A real estate referral checklist for possible unpermitted work should transfer verified status—not “probably permitted,” “not a big deal,” or “the inspector will handle it.” With the client’s consent, preserve the exact property and parcel, responsible jurisdiction, observed improvement, searches completed, records found or unavailable, contract dates, verified receiving professional, specialist question, and one accepted next action. The receiving team can then investigate without inheriting an unsupported compliance conclusion.
Describe the observation without diagnosing it
State what prompted the question: a garage used as living space, enclosed patio, added plumbing, accessory structure, pool, electrical panel, or mismatch between listing language and visible layout. Record what source was checked and what it actually showed. “No online result” means unavailable or unresolved until jurisdiction, parcel, older records, and request options are confirmed.
Transfer the jurisdiction and deadline together
A Las Vegas mailing address may belong to the City of Las Vegas or unincorporated Clark County, and nearby municipalities maintain separate records. The handoff should name the jurisdiction if verified, the portal or office checked, the client’s decision deadline, and any pending request. That helps the receiving professional act before a contract date without repeating a search in the wrong system.
Verify the receiving scope and license status
Use the current Nevada Real Estate Division lookup for Nevada license status and confirm the receiving brokerage, geographic competence, communication owner, response expectation, and acceptance. Permit, code, engineering, contractor, appraisal, insurance, lending, tax, and legal conclusions remain with the responsible public office and qualified professionals. A referral does not expand the referring agent’s scope.
Example: avoid handing off a verdict
The client says a room “must be legal because it has air conditioning.” The referring agent does not repeat that conclusion. The handoff states the exact improvement, current source of the claim, jurisdiction search completed, record found or not found, contract date, client question, verified receiver, and agreed next step to contact the responsible office or specialist.
FAQ
Should the referring agent decide whether work is permitted?
No. Transfer observations, sources, status, dates, and the client’s question. Leave permit, code, condition, and legal conclusions to the responsible office and qualified professionals.
What does “no permit found” mean in a referral handoff?
It means the recorded search did not produce a matched result. It is not proof that no permit exists until jurisdiction, address or parcel, older records, and request options are checked.
What is the minimum useful handoff?
Client consent, exact property, jurisdiction status, observed improvement, searches and records, relevant date, verified receiver, open question, and one accepted next action.
Primary sources and limits
- Clark County, Determine Jurisdiction and Land Use
- Clark County, Building and Fire Prevention Records Search
- City of Las Vegas, Building and Offsite Permits
- City of Henderson, Building and Fire Safety
- Nevada Real Estate Division, License Lookup
General education only. A mailing address, listing description, disclosure, portal search, permit number, inspection entry, plan, appraisal, closing, lease, or exchange structure does not by itself establish that an improvement is permitted, finaled, code-compliant, safe, rentable, insurable, financeable, or suitable for a planned use. Confirm property-specific jurisdiction, records, permit, inspection, code, condition, contractor, appraisal, contract, leasing, insurance, lending, legal, tax, and exchange questions with the responsible public offices and qualified professionals. No legal, tax, health, engineering, lending, securities, insurance, or investment advice is provided.
Related: minimum referral handoff packet, property-system referral continuity, referral conversation.