Reno, NV Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- Outdoor dining permit required before setup
- Sidewalk clearance
- Six feet must stay clear for pedestrians
- Safety buffer
- Ten feet from hydrants, exits, bus stops
- Review time
- Administrator decides within 30 days
- Enforcement
- Permit suspendable or revocable for violations
Summary
Reno requires an outdoor dining permit before any restaurant can put tables on a sidewalk or in the public right-of-way, and the dining area must leave six feet of sidewalk clear for pedestrians.
Outdoor dining or sidewalk seating within the public-right-of-way, is not allowed without authorization of an outdoor dining permit.(3)Outdoor Dining in Public Rights-of-way Permitted Outdoor dining permit within the public right-of-way may be permitted with approval of occupancy and/or encroachment permits from the City Engineer. Outdoor dining is not permitted where the speed, volume or nearness of vehicular traffic is not compatible with sidewalk dining. All outdoor dining area must be adjacent to and incidental to the operation of an indoor business or a building including an indoor use. Use of the sidewalk must be confined to the actual sidewalk and public right-of-way frontage of the indoor building. Outdoor dining shall not be allowed within ten feet of a fire hydrant, fire department standpipe connection, fire escape, bus stop, any doorway posted as an exit, loading zone, mailboxes, or traffic signal stanchions.(4)Required Sidewalk Width Outdoor dining is permitted only where the sidewalk is wide enough to adequately accommodate both the usual pedestrian traffic in the area and the operation of the proposed activity. The outdoor dining area shall leave not less than six consecutive feet of sidewalk width at every point which is clear and unimpeded for pedestrian traffic.
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
A restaurant or cafe that wants to serve customers on the sidewalk must get an outdoor dining permit under RMC § 18.08.606(a); outdoor dining, including sidewalk cafes, is not allowed without one, and the Administrator must approve, condition, or deny the application within 30 days. Use of the public right-of-way also needs an occupancy or encroachment permit from the City Engineer. The standards at § 18.03.405(p) require six feet of clear, unimpeded sidewalk width at every point, a ten-foot buffer from fire hydrants, fire escapes, exits, bus stops, and loading zones, and restrict alcohol service to seated customers inside the permitted dining area.
Violations & Fines
Setting up sidewalk dining without a permit, blocking the required six-foot pedestrian path, or violating a permit condition can get the outdoor dining permit suspended or revoked by the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for sidewalk seating in Reno?
How much sidewalk has to stay open?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
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