Nevada Moving Permits & Licenses: 2025 Guide to a Law-Compliant Relocation

Just after dawn, an eighteen-wheeler rolls past the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip, leaving the casinos behind and heading toward the cool shade of a Summerlin cul-de-sac. Two hundred miles north, another truck climbs the Sierra front, where Reno’s downtown streets will be closed for the month-long Hot August Nights festival. Both drivers have paperwork on the dashboard: one shows a Las Vegas 48-hour curb-use permit, the other an encroachment tag from the City of Reno’s Public Works office. Neither could legally unload without those documents—and both still need a Nevada Transportation Authority certificate, oversize clearance from NDOT if the trailer is too tall, and federal authority if the route crosses into California or Arizona. Nevada’s rules are lighter than those in California or Oregon, yet the Silver State is anything but a free-for-all. This playbook covers every permit, license, and seasonal twist you might face in Nevada so your move with Three Movers stays square with state, local, and federal law.

Permit & License Snapshot

City-Level Rules You Can’t Skip

Las Vegas & Unincorporated Clark County

• 48-Hour Residential Loading Permit – Complimentary online permit lets commercial or RV-style vehicles park in front of a residence for up to two days; allowed only six times per quarter.
• ROW Encroachment – If a container, lift-gate, or ramp blocks a travel lane, Clark County Public Works requires an encroachment permit and reflective barricades.
• Event Blackouts – Major Strip closures (e.g., F1, Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon) void street permits; carriers must shift to hotel loading docks or off-Strip lots.

Reno & Sparks

• Encroachment-Excavation Permit – Mandatory for dumpsters or mobile storage units on any public street, sidewalk, or alley; application must be filed at least 24 hours in advance.
• Meter Bags – Downtown meters can be reserved for up to seven days; $10 per meter per day.

Henderson & North Las Vegas

• ROW Fee – North Las Vegas collects $25 per container placed in the right-of-way.
• HOA Notice – Many master-planned communities (Green Valley, Inspirada) require 48-hour notice for trucks over 26 ft.

Three Movers tip: File street-use or meter reservations three business days before the truck arrives, and confirm no special-event moratoriums will cancel your permit.

Intrastate Moves: NV's Household-Goods Certificate

All movers who haul household goods exclusively within Nevada must hold a Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity (CPCN) issued by the Nevada Transportation Authority. Key requirements include:

1. Application Packet & Hearing – Form NTA-HHG with financials and tariff.
2. Minimum Insurance – Cargo and auto liability on file with NTA.
3. Tariff Rates – Publicly posted pricing prevents bait-and-switch.
4. Annual Renewal & Safety Audits – Carriers must maintain satisfactory safety scores.

Operating without a CPCN is a misdemeanor, subject to fines and vehicle impound. Three Movers pairs you only with CPCN-approved carriers, verified the week your estimate is issued.

Federal Numbers Still Rule

Crossing Hoover Dam into Arizona or Donner Summit into California? For any type of out-of-state or long-distance relocation, your mover must provide:

• USDOT Number – Shows registration with U.S. DOT.
• MC Authority – Allows interstate household-goods transport.
• FMCSA Booklet – “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.”

We display these IDs in your quote email and encourage you to confirm them on FMCSA’s public “Company Snapshot.”

Oversize & Overweight Permits on I-15, I-80 & the Extraterrestrial Highway

• Trip Permits – Valid for five weekdays; pilots required for loads over 12 ft wide on two-lane highways.
• Gaming Corridors – Loads over 15 ft high restricted from the Spaghetti Bowl interchange 6 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Desert Wind – Gusts above 40 mph along US 95 can suspend oversize moves; NDOT alerts carriers by text.

Three Movers ensures every oversize vehicle has an NDOT permit, pilot cars, and wind/heat contingency routes.

Portable Storage Containers & PODS

Containers must never block hydrants or ADA ramps. Winter wind advisories can require tie-down straps.

Campus Moves: UNLV & University of NV Reno

UNLV (Las Vegas)

• Summerlin Lot Staging – 26-ft trucks unload at the Thomas & Mack Center lot, then use dollies to dorms.
• Permit Sale – Parking portal opens August 5; scratch-off permits hang on rear-view mirror.

University of Nevada Reno (UNR)

• North Green Loop – One-way traffic during Move-In Day; 20-minute unloading passes enforced.
• Height Barriers – West Stadium Garage clearance 8′ 2″; large trucks park in Lot 15 and shuttle.

Three Movers schedules truck arrivals to match your assigned slot and provides smaller vans if campus height bars block the main rig.

Rural & Seasonal Curveballs

• 110-Degree Heat – NDOT restricts loads over 10 ft wide on I-15 during excessive-heat warnings to avoid tire blow-outs.
• High Desert Crosswinds – US 395 at Washoe Valley often closes to high-profile vehicles; alternate US 50A may be required.
• Snow on Mt. Rose Highway – Chains or snow tires mandatory October–May; oversize permits suspended during snow warnings.
• Area 51 Events – The “Storm Area 51” anniversary shuts SR 375 shoulder parking; ROW permits not issued that week.

International Relocations Out of Nevada

Because Nevada is landlocked, ocean-bound containers travel by rail or truck to Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles, or Oakland when moving stuff internationally. Expect:

1. International Bill of Lading & bilingual inventory.
2. AES/ITN filing for shipments valued over $2,500.
3. USDA or CBP inspections for wooden crates.
4. Customs Power of Attorney naming a licensed NVOCC.

Three Movers bundles drayage, rail, and ocean legs so you deal with one contract, not three.

Insurance Minimums for Legit Nevada Movers

We send you a Certificate of Insurance naming both origin and destination addresses before loading begins.

Pitfalls & Pro Tips

1. Relying on out-of-state “weekend warriors.” Without an NTA CPCN they can’t legally collect payment inside Nevada.
2. Booking 26-ft trucks on downtown Reno festival days. Streets close nightly in August—use 20-ft shuttles.
3. Ignoring Las Vegas 48-hour permit cap. You get only two days; overstay and the truck is towed.
4. Skipping oversize permits for 14-ft-high rigs. NDOT can detain loads at Jean or Elko POE.
5. Underestimating desert heat. Plan midday breaks or an earlier departure to avoid tire failures.

Move-Day Checklist

Why Three Movers Makes NV Relocation Easy

• Paperwork pre-flight. We secure street reservations, encroachment tags, OS/OW clearances, and campus passes before wheels roll.
• Licensed-carrier match. Every partner holds an active CPCN (for local jobs) or federal authority plus full insurance.
• Route intelligence. From desert crosswinds to Strip closures, we plot alt-routes and optimal loading hours.
• One contract, zero stress. Local, interstate, or international—your move stays under one roof, with a team that knows Nevada inside and out.

Key Sources

• Nevada Transportation Authority – Household Goods Mover CPCN Application & About NTA
• Nevada Department of Transportation – Oversize/Overweight Permit Manual
• City of Las Vegas Parking Services – 48-Hour Residential Parking Permits
• Clark County Public Works – Encroachment Permits
• City of Reno Public Works – Temporary Encroachment Permits for Storage Containers
• North Las Vegas Code § 8.20A – Encroachment Fee for Containers
• UNLV Parking & Transportation – 2024-25 Permit Guide
• University of Nevada Reno Parking Services – Move-In Traffic Plan
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection – AES/ITN Export Guidelines

Move Nevada—legally, efficiently, and cool under the desert sun—with Three Movers by your side.