Reno, NV Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Principal building setbacks
- Front 30 ft, side 5 ft, rear 30 ft
- Accessory structure setbacks
- Side 5 ft; rear 30 ft or 5 ft
- Street-facing garage
- 30 ft from sidewalk or planned sidewalk to garage face
- Minimum lot
- 15,000 sf and 80 ft wide
- Maximum height
- 35 ft principal; accessory 29 ft, 16 ft or 12 ft
- Maximum building coverage
- 40% of the lot
- Alley exception
- Zero-foot setback with 24 ft of backup space
Summary
In Reno's SF-3 single-family district, a house must sit at least 30 feet from the front and rear lot lines and 5 feet from each side line. Accessory structures need 5 feet at the sides and either 30 feet or 5 feet at the rear, and a street-facing garage must stand 30 feet back from the sidewalk. Table 2-7 of § 18.02.204 sets these minimums.
Base density, maximum 3 du/acre A Lot size, minimum 15,000 sf B Lot width, minimum 80 ft Setbacks, minimum [1] Principal Building Accessory Structure C Front 30 ft [2] D Side 5 ft 5 ft E Rear 30 ft 30 ft/5 ft [3] F Street-facing garage 30 ft, measured from sidewalk or planned sidewalk to face of garage ... Height, maximum Principal Building Accessory Structure Height 35 ft 29 ft/16 ft/12 ft [4] Other Building coverage, maximum 40% ... Notes: [1] A minimum zero-foot setback is allowed when the property line abuts an alley and at least 24 feet of backup space (including the alley) is provided from all garage doors and parking spaces that backup onto an alley. [2] All accessory structures shall be located behind the front face of the existing principal structure. [3] The lower rear setback applies to any single-story accessory building/structure up to 16 feet in height. Other accessory buildings/structures shall comply with the higher rear setback. [4] 29 feet maximum for a single accessory building on each lot; 16 feet maximum for one-story residential garage or carport; 12 feet maximum for all other accessory structures.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Administrative Code: Supplement 64 | Land Development Code: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 18.02.204 governs the SF-3: Single-Family Residential district. The code describes it as primarily for single-family detached homes, with parks, schools, community gardens and home occupations as secondary uses, and it works as a transition from the large-lot districts to the higher-intensity residential districts. Table 2-7 holds the lot and building standards, and the section was last amended by Ordinance No. 6692 on January 8, 2025.
The lot standards come first: base density tops out at 3 dwelling units per acre, the minimum lot size is 15,000 square feet, and the minimum lot width is 80 feet. For a principal building, the minimum setbacks are 30 feet in front, 5 feet on each side and 30 feet at the rear. The accessory structure column asks for 5 feet at the side, and its front cell points to note [2], which requires every accessory structure to sit behind the front face of the existing principal structure.
The rear setback for accessory structures splits in two. Under note [3], the lower 5-foot rear setback applies to a single-story accessory building or structure up to 16 feet in height. Any other accessory building or structure has to meet the higher 30-foot rear setback, the same as the house. A one-story shed or garage under the 16-foot line can therefore sit close to the rear lot line, while a taller outbuilding cannot.
A street-facing garage has its own measurement: 30 feet, measured from the sidewalk or planned sidewalk to the face of the garage, not from the property line. Note [1] adds an alley exception. A minimum zero-foot setback is allowed when the property line abuts an alley and at least 24 feet of backup space, counting the alley, is provided from all garage doors and parking spaces that back onto the alley.
Height and coverage sit in the same table. A principal building can rise to 35 feet. Under note [4], a single accessory building on each lot can reach 29 feet, a one-story residential garage or carport is capped at 16 feet, and every other accessory structure is capped at 12 feet. Building coverage cannot exceed 40 percent of the lot. The table also sends readers to Chapter 18.03 Article 4 for accessory uses and structures, Chapter 18.04 Article 9 for site and building standards in residential districts, and Chapter 18.04 for parking, landscaping and other development standards.
Violations & Fines
Table 2-7 states minimums, so anything built closer to a lot line than its figures fails the standard: a house 25 feet from the front line, a shed 3 feet from a side line, or an accessory structure standing forward of the principal structure's front face. A garage face closer than 30 feet to the sidewalk, a two-story or taller accessory building placed at the 5-foot rear setback, or building coverage above 40 percent also breaks the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to the rear lot line can I build a shed in Reno's SF-3 district?
How far back must a street-facing garage be in SF-3?
Can I build right up to an alley in SF-3?
How tall can an accessory building be in SF-3?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
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