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County · code 32031

Washoe CountyNevada

Washoe County is a county in Nevada with its seat in Reno, formed in 1861.

  • Founded1861
  • County seatReno
  • Named forWasho people
  • Land area6,316 sq mi + 225 sq mi water
  • Population486,492 2020 Census
  • Parcels mapped191,879 checked 14 October 2026
Open the free map Click any parcel in Washoe County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated

Lassen, CAStoreyPershingSierra, CAModoc, CACarson CityLyonChurchillHumboldtNevada, CAPlacer, CALake, ORHarney, OR Reno Census outline · seat marked

Where it is

Washoe on the map of Nevada

Nevada has 17 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

Churchill CountyClark CountyDouglas CountyElko CountyEsmeralda CountyEureka CountyHumboldt CountyLander CountyLincoln CountyLyon CountyMineral CountyNye CountyPershing CountyStorey CountyWhite Pine CountyCarson CityWashoe County Washoe
Counties of Nevada · Washoe highlighted

History

Founded in 1861

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Washoe County was created by Nevada Territory from non-county area on November 25, 1861, and named after the Washo people. The county gained territory when Roop County was disorganized and attached to it in 1864 and then fully eliminated and merged into Washoe in 1883. Washoe exchanged boundaries with neighboring counties multiple times between 1924 and 1983 to align them with public land survey lines and highways.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

  1. 1861
    Washoe County created Washoe created by Nevada Territory from non-county area. · Nev. Terr. Stats. 1861, 1st sess., ch. 24, sec. 4/p. 51
  2. 1864
    Became part of Nevada Washoe became a county in the state of Nevada. · U.S. Stat., vol. 13, ch. 36[1864]/pp. 30-32 and proc. 22/p. 749; Van Zandt, 158-160
  3. 1883
    Gained territory Washoe gained all of Roop (extinct); Roop eliminated.
    from Roop
    · Nev. Stats. 1883, 11th sess., ch. 4/p. 12
  4. 1924
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Humboldt and Pershing when Washoe Board of County Commissioners unilaterally changed its eastern boundary north of 40 degrees north latitude to run on public land survey lines. Humboldt, Pershing, and the state of Nevada acquiesced to this change. Washoe County Clerk's office was unable to locate this change in board minutes, 1923-1927.
    with Humboldtwith Pershing
    · Mottaz, 46; Washoe Board of County Commissioners Minutes, 19 May 1924; Washoe Co. Clerk, email to P. T. Sinko, 26 Sep. 2006
  5. 1965
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Lyon when boundary was placed on public land survey lines.
    with Lyon
    · Nev. Stats. 1965, 53d sess., ch. 192/pp. 337-338
Show all 12 changes (7 more)
  1. 1861
    Washoe County created Washoe created by Nevada Territory from non-county area. · Nev. Terr. Stats. 1861, 1st sess., ch. 24, sec. 4/p. 51
  2. 1864
    Changed Roop (extinct) was disorganized and attached to Washoe "for judicial, legislative and revenue purposes."
    Roop
    · Nev. Terr. Stats. 1864, 3d sess., ch. 127/p. 159
  3. 1864
    Became part of Nevada Washoe became a county in the state of Nevada. · U.S. Stat., vol. 13, ch. 36[1864]/pp. 30-32 and proc. 22/p. 749; Van Zandt, 158-160
  4. 1883
    Gained territory Washoe gained all of Roop (extinct); Roop eliminated.
    from Roop
    · Nev. Stats. 1883, 11th sess., ch. 4/p. 12
  5. 1924
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Humboldt and Pershing when Washoe Board of County Commissioners unilaterally changed its eastern boundary north of 40 degrees north latitude to run on public land survey lines. Humboldt, Pershing, and the state of Nevada acquiesced to this change. Washoe County Clerk's office was unable to locate this change in board minutes, 1923-1927.
    with Humboldtwith Pershing
    · Mottaz, 46; Washoe Board of County Commissioners Minutes, 19 May 1924; Washoe Co. Clerk, email to P. T. Sinko, 26 Sep. 2006
  6. 1965
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Lyon when boundary was placed on public land survey lines.
    with Lyon
    · Nev. Stats. 1965, 53d sess., ch. 192/pp. 337-338
  7. 1967
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Ormsby (extinct) when boundary was placed on public land survey lines.
    with Ormsby
    · Nev. Stats. 1967, 54th sess., ch. 243/pp. 722-724
  8. 1969
    Boundary clarified Washoe boundaries were redefined (no change).
    no change
    · Nev. Stats. 1969, 55th sess., ch. 213/pp. 320-32
  9. 1973
    Boundary clarified Washoe boundaries were redefined (no change).
    no change
    · Nev. Stats. 1973, 57th sess., ch. 31/p. 31
  10. 1973
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Storey.
    with Storey
    · Nev. Stats. 1973, 57th sess., ch. 472/pp. 697-699
  11. 1977
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Carson City (Ind. City) when boundary was adjusted along U.S. Highway 395 near Lakeview.
    with U.s.
    · Nev. Stats. 1977, 59th sess., ch. 246/pp. 446-448
  12. 1983
    Exchanged territory Washoe exchanged with Churchill when boundary was placed on public land survey lines.
    with Churchill
    · Nev. Stats. 1983, 62nd sess., ch. 250/pp. 565-569

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Washoe

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Official
from the office that keeps the record
Good enough
a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback
a guide only; check the official record
Missing
nothing public found yet

People and land

Washoe by the Census

Population
486,492 2020 Census count
Housing units
207,209 2020 Census count
Land area
6,316 square miles
Water area
225 square miles
People per sq mi
77 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Permits

Zoning and code

GIS and maps

County government

See your own lot on these maps

Open Washoe County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

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Questions

Common questions about Washoe County

When was Washoe County founded?
Washoe County was founded in 1861, and named after Washo people.
What is the county seat of Washoe County?
The county seat of Washoe County is Reno.
Is there an online parcel map for Washoe County?
Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 191,879 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Washoe County's boundary or name changed?
Washoe County was created in 1861. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Roop County, Churchill County and Humboldt County.
Who issues building permits in Washoe County?
The county's page on building permits: Moving Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?
We do not have flood maps for Washoe County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby

Counties next door