and tenants through commercial occupancy permits

Clark County Permit Center staff held a public workshop on May 12, 2026, to explain how landlords, commercial real estate agents and prospective tenants should secure permitted commercial tenant occupancy and what documents and reviews counties require.

Lori, a presenter with the county’s permitting team, said the workshop was designed "for landlords, commercial real estate agents and prospective tenants" and stressed that permitting occupancy "is the law." She explained that a certificate of occupancy will be issued only after building and fire inspections pass and any conditions of approval—such as health department or Clark Regional Wastewater sign‑offs—are met.

Why it matters: Clark County is seeing rapid business applications and higher demand for commercial space, staff said. The county’s presenters recommended confirming a property’s zoning and allowed uses before marketing or leasing a space to avoid situations where a use requires a conditional use permit in one zone but is allowed outright a few blocks away.

Key distinctions and process: County staff described two permit tracks commonly used for existing commercial spaces. A move‑in‑plus is intended when the incoming tenant’s floor plan matches the previously permitted tenant and the occupancy risk is the same or lower; minor nonstructural changes and structural work under $15,000 can be handled on a move‑in‑plus. By contrast, a tenant‑improvement permit is required for first tenants in new building shells, when previous plans are not on file, or when the occupancy type changes substantially (for example, converting a warehouse to an indoor sports court). Lori said applicants should expect staff to confirm who is occupying the space, how it is used, and whether the approved building plans match what is installed on site.

Plan review expectations: "My name is Sherri Williams. I'm a plans examiner," Sherri Williams said, and described reviewers’ central requirements: dimensioned plans to scale, clear egress paths and correct occupant‑load calculations. Sherri warned reviewers cannot start a plan review without scaled, dimensioned drawings and said occupant‑load factors dictate required exits and restroom counts. She noted most buildings are Type VB construction but cautioned that construction type affects fire resistance and may change required protections.

Code and technical checklists: Presenters advised applicants to use the county GIS and the Unified Development Code (Title 40) to determine allowed uses and to follow the county’s naming conventions and approval‑stamp requirements when submitting documents. Sherri reminded attendees that the county will transition to the 2024 code in May next year and that lighting and mechanical work must comply with the Washington State Energy Code. Separate permits are typically required for mechanical, plumbing and items such as storage racks; structural and load calculations may be necessary when equipment weights or alterations exceed thresholds.

Customer service and digital workflow: County staff described the LMS permitting portal for administrative steps and Project Docs for drawings; applicants should create an LMS account, submit permits and pay fees, then schedule a submittal appointment with office assistants. The Project Docs link must be accessed within 24 hours of issuance to avoid expiration, staff said. The commercial team offers 30‑minute virtual Q&A appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays; the permit center’s general line is staffed Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Q&A highlights and next steps: In a brief question‑and‑answer period, attendees asked whether open outdoor storage requires an occupancy permit and whether applicants can reuse prior tenant plans. Sherri said the county must determine whether a structure exists at the parcel and may coordinate a land‑use visit to find a path forward; she confirmed that prior approved plans can be provided as "before" plans if on file but applicants must still submit a scaled floor plan showing how the new tenant will use the space for inspection and code verification.

The presentation ended with staff encouraging follow‑up via the permit center’s general line and the county land‑use contacts provided in the handouts.