Clark County commissioners unanimously approved changes Tuesday to speed up the short-term rental licensing process after a federal court ordered the county to establish a working regulatory system. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rogan said the new process allows year-round applications by appointment, sets a 45-business-day timeline for the county to approve or deny applications after a fire inspection, and requires applicants to respond to questions within 14 days. Denied applicants have 30 days to appeal, and competing applications within the required 1,000-foot buffer will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
The county's original 2022 ordinance, passed after a 2021 state law required regulation, led to a flood of 1,306 applications at once. Rogan said the 1,000-foot spacing rule created clusters where approving one rental meant denying others, causing a backlog that lasted 10 to 11 months. The county closed the application window and never reopened it, prompting a lawsuit from the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association and Airbnb in July 2025.
U.S. District Judge Miranda Du issued a preliminary injunction in December, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in October ordered the lower court to narrow the injunction so the county could "stand up a functioning license regime." Rogan said the new ordinance keeps all existing regulations, including spacing requirements, occupancy limits, and bans in rural townships, while addressing the court's concerns about a meaningful opportunity to apply.
Scheduling for appointments opens Dec. 15, with the first appointments available Jan. 5. GLVSTRA President Jacqueline Flores called the changes "lipstick on a pig" and said the group will continue its court fight.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada Current
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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