Reno has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Timing, brightness, and animation are governed by subdivision CC&Rs and HOA covenants. RMC Chapter 8.22 nuisance provisions could theoretically address severe light trespass but are essentially never enforced against holiday displays.
Reno Municipal Code contains no provisions regulating when residential holiday lights may be installed or removed, brightness, or animated displays. The RMC outdoor lighting standards under RMC Title 18 apply to permanent exterior lighting for new development and exempt seasonal holiday displays. Real regulation comes from CC&Rs in master-planned Reno communities such as Somersett, ArrowCreek, Damonte Ranch, Caughlin Ranch, Montreux, and Galena Forest Estates. Common HOA rules include: installation no earlier than Thanksgiving or Veterans Day; removal by January 15-31; lights off by 11 PM or midnight; no commercial-grade lasers or projections across property lines; no roof-mounted permanent track lighting without architectural approval. Nevada NRS Chapter 116 (Common-Interest Communities) governs HOA authority and includes some protections for religious displays but does not preempt reasonable holiday light covenants.
No municipal enforcement against holiday lights. HOA covenant violations result in fines per CC&R schedule, typically $25-$250 per violation with daily escalation and ultimately liens enforceable under NRS Chapter 116. Severe light trespass could in theory be cited as a nuisance under RMC 8.22 but rarely is.
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See how Reno's holiday light rules rules stack up against other locations.
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