Reno requires a business license for all home occupations under Title 5 with zoning compliance under Title 18. Home occupations must be secondary to residential use with no external evidence of business activity.
Reno Municipal Code Title 18 regulates home occupations as accessory to residential use. Standards include: business activity limited to inside the dwelling, no more than 25% of floor area used for business, no non-resident employees (some exceptions), no external storage of materials or equipment, no signage visible from the street, and no increase in traffic or parking demand beyond normal residential levels. Prohibited home occupations typically include auto repair, kennels, medical or dental clinics, and manufacturing. A City of Reno business license is required through the Finance Department, with annual renewal. Operators must also hold a Nevada State Business License under NRS 76.
Operating without a business license: fines plus back license fees. Zoning violations can escalate to citations and cease-and-desist.
See how Reno's home occupation permits rules stack up against other locations.
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