Zoning Report
Reno, NV Zoning
Reno regulates land use through its Annexation and Land Development Code, also called Title 18. The City’s zoning framework includes residential, mixed-use, downtown, commercial, employment, special purpose, and overlay districts, with the code shown by the City as effective January 8, 2025 and last amended June 3, 2026. Available source material confirms the district structure and several active code update topics, but the provided research does not include the full use tables, dimensional tables, parking tables, or full procedural text needed for a complete ordinance-level extraction.
Last researched June 2026
Zoning Districts in Reno, NV
LLR-2.5
Large-lot residential district intended for very low-density housing on large parcels.
Allowed uses: large-lot residential uses
LLR-1
Large-lot residential district intended for low-density housing on approximately one-acre lots.
Allowed uses: large-lot residential uses
LLR-0.5
Large-lot residential district intended for low-density housing on half-acre lots.
Allowed uses: large-lot residential uses
SF-3
Single-family residential district identified by the code as a three-units-per-acre format.
Allowed uses: single-family residential
SF-5
Single-family residential district with a smaller-lot format than SF-3.
Allowed uses: single-family residential
SF-8
Single-family residential district that appears to be a common benchmark lot size in Reno.
Allowed uses: single-family residential
SF-11
Single-family residential district with larger required lots than SF-8.
Allowed uses: single-family residential
MF-14
Multifamily residential district intended for denser residential development than the single-family zones.
Allowed uses: multifamily residential uses
MF-21
Multifamily residential district allowing more density than MF-14.
Allowed uses: multifamily residential uses
MF-30
Higher-density multifamily residential district.
Allowed uses: multifamily residential uses
MD-ED
Downtown Entertainment District.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use and entertainment-oriented uses
MD-ID
Downtown Innovation District.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use and innovation-oriented uses
MD-NWQ
Downtown Northwest Quadrant district.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use uses
MD-RD
Downtown Riverwalk District.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use uses
MD-UD
Downtown University District.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use uses
MD-PD
Downtown Powning District.
Allowed uses: downtown mixed-use uses
MU
Mixed-Use Urban district.
Allowed uses: mixed-use urban development
MS
Mixed-Use Suburban district.
Allowed uses: mixed-use suburban development
GC
General Commercial district.
Allowed uses: general commercial uses
NC
Neighborhood Commercial district.
Allowed uses: neighborhood-serving commercial uses
PO
Professional Office district.
Allowed uses: office and professional service uses
MU-MC
Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district.
Allowed uses: midtown mixed-use commercial development
MU-RES
Mixed-Use Midtown Residential district.
Allowed uses: midtown mixed-use residential development
I
Industrial district for heavier employment and industrial uses.
Allowed uses: industrial uses
IC
Industrial Commercial district.
Allowed uses: industrial and commercial employment uses
ME
Mixed Employment district.
Allowed uses: employment-oriented mixed uses
MA
Mixed-Use Airport district.
Allowed uses: airport-related mixed employment and commercial uses
PGOS
Parks, Greenways and Open Space district.
Allowed uses: parks, greenways, open space
PF
Public Facility district.
Allowed uses: public facility uses
UT-5
Unincorporated Transition district with five-acre format.
Allowed uses: transitional low-intensity uses
UT-10
Unincorporated Transition district with ten-acre format.
Allowed uses: transitional low-intensity uses
UT-40
Unincorporated Transition district with forty-acre format.
Allowed uses: transitional low-intensity uses
SPD
Specific Plan District used for area-specific regulating documents.
Allowed uses: depends on adopted specific plan
PUD
Planned Development district for customized development standards.
Allowed uses: depends on approved planned development
Recent Zoning Changes
Reno’s zoning code is current through a major code version effective January 8, 2025, with the City’s zoning page stating it was last amended June 3, 2026. Recent public actions also show active text-amendment work on data center standards and a temporary pilot to remove the conditional use permit requirement for certain indoor live entertainment uses in the entertainment core. Annexation and map amendment activity also appears active in 2026.
Setbacks, Lot Size & Height Limits in Reno, NV
The provided research confirms Reno’s residential districts use minimum lot size, lot width, setbacks, and maximum building coverage controls, and that single-family standards vary by zone. However, the research set does not include the official dimensional tables. One third-party source provides dimensional figures for an SF-6 district, but Reno’s official current code index in the supplied sources lists SF-3, SF-5, SF-8, and SF-11 rather than SF-6, so that information is not treated as reliable for this report.
| District | Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| MF-30 | lot area example | 3,000 square feet — Mercatus source states it appears two detached single-family homes would be allowed on one lot of 3,000 square feet in MF-30; this should be verified in the actual code text. |
ADU, Rental & Special Use Rules in Reno, NV
data center
Data centers were formally recognized as a land use in January 2025 and initially require a conditional use permit, with development standards adopted at that time.
- Conditional use permit required under the January 2025 ordinance.
- Initial development standards were established, but the supplied research does not include the text of those standards.
- Standards were under active review as of April 22, 2026.
indoor live entertainment
Reno is considering a temporary exception to the CUP requirement for indoor live entertainment within the entertainment core as a pilot program through Dec. 31, 2027.
- Would eliminate CUP requirement if adopted for the pilot area.
- Would still require a security plan.
- Would still require a cabaret license.
- Pilot described as temporary and subject to monitoring and later policy decision.
Overlay Districts in Reno, NV
General Overlay Districts
The code includes a category of general overlay districts, but the provided research did not identify the specific overlay names or standards.
Neighborhood Planning Area Overlay Districts
The code includes neighborhood planning area overlay districts that likely tailor standards to specific areas.
Conservation and Historic Overlay Districts
The code includes conservation and historic overlay districts, indicating special controls may apply to historic resources or protected areas.
Reno, NV Zoning FAQ
What are the setback requirements in Reno, NV?
Setbacks vary by district. Examples — SF-3: Not found in provided official source text. Always confirm the exact yard requirements for your district with Reno, NV.
What is the minimum lot size in Reno, NV?
Minimum lot size depends on the zoning district — SF-3: Not found in provided official source text; SF-5: Not found in provided official source text; SF-8: Not found in provided official source text; SF-11: Not found in provided official source text.
What zoning districts are in Reno, NV?
Reno, NV includes districts such as LLR-2.5, LLR-1, LLR-0.5, SF-3, SF-5, SF-8, SF-11, MF-14.
Are there flood zones or overlay districts in Reno, NV?
The supplied Reno sources point to meaningful environmental constraints tied to hydrology, streams, wetlands, and mapped resources. The code also has overlay district mechanisms, and the City publishes a Significant Hydrological Resources Map plus a wetland/stream implementation manual.
Have there been recent zoning changes in Reno, NV?
Reno’s zoning code is current through a major code version effective January 8, 2025, with the City’s zoning page stating it was last amended June 3, 2026. Recent public actions also show active text-amendment work on data center standards and a temporary pilot to remove the conditional use permit requirement for certa…
Common questions about Reno, NV zoning
Zoning Guides
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- Zoning Due Diligence Checklist→
- ADU Zoning Laws Explained→
- Variance vs. Special Use Permit→
- Zoning Red Flags Investors Miss→
- What Is a Nonconforming Use?→
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Deal-fit, approval path & risk flags for Reno, NV
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- Zoning Code | City of Reno — Primary official source confirming current code title, effective date, last amended date, and related supplemental development documents.
- Land Development Code | Reno, NV | Municode Library — Official codified code source confirming code structure, chapter organization, and codification status.
- Reno, NV Zoning Ordinance | Zoneomics — Useful secondary source for quickly identifying Reno district names and code chapter organization; not relied on for fine-grained legal text.
- April 22, 2026 Reno City Council Meeting Highlights | Newsroom | City of Reno — Official city source for recent changes, pending text amendments, annexation activity, and redevelopment-related map amendment activity.
- Planning Commission — Provided evidence of regional/joint planning activity involving Reno planning functions, though not detailed enough for project-level precedents.
- How Reno’s Minimum-Lot-Size Regulations Are Blocking Affordable Homeownership for Nevadans | Mercatus Center — Secondary analytical source used cautiously for context on Reno’s single-family districts and minimum-lot-size impacts; not treated as official code text.
This summary is AI-generated from public municipal sources and is not legal, engineering, or land-use advice. Always verify zoning with Reno, NV officials before making decisions.