HD tests permit kiosks in Las Vegas

Home Depot is piloting a program in the Las Vegas area that allows homeowners and contractors to obtain official permits through in-store kiosks, according to an article in the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Starting this week, the Clark County Commission will sell permits for jobs, such as water heater replacement or installation of HVAC units, through 12 Home Depot stores in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev. Types of permits and fees will be decided by each municipality. Approximately 20 permits will be available electronically, with fees ranging from $56 for a water softener replacement to $119 for a commercial electric meter re-tag.

The Atlanta-based retailer will collect the fee on the permit and then forward it, along with the permit information, to Clark County. An official permit would then be generated by the building department and sent to the permit owner, according to the article. Home Depot, which is providing the service for free, has developed special software to check contractor licenses and verify other information with state and local municipalities.

Projects that require a plan review must still be submitted and approved by the county’s building department.

While Home Depot is seeking closer ties to its contractor customer base through the kiosks, the county is hoping to streamline the permitting processing and make it more accessible to homeowners, the article said. After the test period is over, the Clark County Commission will evaluate the results and decide whether to continue the arrangement with Home Depot.