Zoning · Reno, Sparks & Washoe County
Fence Height Requirements in Reno, NV
The complete Washoe County fence height table, straight from the county's own handout — front yard, side/rear yard, the corner-lot sight triangle, and the less-common cases.
Last reviewed September 9, 2026. Prices and rules are rechecked before each republish.
Quick answer
As of September 2026, Washoe County zoning allows a residential fence up to 6 feet tall in side and rear yards, up to 4½ feet within the front-yard setback, and only 18 inches inside a corner lot's 30-foot visibility triangle — the full height table, including recreational-enclosure and commercial exceptions, is below.
Source notes and the full breakdown follow below. — Reno Apex Fence
Washoe County fence height maximums
Every figure below comes directly from Washoe County's Fence and Retaining Wall handout — these are zoning maximums (what's legally allowed to build), which is a separate question from whether a permit is required for a given fence (see the permit guide for that one, including where the county's own pages disagree).
| Location | Maximum height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Front-yard setback | 4½ ft | The setback area between the house and the street-facing property line |
| Side or rear yard | 6 ft | The default residential maximum outside the front setback |
| Corner-lot visibility triangle | 18 in | At the corner of the 30-ft sight triangle; 6 ft allowed 10 ft back from the property line |
| Driveway sight line | 18 in | First 10 ft of a residential driveway next to the street |
| Court/tennis-type recreational enclosure | 10 ft | Side or rear yard only |
| Entry gate columns/gates | +18 in over limit | Allowed as an entry statement |
| Adjoining nonresidential use | 8 ft | Where your lot borders a nonresidential property |
| Fence + retaining wall, combined | 6 ft | Within required side/rear setbacks; wall also can't exceed the adjacent structure's height |
| Commercial, adjoining residential | 6–7 ft | Not less than 6, not more than 7 |
| Commercial, adjoining nonresidential | 8 ft |
The corner-lot rule, explained
Corner lots trip up more Reno homeowners than any other rule on this page, because the limit isn't about the fence's height everywhere on the lot — it's about keeping a triangular zone at the street corner clear so drivers can see cross-traffic and pedestrians. Inside that 30-foot visibility triangle, anything taller than 18 inches (a fence, a wall, mature landscaping, even a parked trailer) is a sightline violation. Once you're 10 feet back from the property line — outside the triangle — the standard 6-foot height applies again. The same 18-inch limit protects the first 10 feet of a residential driveway where it meets the street, for the same reason: a driver backing out needs to see past the fence line.
If you're not sure whether your lot's specific corner qualifies or where the 30-foot triangle actually falls on your property, that's a site-plan question for Development Services (775-334-2063) or your contractor, not something to eyeball from the sidewalk.
Why Reno's height limits are what they are
These aren't arbitrary numbers. The 4½-foot front-yard cap and 18-inch sight-triangle rule exist for traffic visibility and neighborhood sightlines; the 6-foot side/rear maximum balances privacy against not walling off a neighborhood; and the combined fence-plus-retaining-wall cap exists because Washoe County's adopted design values — a 24-inch frost line and a 120 mph basic design wind speed — mean a tall combined structure carries real structural load that a simple fence doesn't. None of this changes what material handles Reno's wind best; that's covered on the fence installation page.
Sources. All height figures: Washoe County Fence and Retaining Wall handout (2022 edition), read live September 9, 2026. Design wind speed and frost line: Washoe County Construction Design Requirements, read the same day. This page states zoning maximums only — it does not state a permit-exemption threshold, which the county's own pages don't consistently agree on; see the permit guide.
Frequently asked questions
How tall can my fence be in my Reno backyard? +
Up to 6 feet in side and rear yards under Washoe County zoning rules, as long as it's outside the corner-lot sight triangle and driveway sight line described below.
How tall can a front-yard fence be in Reno? +
Up to 4½ feet within the front-yard setback under Washoe County zoning.
What is the corner-lot fence rule in Reno? +
Fences on a corner lot are limited to 18 inches inside a 30-foot visibility (sight) triangle at the corner, with the full 6-foot height allowed once you're 10 feet back from the property line — the same 18-inch limit applies to the first 10 feet of a residential driveway next to the street.
Can my fence be taller than 6 feet in Reno? +
Washoe County's handout allows recreational enclosures like a court or tennis-court-type fence up to 10 feet in side or rear yards, entry gate columns to exceed the limit by 18 inches for an entry statement, and fences next to nonresidential uses up to 8 feet — otherwise 6 feet is the residential maximum.
Do these height maximums tell me whether I need a permit? +
No — height maximums (what's legally allowed) and permit requirements (when you need paperwork before building) are two different questions. Washoe County's own guidance on the second question isn't fully consistent; see the fence permit guide for the honest explanation and who to call.
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