Outdoor Lighting in Reno, NV (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Reno, Nevada, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Reno requires fully shielded, downward-directed exterior fixtures and caps color temperature below 4,000K, banning white and blue-white light citywide.
Reno Shielded, Warm-Light Rules
Some RestrictionsReno Municipal Code § 18.04.1304(a)(3)-(5)
All lights shall be fully shielded and directed away from abutting properties directed downwards to prevent glare and shine.(4)Lighting shall not create greater than 0.5-foot candle of spillover light at any property line unless approved by the Administrator pursuant to Section 18.04.1303(c), Discretionary Approval of Lighting Alternatives.(5)Warm lighting that possesses a color temperature bel...
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.
Reno Requires Fully Shielded Security Lighting
Some RestrictionsReno Municipal Code § 18.04.1304(e)
(e)Floodlights and Spotlights (1)Floodlights and spotlights shall be fully shielded so that the light element is not visible to an observer on any residentially zoned property or any public right-of-way.(2)Stationary floodlighting of the structure is permissible if nothing else is floodlighted and the lighting is screened in a manner that is architecturally compatible with the structure.
Billboard Lighting
Reno requires all lighting on permanent off-premises advertising displays to be directed onto the sign face itself, not outward, and bans digital billboards citywide under the zoning code.
Reno Billboard Lighting Must Aim In
Some RestrictionsReno Municipal Code § 18.05.205(l)
(l)All lighting shall be directed toward the off-premises advertising display.(m)An off-premises advertising display may not contain more than two faces and one face may not be angled from the other face by more than 20 degrees as measured from the back of the structure supporting the face.
Looking for Washoe County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Reno city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Washoe County →