7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Washoe County, Nevada.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Washoe County, fences, walls or perimeter planting max out at 4.5 feet in the required front-yard setback and 6 feet elsewhere on a residential lot. Cities of Reno and Sparks set their own limits.
WCC 110.406.50(a)
The maximum height for fences, walls or perimeter planting is limited to four-and-one-half (4.5) feet in the required front yard setback... The maximum height for fences, walls or perimeter planting for the remainder of the residential property is six (6) feet.
Unincorporated Washoe County requires a building permit for most fences, submitted electronically through OneNV. Landscape fences under 30 inches (outside the sight triangle) and pure range fencing on lots over one acre are exempt.
Washoe County Fences and Retaining Walls handout, Exemptions
Fences used for landscaping that are less than 30” in height are exempt from a building permit if not located within the sight triangle... You may replace up to 100 linear feet of fence boards from damaged fence without a building permit.
Unincorporated Washoe County lets fences be built anywhere within or on the lot line, subject to height limits, but bars fencing across county utility, sewer, water, drainage and access easements. Cost-sharing between neighbors is a private matter.
Washoe County Fences and Retaining Walls handout
Fences generally may be constructed anywhere within or on the lot line of your property... Fencing is not allowed in or across public or private access easements... Fencing is not allowed in or across easements maintained by Washoe County (i.e., sanitary sewer, waterline, storm drainage easements).
Retaining and rockery walls follow the same height limits as fences in unincorporated Washoe County. Combined fences and walls cannot exceed 6 feet in required side and rear setbacks, and no wall may exceed the height of the residence.
Washoe County Fences and Retaining Walls handout
Combined fences and retaining walls shall not exceed 6 feet within the required side and rear setback areas... The height of the wall or walls cannot exceed the height of the residence/structure... Retaining walls are never allowed within or across Washoe County water, sewer or reclaimed water easements.
Unincorporated Washoe County requires commercial and industrial development adjoining residential uses to build a fence, wall or perimeter planting at least 6 but not more than 8 feet high, under Development Code Article 412, Landscaping.
WCC 110.406.50(b)
The fences, walls or perimeter planting in commercial and industrial development adjoining residential uses shall be at least six (6) feet but not more than eight (8) feet in height, in accordance with Article 412, Landscaping.
Unincorporated Washoe County restricts barbed/razor livestock fencing in front yards to lots over one acre, limits specialty court fences to non-solid, non-reflective materials, and bans reflective wall/fence materials that blend poorly with the background.
WCC 110.406.50(c)
The fence may not prevent viewing through the fence. It may not be solid... The fence must be of a color that blends with the background and in no instance may it be of a reflective material.
Unincorporated Washoe County permits standard wood, block and metal fences to code height, plus non-solid see-through specialty fences up to 10 feet for recreational courts, and entry gates/columns that exceed the fence height by up to 18 inches.
WCC 110.406.50(c)
A specialty fence shall only be for the purposes of enclosing a tennis court, racquetball court, basketball court or other court-type recreational activity... The fence may not be greater than ten (10) feet in height... The fence shall not be located closer than five (5) feet to the side or rear property lines.
1 cities in Washoe County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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