Reno, NV Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Reno, NV, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Nighttime limit
- 49 dB Leq, 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
- Daytime limit
- 65 dB Leq
- Applies to
- Nonresidential/mixed-use within 300 ft of homes
- Construction exemption
- 6 a.m.-7 p.m. construction noise exempt
- Enforced by
- Administrator via Chapter 1.05 Code Enforcement
Summary
Reno caps noise from nonresidential and mixed-use projects at 49 decibels at an adjoining residential property line between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., dropping from the 65-decibel daytime limit under the city's residential adjacency standards.
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 A), adopted January 8, 2025, repealed the former § 18.04.1407, and renumbered §§ 18.04.1408—18.04.1413, as §§ 18.04.1407—18.04.1412 as set out herein.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 Sec. 18.04.1407 sets the city's nighttime noise ceiling: sound from nonresidential or mixed-use development can't exceed 49 dB Leq (or a single reoccurring event at 49 dB) measured at a residentially zoned property line between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., versus 65 dB Leq during the day. The standard applies wherever nonresidential development sits on or within 300 feet of a residential zoning district or mobile home park. Temporary construction noise is exempt from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and airport operations are exempt outright. The Administrator enforces the limit under Chapter 1.05, Code Enforcement.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 49 dB nighttime limit at a residential property line draws a code enforcement citation from the Administrator; uncorrected violations can bring a stop-work order or withheld permits under RMC Chapter 1.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Reno have a general residential noise curfew?
What decibel limit applies at night near homes in Reno?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
How Reno compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Reno to another location·View the Nevada noise ordinances overview
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