A Resident's Guide to Reno's Local Ordinances

Reno is a mid-sized city in Washoe County, Nevada, with about 264000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 144 ordinances across 42 categories that affect daily life in Reno.

Trash & Recycling

Pickup Rules & Schedules: Reno property owners and occupants must subscribe to the city's exclusive solid waste and recycling collection service: self-hauling or hiring an outside hauler is not allowed under Reno Municipal Code § 10.08.045..

Also covered: Collection Schedule (restrictive), Illegal Dumping (moderate), Recycling Rules (limited). See the full trash & recycling guide for Reno for details.

Parking Rules

Towing & Impound Rights: Reno sets no tow rate of its own but regulates the tow itself hard: a booting company may collect no more than $100.00 for the first 24 hours and $25.00 a day after, must reach a booted vehicle within 45 minutes of a release request, and under RMC 6.10.090 forfeits and must refund every charge if the lot lacked required signs or the police were not told about the tow within an hour..

Also covered: Loading Zones (moderate), EV Charging (moderate), Commercial & Oversized Vehicles (restrictive). See the full parking rules guide for Reno for details.

Public Conduct

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions: Reno bans smoking and vaping in all parks, trails, and recreation facilities, and within 100 feet of sporting fields, spectator areas, and facility entrances, unless inside a designated smoking area..

Also covered: Public Alcohol Use (restrictive), Public Marijuana Use (restrictive), Jaywalking (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Reno for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Reno bans barbed wire, razor ribbon, and razor tape on fences citywide, and disallows chain link along major drainageways and open space, unless a specific exemption in the zoning code applies..

Also covered: Height Limits (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate), Fence Permit Requirements (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Reno for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Reno requires anyone renting out transient lodging, including vacation homes, condos, and timeshares booked for under 28 days, to get a license from the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority before taking guests..

Also covered: Taxes & Fees (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Reno for details.

Building Safety

Green Building Code: Reno has no mandatory green-building code for new construction, but Municipal Code Chapter 14.30 makes buildings of 30,000+ square feet benchmark annual energy and water use, and it exempts LEED- or National Green Building Standard-certified properties from that reporting..

Also covered: Plumbing Permits (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate), Lead Paint (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Reno for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Reno has significant Truckee River flood risk with major floods in 1950, 1955, 1986, 1997, and 2017. New construction in SFHAs must elevate 1 ft above BFE.

Also covered: Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate), Vehicle Idling Restrictions (moderate), Stormwater Management (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Reno for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Reno bans camping within 350 feet of the Truckee River shoreline citywide unless a permit is issued under Municipal Code Section 8.23.075; violators need a prior warning from a police officer before facing misdemeanor charges..

Also covered: Sit-Lie Rules (restrictive). See the full homelessness & encampment rules guide for Reno for details.

Data Centers & Crypto Mining

Data Center Zoning & Siting: Reno allows data centers only in industrial and mixed-use employment zoning districts, and every one of those districts requires a conditional use permit rather than by-right approval under Reno Municipal Code § 18.03.306(b)(1)..

Also covered: Data Center Noise Limits (moderate). See the full data centers & crypto mining guide for Reno for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Auto Repair on Residential Property: Reno bans auto repair as a home occupation outright: the zoning code names it explicitly as prohibited, alongside equipment painting and heavy equipment repair, no matter how small the operation..

Also covered: Adult Entertainment (restrictive), Pawnbrokers (restrictive), Towing Companies (moderate). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Reno for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Obstruction Rules: Reno makes it unlawful to intentionally block a public sidewalk with your body, an object, or a vehicle, or to block pedestrian and vehicle access to an entrance on abutting property, under Municipal Code Sec. 8.12.042..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Encroachment Permits (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Reno for details.

Sign Regulations

Digital Billboards: Reno prohibits new permanent off-premises digital advertising displays anywhere in the city or its sphere of influence, and bans computer-controlled variable message electronic signs among off-premises billboard types outright..

Also covered: Freeway-Facing Signs (restrictive), Holiday Displays (strict), Political Signs (limited). See the full sign regulations guide for Reno for details.

Special Events & Permits

Park Event Permits: Reno requires a park permit for any group meeting, concert, or gathering of more than 25 people in a public park, plus exclusive-use permits for picnic shelters and athletic fields..

Also covered: Block Party Permits (moderate), Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (moderate), Commercial Filming on Public Right-of-Way (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Reno for details.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: Reno assigns lawn irrigation to three fixed days a week by address parity and bans watering between noon and 6 p.m. all summer, enforced with civil fines..

Also covered: Tree Trimming (permissive), Artificial Turf (moderate), Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Reno for details.

Animal Ordinances

Dog Leash Laws: Washoe County Code 55.100 requires dogs to be on a leash in public areas within the congested areas of the county, which include Reno. The code sets no leash length.

Also covered: Pet Store Rules (strict), Veterinary Clinic Zoning (moderate), Bird Protection (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Reno for details.

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Reno zoning code permits Farm and Urban Farm as land uses in specific districts, subject to setback and operating standards rather than a blanket ban..

Home Business

Signage Rules: Reno bars home-based businesses from putting up signs that make a residence look non-residential: the home occupation must stay invisible from the street..

Also covered: Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate), Home Daycare (moderate), Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate). See the full home business guide for Reno for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Shared E-Scooter Rules: Reno requires companies to get a city council franchise before operating a shared dockless bicycle, e-bike, or e-scooter system on public property, and running one without a franchise is unlawful..

Also covered: Bike Lane Rules (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Reno for details.

Water Use Rules

Leak Reporting Duty: Reno customers get 24 hours' personal notice to repair a leaking pipe, fixture, or meter connection before the ongoing water use counts as prohibited waste under the city's water conservation code..

Also covered: Turf Replacement Rebates (moderate), Recycled Water Rules (moderate). See the full water use rules guide for Reno for details.

Filming & Production

Location Permits: Commercial still photography shoots in Reno need a city film permit under RMC Chapter 5.20: the same permit required for motion picture and TV production, per § 5.13.040(a)(5)..

Also covered: Street Closures (restrictive). See the full filming & production guide for Reno for details.

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: Reno's Downtown Streetscape Design Standards govern the look of downtown improvements: adopted by reference into RMC Chapter 12.30, with the full standards document kept on file at the city clerk's office rather than printed in the code..

Also covered: Density Bonus Law (limited). See the full zoning overlays & bonuses guide for Reno for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Reno imposes a license tax on gross receipts from renting transient lodging under 28 days, 1% citywide plus added district surcharges, collected through the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority..

Tree Protection

Heritage & Protected Trees: Landmark trees on public property in Reno are designated by the Urban Forestry Commission, which keeps a running list of every tree so designated. Removing a designated landmark tree takes city council approval, plus payment to the city for the tree's value if removal is for construction..

Also covered: Parkway Planting (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Reno for details.

Noise Ordinances

Aircraft Noise: Reno bans unnecessary loud noise from aircraft engines or propellers in flight over the city, and helicopters must fly the Truckee River channel to and from the Riverside Garage heliport to avoid low passes over congested areas..

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (moderate), Decibel Limits (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Reno for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Delivery Truck Noise: Reno bans commercial truck traffic, including deliveries, on alleys shared with residentially zoned property between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Also covered: Bar & Nightclub Noise (moderate), Generator Noise (moderate), Low-Frequency Bass Limits (moderate). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Reno for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Reno's zoning code requires floodlights and spotlights to be fully shielded so the light element isn't visible from residential property or public rights-of-way, with all fixtures aimed downward and confined to the property line..

Also covered: Billboard Lighting (moderate), Dark Sky Rules (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Reno for details.

Rental Inspections

Tenant Complaint Process: Reno's Motel Inspection Program lets anyone file a complaint about a converted non-transient lodging rental with the city, triggering faster enforcement than the routine annual inspection under RMC Chapter 4.06..

Also covered: Inspection Programs (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for Reno for details.

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Reno's Historical Resources Commission designates historic resources and districts under RMC Chapter 18.07, requiring proven significance and physical integrity before a property joins the City Register and gets the Historic Landmark (HL) zoning overlay..

Cannabis Regulations

Buffer Zones: Reno requires cannabis retail establishments to maintain minimum separation distances from schools, daycare centers, parks, and community facilities under state-mandated buffer rules and Reno zoning code Title 18..

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Reno for details.

Fire Regulations

Wildfire Zones: Reno has formally adopted WUI zones covering western foothill neighborhoods (Caughlin Ranch, Somersett, Mogul, Verdi) and eastern slopes (Hidden Valley, Virginia Foothills). New construction must meet Chapter 7A ignition-resistant building standards..

Also covered: Outdoor Burning (restrictive), Fireworks (strict), Propane Storage (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Reno for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Setback Rules: Reno sets minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks per zoning district in Title 18's district tables: for example SF-3 requires a 30-foot front and rear setback with a 5-foot side setback, measured from the property line..

Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Lot Coverage Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Reno for details.

Accessory Structures

Shed & Carport Rules: Reno caps detached accessory structures like sheds at 1,600 square feet or half the house's footprint on standard SF-3 lots, requires a 3-foot gap from other buildings, and limits ordinary shed height to 12 feet..

Also covered: ADU Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Reno for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: A pool, pond, or other body of water that sits abandoned, unfiltered, or unmaintained until it turns polluted or breeds mosquitoes is a public nuisance under Reno's code, and maintaining one is a misdemeanor..

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Reno enforces the International Property Maintenance Code as its citywide habitability standard for rental housing, covering structural, sanitation, and occupancy conditions in every dwelling unit..

Also covered: Security Deposit Rules (moderate), Rent Control (permissive). See the full rental property rules guide for Reno for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Reno requires a separate city Mobile Vendor Business License for every food truck, plus a valid Washoe County Health District permit, before any food sales can begin within city limits..

Also covered: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate), Vending Zones (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Reno for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Reno Municipal Code bans planting genus Ulmus (elm) anywhere in the city, and genus Populus (poplar, cottonwood, aspen) or Salix (willow) trees along any street, parkway, or public property, unless the urban forester grants a riparian exception..

Tobacco & Vaping

Tobacco Age Restrictions: Nevada law NRS 202.2493 prohibits the sale of tobacco, vapor products, and alternative nicotine products to anyone under 21. Reno retailers must verify ID for all buyers appearing under 40 years old..

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Reno Municipal Code makes it unlawful for any owner, lessee, or occupant to let a building, including its cellar or basement, become unsafe or dangerous, with unsecured cellar entryways requiring a guardrail..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Reno for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Reno treats solar panels as an alternative utility system allowed in every zoning district, exempt from the screening other systems need, but still subject to building- and fire-code review and utility notice..

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Reno limits temporary garage sales to four per residential property each year, three days per sale, and requires a dwelling on-site: codified as a permitted temporary use under the zoning code, not a separate permit process..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Door-to-door peddlers and solicitors selling for profit must obtain a city business license before going house to house in Reno; nonprofit canvassers only need to register with the city instead..

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Reno bars minors under 18 from public places between midnight and 5 a.m. citywide, and 9 p.m.

Also covered: Park Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Reno for details.

What to Do With This Information

Whether you are renting, buying, or renovating in Reno, knowing the local rules upfront saves headaches later. Dig into the individual ordinance pages linked above for the complete picture, including fines and exemptions.