Industrial leasing · Las Vegas · Henderson · North Las Vegas
Warehouse and Industrial Space for Lease in the Las Vegas Valley: A Tenant's Guide
Quick answer: Before you warehouse and industrial space for lease, match the building to your freight, then match your use to the zoning. Check loading doors, clear height, power, floor and fire sprinklers on a walk-through. Then ask the city or county whether your use, storage and any build-out need approval or permits. Diana Valento's leasing fees are by custom quotation.
This guide is for businesses that need room to store, ship, build or fix things. It covers the kinds of industrial space, what to check in a building, the permits that catch tenants off guard, how costs are split, and a checklist to use before you sign.
What kinds of industrial space can you lease?
Industrial space ranges from a small shop suite to a large shipping hub, so start with how your goods move. Wikipedia defines a warehouse simply as a building for storing goods. It adds that most have loading docks that trucks can reach. The table below sorts the main kinds of space by what they suit.
| Kind of space | Often suits | Ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Storage or distribution warehouse | Firms that receive, store and ship pallets or parcels. | Dock doors, truck court, rack height and trailer parking. |
| Flex or shop suite | Contractors, service firms and small makers who need an office up front and a work bay in back. | The split between office and bay, a roll-up door and shared parking. |
| Light manufacturing | Assembly, fabrication or food production. | Power, ventilation, floor strength and what the zoning allows. |
| Cold storage | Food and other goods kept chilled or frozen. | Who owns the cooling gear, and who repairs it. |
| Yard or outdoor storage | Trucks, equipment, trailers or building supplies. | Fencing, surface, lighting and whether outdoor storage is allowed. |
Thinking of buying a building instead of renting one? Our page on Las Vegas industrial properties covers that side. For a small business park, see our business park guide. The rest of this page is about leasing.
What to check on a warehouse walk-through
A flyer lists the building; the walk-through shows whether your work fits inside it. Bring your rack plan, your largest truck and a list of your machines. Then check each item below in person.
| Feature | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Loading doors | How many dock-high doors and drive-in doors there are, their size, and whether the dock gear works. |
| Truck court | Whether your longest trailer can turn, back in and park without blocking a neighbor. |
| Clear height | The height to the lowest beam, duct, light or sprinkler head, not to the roof. |
| Power | The electrical service, and whether it can run your machines, chargers or coolers. |
| Floor | Cracks, pits and how much weight the slab can carry under racks and lifts. |
| Fire sprinklers | The kind of system and whether it fits how high and how close you plan to store goods. |
| Office and restrooms | Whether the office area, restrooms and heating or cooling fit your crew. |
| Yard and security | Fencing, gates, lighting and whether the yard is yours alone or shared. |
A loading dock is the part of a building where trucks are loaded and unloaded. Count the doors you need on your busiest day, not your average day. Adding doors later is a building project, and the landlord would have to agree to it.
Zoning, fire and building permits for warehouse tenants
The building can be perfect and still be the wrong place if the zoning or the fire code does not allow your use. Clark County's business license guide says the valley is split into six jurisdictions. Many addresses show Las Vegas but sit in unincorporated Clark County. Use the county's jurisdiction locator to see which one covers your address.
Zoning
In unincorporated areas, the county's planning FAQ says Current Planning verifies that the proposed business use is appropriate for the zoning of your property. Inside the City of Las Vegas, you can request a zoning verification letter for a parcel.
Fire permits
Clark County's Fire Prevention Division reviews plans and inspects tenant improvements. Its list of inspections includes flammable and combustible liquids storage and use, repair garages and spray booths.
Building permits
The county's permit page says you need a permit to build, alter or change occupancy of a building. That covers new electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems too.
Changing how a space is used: Clark County's change of occupancy policy requires a new building permit application when a change of occupancy is proposed. It also says Zoning Plans Examination checks that the use complies with Title 30, the county's zoning code. A certificate of occupancy is issued after the final inspection passes. Wikipedia notes these certificates are generally required when the use of a commercial or industrial building changes.
Build-out plans: the county's tenant improvement permit guide (BPG-023) lists what a plan set must show. It includes the original shell permit number, the occupancy group and the occupant load. It also asks for the types and quantities of hazardous materials, and any proposed manufacturing processes. The guide is dated 2017, so confirm the current list with the county.
Henderson and North Las Vegas run their own zoning, permits and business licenses. Their city websites blocked our automated check, so we name those offices here without links. Call each city's planning and business license office before you sign.
How warehouse lease costs are split
Base rent is only part of what a warehouse costs you each month. Warehouse leases can be written as net leases. Wikipedia explains that a net lease makes the tenant pay some or all property costs on top of rent. The three main ones are property taxes, insurance and maintenance.
Our guide to NNN, gross and modified gross leases walks through who pays what under each lease type. For a warehouse, also pin down these items in writing:
- Roof and structure: who repairs them, and who replaces them when they wear out.
- Heating and cooling units: who services them, and who pays when one fails.
- Dock gear and doors: who fixes levelers, seals and roll-up doors.
- Shared yard and driveways: how sweeping, striping and paving repairs are billed.
- Utilities: which meters are yours. Nevada's commercial landlord-tenant law, NRS Chapter 118C, bars a landlord from cutting off utility service you pay the utility company for directly.
- Move-out: whether you must remove racks, wiring and office walls when the lease ends.
Steps to lease a warehouse
Work in this order so a zoning or permit problem shows up before you sign, not after.
- Write your needs down. List size, doors, height, power, yard, office space, crew size and move-in date.
- Pick the area. Think about where your trucks, workers and customers come from.
- Tour and measure. Use the walk-through table above, and take photos of anything broken.
- Confirm the use. Ask the city or county whether your use, storage and outdoor yard are allowed at that address.
- Send a letter of intent. Put the main business terms in writing before anyone drafts the lease.
- Plan the build-out. Get a contractor's or designer's view on racks, power and fire sprinklers, and on what permits the work needs.
- Review the lease. Have a Nevada attorney read the full lease and every exhibit.
- Get your licenses. Apply for the business license in the right jurisdiction, then line up insurance and utilities.
Need office space too, or instead? Our Las Vegas office leasing guide covers offices. Our office leasing agent page explains what a tenant's agent does. For storefront space, read our retail space for lease guide.
Warehouse lease checklist
Check off each line before you sign a warehouse or industrial lease.
- The jurisdiction for the address, confirmed with the county locator.
- Written word from the city or county that your use is allowed there.
- Approval for any outdoor storage, trailer parking or yard work.
- A list of any fire permits your goods or processes may need.
- Clear height measured to the lowest object, not taken from a flyer.
- Door count, door sizes and working dock gear.
- Electrical service checked against your machine list.
- A repair and replacement chart for the roof, cooling units and doors.
- A written estimate of property taxes, insurance and shared costs.
- Build-out terms, who manages the work and who pays for overruns.
- Move-out rules for racks, wiring and walls.
- Rights to renew, expand, sublease or assign.
Leasing a different kind of property? Our main commercial space for lease guide covers every type across Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. Our commercial real estate hub links to buying and selling pages.
Getting help with a warehouse lease
Each warehouse search has its own size, timing and permit questions, so Diana's leasing fee is quoted after a call.
Diana's leasing fees are by custom quotation, so no leasing rate is posted on this page. To get your quote, call Diana at 702-508-8262 or use the contact page to set an appointment for a custom leasing fee quote.
If you are comparing firms, our guide to comparing commercial brokers lists questions to ask any of them. If you own an industrial building and need help running it, see commercial property management in Las Vegas. Buyers can start with commercial property for sale in Las Vegas.
About Diana Valento
Diana Valento is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Reliance, Nevada license S-0169007. She has 16 years in real estate and 500+ homes sold. That number counts homes, not industrial leases. Each Office Independently Owned and Operated. Read more on Diana's page.
Warehouse leasing questions, answered
What should I check before I lease a warehouse in Las Vegas?
Start with the building and the rules. Check loading doors, truck turning room, clear height, power, floor condition and fire sprinklers in person. Then confirm with the city or county that your use, storage and any yard work are allowed at that address. Get repair duties and shared costs in writing before you sign.
What is clear height in a warehouse?
Clear height is the open space from the floor up to the lowest thing overhead. That might be a beam, a duct, a light or a sprinkler head. It limits how high you can stack goods or set racks. Measure it yourself on a tour instead of relying on a flyer.
Do I need a permit to build out a leased warehouse?
Often, yes. Clark County says you need a permit to build, alter or change the occupancy of a building, or to add electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. Its tenant improvement guide asks for the shell permit number, occupancy group and occupant load. Cities set their own rules, so check with yours.
What if my business changes how the space is used?
In unincorporated Clark County, a change of occupancy needs a new building permit application. Zoning staff check that the use fits Title 30, and a new certificate of occupancy is issued after the final inspection. Ask about this early, because extra work may be needed to meet current codes for the new use.
Do warehouse tenants need fire permits?
Some do. Clark County's Fire Prevention Division reviews tenant improvements and inspects items like flammable and combustible liquids storage, repair garages and spray booths. The county's build-out guide also asks for the types and amounts of hazardous materials you will store. List your goods and processes, then ask the fire office what applies.
Who pays for repairs in a warehouse lease?
It depends on the lease. Some industrial leases are net leases, where the tenant pays some or all property taxes, insurance and maintenance on top of rent. Ask who repairs and who replaces the roof, cooling units, dock gear and paving. Get the answer in a chart inside the lease.
Is my Las Vegas address really in the City of Las Vegas?
Not always. Clark County says much of the valley has a Las Vegas mailing address but sits in unincorporated Clark County. The county's jurisdiction locator shows who covers a parcel. That answer tells you which office handles zoning, permits and your business license, so check it before you tour.
How are Diana's warehouse leasing fees set?
Diana's leasing fees are by custom quotation, so no leasing rate is posted on this page. To get your quote, call Diana at 702-508-8262 or use the contact page to set an appointment for a custom leasing fee quote. Before the call, jot down the size, door count, power needs and move-in date you have in mind.
Set an appointment about your warehouse search
Have your size, door count, power needs, area and move-in date handy when you call. Diana will book an appointment and prepare a custom quotation for her leasing fee.