Nevada solar permitting
Grade distribution
Overview
Every Nevada county is scored on the SitePath solar permitting index. More than half are graded A or B, meaning they present low to moderate permitting risk for utility-scale solar projects. A minority sit in the C range — moderate risk with meaningful process uncertainty. A sizeable minority are rated D or F — high to very high risk, often due to active moratoria, restrictive setback ordinances, or strong local opposition.
The most favorable jurisdictions in Nevada include Lander County (grade B), Lincoln County (grade B), Churchill County (grade B). The most challenging include Washoe County (grade D), Nye County (grade D), Clark County (grade F).
At the state level, Nevada's RPS 50% by 2030 commitment creates a supportive macro environment for solar development, though county-level boards retain significant discretion over individual project approvals. No Nevada counties currently have an active utility-scale solar moratorium.
All counties — sorted by risk score (best first)
| County | Grade | Score | Trajectory | Moratorium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lander County | B | 30 | — | |
| Lincoln County | B | 32 | — | |
| Churchill County | B | 34 | — | |
| Eureka County | B | 35 | — | |
| Pershing County | B | 35 | — | |
| Mineral County | B | 37 | — | |
| Storey County | B | 38 | — | |
| White Pine County | B | 38 | — | |
| Humboldt County | B | 38 | — | |
| Elko County | B | 41 | — | |
| Esmeralda County | C | 49 | — | |
| Carson City | C | 51 | — | |
| Douglas County | D | 54 | — | |
| Lyon County | D | 54 | — | |
| Washoe County | D | 54 | — | |
| Nye County | D | 55 | — | |
| Clark County | F | 69 | — |
See the full interactive map
County grades, scores, and ordinance data are also available on the interactive county map with filtering by grade, state, and risk factor.
Open the county map →About SitePath scoring
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.