Home › Guides

Las Vegas water heater code requirements

The City of Las Vegas requires a permit to install, move, remove or replace any water heater, and its inspection handout lists what the install must have: two seismic straps, an 18 inch stand for a gas heater in a garage, a relief valve drain line run outside, accessible shutoff valves, a sediment trap on the gas line and insulated hot water pipe.

The checklist, straight from the city handout

Item	What the City of Las Vegas handout says
Permit	Required to install, move, remove or replace any water heater. Get it before work starts.
Garage installs	Gas water heaters in a garage must be raised 18 inches above the floor.
Seismic straps	Two straps around the heater, fastened to the framing. One in the upper third and one in the lower third of the heater's height. The lower strap stays 4 inches above the controls.
Relief valve drain	The temperature and pressure relief valve gets a drain pipe to the outside of the house, or through an air gap into the drainage system. The pipe ends at least 6 inches above the ground and points down.
Drain pan	Required, and piped to a drain or to the outside, when the heater sits anywhere other than the first level of the home.
Shutoff valves	Required and accessible. The gas shutoff goes within 6 feet of the heater, ahead of the gas connector.
Sediment trap	If the heater does not have one built in, one goes on the gas line after the shutoff valve, as close to the heater's inlet as practical.
Pipe insulation	Hot water pipe in unconditioned spaces, including under the slab, gets at least R-3 insulation.
Bonding	Water pipe is bonded to the electrical service. On a replacement, the existing bonding has to be kept.
Electric heaters	An electrical disconnect within sight of the heater, or one that can be locked.
Inspection	A final inspection after the work is done. The permit holder requests it at least one day ahead.

The handout says it summarizes the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code and the 2017 National Electrical Code, and that it does not contain every code requirement. The PDF on the city's site is dated June 2019. Codes get updated, so confirm the current edition with the building department before you rely on any one line.

Can a homeowner do the work?

In the City of Las Vegas, a homeowner can pull the water heater permit themselves if the home is their primary residence and they own it. A contractor is required for rental properties and second homes. Pulling the permit yourself makes you responsible for passing the inspection.

Does this apply in Henderson, North Las Vegas and Clark County?

The handout is the City of Las Vegas's document. Henderson, North Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County each run their own building department and issue their own permits, so check with the office that covers your address. A "Las Vegas" mailing address does not mean you are in the City of Las Vegas. See which office issues your permit.

Why old installs fail inspection

A replacement gets inspected against the current rules, not the rules from the year the old heater went in. The usual gaps on an older install are a missing or single strap, a relief valve drain that stops short, and no sediment trap. A complete quote covers those. See water heater replacement in Las Vegas for what else to ask.

Common questions

Does a water heater in a garage have to be raised in Las Vegas?

The City of Las Vegas handout says gas water heaters installed in garages shall be elevated 18 inches above the floor.

How many straps does a water heater need in Las Vegas?

Two. The City of Las Vegas handout calls for two seismic straps fastened to the framing, one in the upper third and one in the lower third of the heater, with the lower strap 4 inches above the controls.

Can I replace my own water heater in Las Vegas?

In the City of Las Vegas a homeowner can pull the permit for a home that is their primary residence and that they own. Rental properties and second homes need a contractor. The work still has to pass a final inspection.

Where does the relief valve drain pipe have to go?

Per the City of Las Vegas handout, to the outside of the home or through an air gap into the drainage system. The end of the pipe must be at least 6 inches above the ground and point down.

Sources: City of Las Vegas Building and Safety: Residential Water Heater Installation Requirements (PDF) · City of Las Vegas: schedule an inspection