Reno, NV Noise Ordinances: Decibel Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Nighttime limit
- 49 dB at residential property line
- Daytime limit
- 65 dB at residential property line
- Nighttime hours
- 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Applies to
- nonresidential development within 300 ft of homes
- Park amplification cap
- 50 dB, 75 dB with permit
Summary
Reno's zoning code caps noise from nearby nonresidential development at 49 decibels overnight and 65 decibels during the day at the property line of any adjacent home, enforced under the Residential Adjacency standards of the 2025 Land Development Code.
(a)Noise at Residential Property Lines (1)Measurement Measurement of noise shall be made at the residential property line with a sound level meter and octave band analyzer meeting the standards prescribed by the American Standards Association.(2)Permissible Noise Levela.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 A), adopted January 8, 2025, repealed the former § 18.04.1407, and renumbered §§ 18.04.1408—18.04.1413, as §§ 18.04.1407—18.04.1412 as set out herein.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 the city's numeric noise ceiling for nonresidential and mixed-use projects built on or within 300 feet of a residential zoning district or mobile home park: no more than 49 dB Leq (or for a recurring single event) between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and no more than 65 dB Leq during the day, both measured at the residential property line with a sound level meter and octave band analyzer. Temporary construction noise is exempt from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and airport operations are exempt outright. Where existing ambient noise already exceeds these caps, the source may not push levels higher.
Violations & Fines
Violating the noise standard is a Title 18 zoning violation: the Administrator can issue a notice of violation, administrative citation, or stop-work order and may withhold or revoke permits under RMC § 18.01.504 and Chapter 1.05, Code Enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Reno's decibel limit cover a neighbor's loud stereo?
What about loudspeakers in Reno's parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
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