Reno, NV Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- RMC § 10.08.020
- Max fine
- $1,000 per offense
- Max jail time
- 6 months
- Continuing violation
- Each day is separate offense
Summary
Dumping waste on any lot, street, alley, ditch, or waterway within Reno city limits is unlawful under RMC § 10.08.020, with fines up to $1,000 or six months in jail.
It shall be unlawful for any person to dump, spill, throw, place or bury in any parcel of land, lot, street, highway, gutter, or in any alley or in any water or stream or in any canal or ditch within the limits of the city any solid waste, recyclable materials, excluded materials, or any deleterious or offensive substances (collectively, "waste matter").
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 § 10.08.020 bars dumping, spilling, throwing, placing or burying solid waste, recyclable materials, or offensive substances on any parcel, street, alley, gutter, canal, ditch, or waterway inside city limits. A companion rule, § 10.08.030, separately bans letting waste matter accumulate and remain on owned or occupied property. Violations of Chapter 10.08 are misdemeanors under § 10.08.090, punished per the citywide general penalty in § 1.04.010, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: fine of $1 to $1,000, up to 6 months in city jail, or both. Each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on vacant lots illegal in Reno?
What's the penalty for illegal dumping in Reno?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reno
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