Reno, NV Noise from Specific Sources: Generator Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Nighttime limit
- 49 dB at residential line
- Daytime limit
- 65 dB at residential line
- Applies within
- 300 feet of residential zoning
- Construction exemption
- 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Code section
- RMC § 18.04.1407
Summary
Reno caps mechanical noise, including generators, at nonresidential sites within 300 feet of homes: 49 dB at night, 65 dB by day, measured at the residential property line under the zoning code's residential-adjacency standards.
a.Nighttime Noise Level Noise levels shall not exceed 49 db leq or 49 db for a single event occurring on a re-occurring basis at a residentially zoned property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.b.Daytime Noise Level Noise levels shall not exceed 65 db leq or 65 db for a single event on a reoccurring basis at a residentially zoned property line.1.Noise associated with temporary construction activity is exempt from the standards from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.2.Airport airplane operations are exempt from these standards.(b)Exclusions for Existing Higher Ambient Noise Levels Where existing ambient noise levels already exceed the standards of this article as of the effective date of this Title, the subject source may not increase existing levels. Editor's note— Ord. No. 6692, § 1(Exh. A), adopted January 8, 2025, repealed the former § 18.04.1407, and renumbered §§ 18.04.1408—18.04.1413, as §§ 18.04.1407—18.04.1412 as set out herein. The former § 18.04.1407 pertained to spillover lighting and derived from original source code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Administrative Code: Supplement 64 | Land Development Code: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Reno Municipal Code § 18.04.1407 sets noise limits at residential property lines for any nonresidential development built on or within 300 feet of a residential district (§ 18.04.1402): the standard that governs a commercial generator, HVAC unit, or other mechanical equipment audible from next door. Noise can't exceed 49 dB leq between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., or 65 dB leq during the day, measured with a sound level meter and octave band analyzer at the residential line. Temporary construction noise and airport operations are exempt; sites already exceeding these levels can't get louder.
Violations & Fines
Violations bring code enforcement under Chapter 1.05: notices of violation, administrative citations, permit denial or revocation, and stop-work orders under § 18.01.504; unresolved cases can reach municipal court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover a neighbor's home backup generator?
What decibel level applies to a business generator at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
Compare Reno to another location·View the Nevada noise from specific sources overview
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