The installed range, the permit Reno actually charges, and the four lines that separate a complete furnace quote from a vague one.
Reviewed November 5, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Short answer
As of 2026-11-05, a new gas furnace installed typically costs $3,500 – $7,500. Inside Reno city limits, add the City's $89 furnace EZ permit and $45 issuance fee ($134 total, effective July 1, 2026). Nevada caps the deposit at $1,000 or 10% of the contract, whichever is less.
Furnace costs at a glance
Replacement next to repair and the heat-pump alternative, each with the date its source was read.
Furnace replacement, repair and alternatives. Figures as of 2026-11-05.
Hold each one against the range above and the checklist below. If you want another independent, licensed contractor to quote the same job, request a match.
Reno permit fees for a furnace
City of Reno residential EZ permits, effective July 1, 2026. Issuance fee applies on top.
Permit
Fee
Furnace
$89
Furnace, oil to gas
$133
Gas line
$90
Permit issuance fee
$45
Outside Reno city limits the permit still applies: the City of Sparks lists furnaces as permit-required work, and Washoe County's exemption list (WCC 100.105.2) covers parts and portable units, not a furnace. Washoe County's mechanical fee table charges $20 per furnace up to 100,000 Btu/h ($26 above that) plus a $45 issuance fee. Sparks does not publish its fee; the permit guide has its phone number.
A licensed contractor can usually pull this permit for you.
Ask for the permit in the contractor's name and the fee as a line in the quote. Want one who does that by default? Request a match.
What a complete furnace quote shows
Sizing from a load calculation, not the old furnace's label. The 2024 Northern Nevada Code Amendments set the winter design temperature for Reno, Sparks and Washoe County at 17°F; that is the day the furnace is sized for.
Brand, model and input rating, and whether venting, the gas connection or the coil on top of the furnace changes.
The permit in the contractor's name, with the fee shown.
A deposit within the legal cap: the lesser of $1,000 or 10% of the contract (NRS 624.970).
The exact licensed business name and NSCB license number. A full replacement belongs with a C-21 or C-21b licensee; C-21d maintenance covers parts on existing systems, not a new air handler (NAC 624.380). Pay that exact name: the Nevada Residential Recovery Fund, capped at $40,000 per claim, has denied homeowners who paid a differently named company.
How these figures were put together
The installed and repair ranges are HomeGuide's published national figures on the dates shown, which it describes as compiled from contractor estimates; they are a yardstick, not a Reno quote. Permit fees are read from the City of Reno's fiscal-year 2027 fee schedule; the deposit cap, recovery fund and license classes from Nevada statute, regulation and the Contractors Board. Reno Heat & Air does not price or perform HVAC work. Figures as of 2026-11-05; re-read at least yearly and each July when Reno publishes new fees.
FAQ
Furnace cost questions
How much is a new furnace in Reno? +
Typical installed cost is $3,500 – $7,500 in the published range (HomeGuide, read 2026-11-05). Add $134 for the City of Reno permit and issuance fee inside city limits. Unincorporated Washoe County charges $20 for a furnace up to 100,000 Btu/h plus $45 issuance; Sparks requires a permit but does not publish its fee.
What does the City of Reno charge to permit a furnace? +
$89 for a residential furnace EZ permit, or $133 for an oil-to-gas furnace, plus a $45 permit issuance fee. A new gas line is a separate $90 EZ permit. Fees effective July 1, 2026.
Should I repair or replace my furnace? +
Repairs typically total $125 – $480. A cracked heat exchanger, repeated failures on an old furnace, or a repair quote that approaches half the cost of a new unit are the usual reasons to replace. Ask the contractor to show you the failed part or the inspection result in writing.
How big a deposit can a contractor ask for? +
On a residential job, no more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less (NRS 624.970). On a $7,500 furnace that is $1,000.
Is a heat pump a better buy than a new furnace in Reno? +
A heat pump also replaces the air conditioner, but installed heat pumps run $10,000 – $25,000 against $3,500 – $7,500 for a furnace, and it has to answer the 17°F design-day question. In a home that already has gas, many owners keep a furnace as backup in a dual-fuel system.
Want a licensed contractor to quote the furnace?
Describe the house and the furnace once; an independent NSCB-licensed contractor follows up with a written quote you can check against this page.