Landscaping Rules in Washoe County, NV (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Washoe County, Nevada.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Unincorporated Washoe County has no general tree-trimming ordinance, but in Truckee Meadows Fire District wildland-urban interface zones the WUI Code requires pruning tree crowns to keep clearance from structures and the ground.
Tree Trimming Driven by Defensible Space in Fire Districts
Some RestrictionsWUI Code Fig. 603.2.2 / 604.4.1 (TMFPD Defensible Space)
Tree crowns extending to within 10 feet (3048 mm) of any structure shall be pruned to maintain a minimum horizontal clearance of 10 feet (3048 mm). Tree crowns within the Defensible Space shall be pruned to remove limbs located less than 6 feet (1829 mm) above the ground surface adjacent to the trees.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Unincorporated Washoe County does not issue tree-removal permits for private trees, and has no tree-preservation ordinance. In wildland-urban interface hazard zones the fire district instead requires thinning, spacing and pruning of trees for defensible space.
No County Tree-Removal Permit; Fire Rules Govern Instead
Some RestrictionsWUI Code Fig. 604.4.1 (TMFPD Defensible Space)
Tree crowns within the Defensible Space shall be pruned to remove limbs located less than 6 feet (1829 mm) above the ground surface adjacent to the trees.
Weed Ordinances
Nevada law, not a county ordinance, requires every landowner and the county itself, for streets and rights-of-way it controls in Washoe County, to control state-designated noxious weeds under NRS 555.150. The State Quarantine Officer can order control by notice, and violators face escalating civil penalties up to $1,000 under NRS 555.201.
Noxious Weed Control Duty in Washoe County
Some RestrictionsNRS 555.150; 555.201
Every railroad, canal, ditch or water company, and every person owning, controlling or occupying lands in this State, and every county, incorporated city or district having the supervision and control over streets, alleys, lanes, rights-of-way, or other lands, shall control all weeds declared and designated as noxious as provided in NRS 555.130 in any manner specified by and whenever required b...
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is legal statewide. Nevada NRS 533.027 allows de minimis collection of precipitation from the rooftop of a single-family dwelling for nonpotable domestic use without a water-right permit. Washoe County adds no separate restriction.
Rooftop Rain Barrels Legal Under Nevada NRS 533.027
Some RestrictionsNRS 533.027
de minimus collection of precipitation from the rooftop of a single-family dwelling for nonpotable domestic use
Landscaping Rules by City in Washoe County
1 cities in Washoe County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Washoe County ordinances
See every category we cover for Washoe County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
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