Washoe County, NV Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- WCC 70.392(1)(a)(1)-(2), (1)(c)
- Restricted zones
- Within 150 ft of crosswalks, intersections, schools
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor per obstruction
- Permit exemption
- Valid county construction or encroachment permit
- Effective date
- April 5, 2024 (Ord. No. 1715)
- Enforcing agency
- Washoe County Sheriff's Office
Summary
Washoe County Code 70.392 makes it a misdemeanor to place a table, chair, booth, tent, or other unpermitted structure on a public sidewalk, road, or highway, or to store equipment, materials, parcels, or containers there, when the placement actually causes an obstruction. The ban applies within 150 feet of crosswalks, intersections, and schools. A valid county permit for construction, utility work, or a licensed encroachment is exempt.
"Obstructive use" means:(1)Placing, erecting, or maintaining an unpermitted table, chair, booth, tent, or other structure upon a public sidewalk, road, and/or highway which actually causes an obstruction.(2)Placing or storing equipment, materials, parcels, containers, packages, or other property upon the public sidewalk, road, and/or highway which actually causes an obstruction on the sidewalk or public place....(c)The definition of "obstructive use" in subsection (a) does not include the following:(2)Any use of the public sidewalk, road, and/or highway for purposes of construction, maintenance or repair of the public safety equipment, right-of-way, or adjoining private property, which is conducted by or pursuant to a valid permit issued by Washoe County.(3)Any use of the public sidewalk, road, and/or highway resulting from a permitted and/or licensed encroachment or structure....3.Any person who commits a violation of this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Adopted by Ordinance No. 392 defines "obstructive use" to include placing, erecting, or maintaining an unpermitted table, chair, booth, tent, or other structure on a public sidewalk, road, or highway that actually causes an obstruction, and separately bars placing or storing equipment, materials, parcels, containers, packages, or other property on the sidewalk or public place that actually causes an obstruction. " The prohibition is not countywide on every foot of sidewalk; subsection 2 limits it to sidewalks within or under a crosswalk, within 150 feet of a crosswalk, within 150 feet of a road intersection or a road-driveway intersection, and within 150 feet of a school, which in practice covers most storefronts and business frontages in unincorporated commercial nodes such as Sun Valley and Cold Springs.
056; and any other use permitted or licensed by the county. A vendor who wants to place a sandwich board or sidewalk display in one of the buffered zones needs one of those permits before setting up, or the placement itself is the violation regardless of whether anyone is actually blocked at that moment.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a misdemeanor. Washoe County Sheriff's Office deputies can cite a business owner, vendor, or resident for each unpermitted table, tent, storage pile, or stack of containers left on a public sidewalk inside a 150-foot buffer zone, and repeated violations at the same address can support additional nuisance charges under the county's general property-maintenance provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business put a sign or table on the sidewalk in front of its store?
What counts as an obstruction under this section?
Do utility crews and construction workers violate this rule?
Where does this rule apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washoe County
Compare Washoe County to another location·View the Nevada sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.