Las Vegas Landscaping

Water law decides what a Las Vegas yard can be

Nevada’s AB356, passed in 2021, cuts Colorado River water off from “nonfunctional” decorative grass in the valley after 2026 — the turf at commercial properties, apartment complexes and HOA common areas that nobody walks on except to mow it. Single-family homes are exempt from the mandate. If you sit on an HOA board or manage commercial property, that deadline is now months away, and turf-conversion crews book out accordingly.

For everyone else the change is voluntary and paid for: the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes program pays a per-square-foot rebate for converting grass to drip-irrigated desert landscaping. Its one hard rule catches people constantly: the application must be approved before any grass comes out. Asking a landscaper whether they handle the rebate paperwork is a fast way to learn how often they do conversions.

Watering runs on a mandatory schedule set by the SNWA: one assigned day a week in winter, three in spring and fall, any day but Sunday in summer, with daytime sprinkling banned in the hottest months. Your assigned day comes from your address. A maintenance company that programs irrigation clocks should be setting them to this schedule — water waste is enforceable, and the fine lands on the homeowner, not the crew.

Licensing, and when it matters

Mowing, trimming and cleanup need only a local business license. Installation work — irrigation, planting contracts, hardscape — requires a Nevada contractor’s license (classification C-10, Landscape Contracting) once the job reaches $1,000 including labor and materials, under NRS 624. Before signing an install contract, look the number up free at the Nevada State Contractors Board; the record shows the license bond and any disciplinary history.

One planning note the Mojave imposes: fall is planting season here, not spring. Desert-adapted stock planted in October gets two mild seasons to root before its first 110°F summer; the same plant installed in June fights for its life from day one. A crew proposing summer planting of anything beyond cactus should be able to explain how they will keep it alive.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to remove my grass?

Not at a single-family home - the AB356 mandate covers 'nonfunctional' decorative turf at commercial, multifamily and HOA common-area properties, which loses access to Colorado River irrigation water after 2026. Residential lawns are exempt, though the SNWA pays a rebate if you convert voluntarily.

How much is the turf-removal rebate?

It is a per-square-foot rebate through the SNWA's Water Smart Landscapes program, and the rate has changed over the years - check the current figure on snwa.com. The rule that does not change: get the application approved before removing any grass, or the rebate is forfeited.

When am I allowed to water?

On your assigned day: once a week in winter (November through February), three days a week in spring and fall, and any day except Sunday in summer, with no sprinkler use during midday hours in the hottest months. Look up your watering group by address on snwa.com.

Does my landscaper need a contractor's license?

For maintenance, no - a local business license covers mowing and cleanup. For installation work of $1,000 or more including labor and materials - irrigation, planting contracts, hardscape - Nevada requires a C-10 landscape contracting license, which you can verify free on the Nevada State Contractors Board site.