Opening a Convenience Store in Nevada: Licenses & Permits

Nevada convenience stores can do something rare: run slot machines, up to seven under a restricted gaming license. Alcohol is licensed locally, and in unincorporated Clark County the store's display area and a public restroom decide whether you qualify. Below is who issues what, and how each rule shapes the store you design.

Licenses and permits at a glance

Fuel tanks: NDEP and the health districts

The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) oversees tanks under NRS 459 and federal rules, and the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) and Washoe County Health District inspect in their counties:

• Approval: NDEP issues no installation permit. In Clark and Washoe counties the health district approves the work, and the fire agency issues its own permit. An NDEP-certified tank handler must supervise, and the federal notification form must be filed.
• Construction: tanks installed since July 1, 2008 need secondary containment, and new dispensers need under-dispenser containment.
• Operators: at least one Class A, B and C operator per facility, with training records kept.
• Fund: the Petroleum Fund pays up to $1 million per tank. Enrollment is $100 per tank a year, due October 1. The owner co-pay is 10% of the first $1 million, or 5% capped at $50,000 for small businesses. Spills, overfills and releases above the shear valve aren't covered.

Alcohol: county and city licenses

Nevada has no state retail liquor license. County liquor boards license dealers outside cities, set hours and conditions, and incorporated cities license their own:

• Unincorporated Clark County: a convenience store with 1,200 to 6,000 sq ft of display area and at least one public restroom can qualify for a package beer, wine and spirit-based products license. Convenience stores aren't eligible for a package liquor license. Grocery stores need more than 6,000 sq ft.
• Timing: police background and financial investigations average about six months, plus a $45 application fee and the license fee.
• Other cities and counties: Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Washoe County and rural counties set their own rules, hours and fees.

Tobacco and vapes

The Department of Taxation issues a tobacco retail dealer license, $50 a year, covering cigarettes and other tobacco products, including vapor and alternative nicotine products. The minimum age is 21, an under-21 notice is required at the register, and self-service cigarette displays aren't allowed.

Food service: the health districts or the Department of Agriculture

In 2025, Nevada replaced its food statute with NRS 580, and outside the local health districts the Department of Agriculture now regulates food. Plans must be approved before construction, and no business license is issued until the health permit is. In Clark County, SNHD handles applications through its online portal. For 2026 to 2027, a market permit runs from $312 a year under 1,000 sq ft to $1,286 at 10,000 sq ft or more, and market plan review from $1,196 to $2,791.

Sales tax, fuel pumps and gaming

• Sales tax: a Department of Taxation permit is $15 per location, and a security deposit of up to twice the estimated quarterly tax may be required. The state rate is 6.85%, and Clark County's combined rate is 8.375%. Food for home consumption is exempt.
• Fuel pumps: the Department of Agriculture's Weights and Measures program requires a license before commercial use: $25 a year per dispenser, hose, meter or octane grade.
• Slot machines: a restricted gaming license must be incidental to the main business. At a convenience store the limit is 7 slots unless the Gaming Commission decides otherwise. State fees are $81 per slot per quarter for up to five machines, plus a $250 annual excise per slot, and a county gaming license is also required. An ATM can't be next to the slots.
• No lottery: the Nevada Constitution bars a state lottery.

What this means for your store design

• Size the display area for the liquor license. In unincorporated Clark County, stay between 1,200 and 6,000 sq ft and include a public restroom. See convenience store sizes.
• Plan beer, wine and spirit-based drinks, not bottled liquor, where the package liquor license isn't available. See the cooler wall planner and beer cave cost.
• Design a gaming area for up to seven slots that stays incidental to the store, with the ATM placed away from it.
• Keep cigarettes off self-service displays and post the under-21 notice at the register.
• Get health district plan approval before construction. Fees scale with size. See food service build-outs.

Local approvals

Your city or county also controls zoning, building permits, fire inspections, signs, the liquor license and the county gaming license. Our construction checklist covers the local steps.

For Nevada store design, see convenience store design in Nevada and walk-in cooler services in Nevada.

Sources

• NDEP, underground storage tanks, permits required, operator training and Petroleum Fund; NRS 459.800 to 459.856 and 445C; NAC 459.9921 to 459.9995.
• NRS 244.350; Clark County, liquor license summary and liquor and gaming FAQ.
• NRS 370.440 and 370.587, and NRS 202.2493.
• NRS 580 (food establishments, 2025); Southern Nevada Health District, plan review and environmental health fee schedule.
• Department of Taxation, register a business and sales and use tax; NRS 372.510; NAC 581 (weights and measures).
• NRS 463.0189, 463.373 and 463.385; Gaming Control Board Regulation 3; Nevada Constitution Article 4, Section 24.

This page summarizes official sources as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm each one with the agency before you apply.