The Sports and Special Events Division is your initial point of contact for obtaining approval to host certain events within unincorporated Clark County. This department provides preliminary approval and guidance on the necessary permits and licenses required. In some cases, specific conditions may require a hearing before the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) before preliminary approval can be granted. 

Preliminary Approval Explained 
The Sports and Special Events Division provides only preliminary or initial approval. This means the Event Organizer must obtain all required licenses, permits, and inspections from other departments (e.g., Business License, Zoning, Parks and Recreation, Fire Department) and external agencies (e.g., Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Southern Nevada Health District, RTC). 

Events that May Require Approval by the BCC 
Certain conditions may require a review and approval by the Board before preliminary approval can be granted. These conditions are: 

1. Road or sidewalk closure
2. Requires significant County services 
3. More than 15,000 attendees 
4. More than 1 activation 
5. Potential disorder which may endanger health and safety of the attendees and residents 
6. Event Organizer has had previous compliance issues 
7. As required by the Board.

In such cases, a staff member will notify the Event Organizer by email with the date, time, and venue for the scheduled hearing. Once a decision is reached, the Sports and Special Events Division will mail the approval or denial letter within 15 calendar days. 

The Steps 

1. Verify the event will occur in unincorporated Clark County.  Visit our Jurisdiction Locator Tool, enter in the location address of the event. Other jurisdictions are color-coded on the map and will be provided next to the address in red text.  
2. Check that the planned event requires one of these permits. 
3. Submit the Special Events application online. 
4. If the expected number of attendees is 5,000 or more, the Event Organizer must also fill the online Large Event Gathering Notification form. 
5. The staff will review the application and contact the Event Organizer, if any clarification is needed. If the expected number of attendees is 5,000 or more, staff will review the Large Gathering Event Calendar for any conflicts. This is to ensure that there are enough resources to support the gathering.
6. An SSE team member will be assigned to the Event Organizer who will communicate the requirements and next steps. The liaison will also provide a list of the departments and agencies that the Event Organizer needs to contact. 
7. If the event warrants Board approval, the Event Organizer will be notified by the SSE team member via email. More information on events that may require Board approval may be found here. 

Forms 

To access and submit the preliminary approval form online, please visit this page.
To see the full list of forms and packets for specific licenses and permits required by Clark County's Business License Department, please visit https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/business/doing_business_with_clark_county/divisions/special_events/special_event_forms.php.