Reno sign permit at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a permit? | Yes for nearly every sign. Nobody may put up, enlarge, alter (other than routine upkeep) or move a sign in the city without a sign permit (§18.05.107(a)). A short list of signs is exempt, and temporary signs within the temporary-sign limits need no permit or fee (§18.05.108, §18.05.110). Other cities compared. |
| How big can my sign be? | In the urban, general commercial, neighborhood commercial, professional office and employment districts a wall sign may have 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, no more than 400 sq ft per business, with a 40 sq ft minimum. Freestanding limits run from 60 to 250 sq ft and from 8 to 25 ft by district, with 35 ft allowed on large parcels in the urban and General Commercial districts (§18.05.113, Table 5-1) (limits by district). Other cities compared. |
| What does it cost? | A flat fee by sign type, with a $45 application fee and a $45 issuance fee inside it: $177 for an exterior wall sign without electrical, $309 to $370 for an electric wall sign, $178 or $475 for a ground or projecting sign (Development Services fee sheet effective July 1, 2026) (fees). Other cities compared. |
| How long does it take? | The code gives the Administrator 5 working days from an accepted, complete application to decide or recommend, for a sign that is not part of a larger development application (§18.05.119(a)) (timing). Other cities compared. |
| How long is the permit good for? | We did not find a lapse rule. Chapter 18.05 does not set one, and the sign permit procedure is in Chapter 14.16 of the building code, which we did not read (§18.08.606(f)). |
| Sidewalk A-frame sign? | Mobile, A-frame and portable signs are prohibited except as the temporary-sign section allows, and no temporary sign may reach into the public right-of-way (§18.05.109(c), §18.05.110(a)(2)) (temporary signs). Other cities compared. |
| Blade or projecting sign? | Chapter 18.05 recognizes projecting signs, but Table 5-1 gives them no separate size. A projecting or freestanding sign may sit in or reach into a setback if it creates no hazard, but a sign may not cross a property line or enter the right-of-way unless the City Engineer approves (§18.05.103). A small suspended sign perpendicular to the building, up to 6 sq ft, does not count toward the number of signs (§18.05.104). Other cities compared. |
| Grand opening banner? | Handled as a temporary sign: in employment and urban districts one per street frontage, up to 32 sq ft, for up to 95 days in a calendar year, no lighting (§18.05.110(b)(2)) (temporary signs). Other cities compared. |
| Digital or LED sign? | Electronic signs may not exceed 1,500 nits between sunset and sunrise or 5,000 nits by day, and must dim automatically. Within 750 ft of residential land they need a major site plan review (§18.05.114(b)). Other cities compared. |
| Already installed without a permit? | It is a violation of Title 18, and so is failing to remove a sign put up in violation or one whose permit lapsed (§18.01.502(a), (h)). The Administrator can use Chapter 1.05 code enforcement and issue stop-work orders (§18.01.504). We did not read a fine amount. Other cities compared. |
Size limits Checker Fees How to apply Timing No permit Temporary signs Special areas What we could not confirm FAQ
In Reno the district sets the ceiling, and your frontage sets the wall sign.
Chapter 18.05 of the Land Development Code uses one table, Table 5-1, for the whole city. Your zoning district decides the height and area of a freestanding sign and how much wall sign you may have. In most commercial districts the wall allowance follows the length of your own storefront: one square foot for each lineal foot of business frontage, with a floor of 40 sq ft and a ceiling of 400 sq ft. If your tenant space faces two streets, at most two frontages count (§18.05.102).
Reno sign limits by district (Table 5-1, §18.05.113)
The table below follows the city’s Table 5-1. The Reno code uses district groups, so find your district in the first column. Heights and areas are maximums for one sign; the lighting column is the table’s own wording. Use the Reno zoning map to find your district.
| District | Freestanding height | Freestanding area | Wall sign area | Lighting and animation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential: LLR-2.5, LLR-1, LLR-0.5, SF-3, SF-5, SF-8, SF-11, MF-14, MF-21, MF-30 | 6 ft, monument only | 50 sq ft per access; one per street frontage | 20 sq ft; one per street frontage | Indirect lighting; animation not allowed |
| Urban: MD-ED, MD-UD, MD-ID, MD-RD, MD-NWQ, MD-PD, MU, MS, MU-MC, MU-RES | 8 ft; 35 ft if the parcel is one acre or more | 125 sq ft; may be doubled on a parcel of one acre or more | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business, at least 40 sq ft | All lighting types; animation on parcels fronting North or South Virginia Street, West or East 4th Street or Mill Street, up to 125 sq ft; elsewhere a major site plan review |
| General Commercial (GC) | 8 ft maximum, 1 ft per 4 ft of linear street frontage; 35 ft if the parcel is one acre or more | 150 sq ft if street frontage is 400 ft or less; 250 sq ft if more | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business, at least 40 sq ft | All lighting types; the table allows animation up to 35 ft in height if the sign does not face residential districts |
| Neighborhood Commercial and Professional Office (NC, PO) | 8 ft, monument only; 12 ft if the parcel has more than 100 ft of street frontage | 60 sq ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business, at least 40 sq ft | Indirect or internally illuminated; animation not allowed |
| Employment: I (Industrial), IC (Industrial Commercial), ME (Mixed Employment), MA (Mixed-Use Airport) | 25 ft | 150 sq ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business, at least 40 sq ft | All lighting types; animation not allowed |
| Public Facility (PF) | 8 ft, monument only; 12 ft if the parcel has more than 100 ft of street frontage | 60 sq ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business, at least 40 sq ft | All types, none facing residential; animation not allowed |
| Parks, Greenways, and Open Space (PGOS) | 6 ft, monument only | 60 sq ft | 1 sq ft per lineal foot of building frontage, up to 400 sq ft, at least 40 sq ft per building | All types, none facing residential; animation not allowed |
| Unincorporated Transition Area: UT-5, UT-10, UT-40 | 6 ft, monument only | 50 sq ft per access; one per street frontage | 20 sq ft; one per street frontage | Indirect lighting; animation not allowed |
| Nonrestricted gaming facility (use-specific) | 100 ft; a major site plan review is needed to go higher | No limit | No limit | All types |
| School, public or private (use-specific) | Follows the zoning district above | Animation allowed with a 10 p.m. off and 6 a.m. earliest on schedule, 150 nits at night, animated part no more than 32 sq ft, each message held at least 8 seconds, no video or flashing | ||
Source: City of Reno, Annexation and Land Development Code (Title 18), effective January 8, 2025, amended June 3, 2026, Chapter 18.05, Article 1; section 18.05.113 and Table 5-1 with its notes; read on November 3, 2026. Table 5-1 note 3: one freestanding sign per frontage per parcel or commercial center, a second if the site is over 10 acres, and one extra 16 sq ft sign for a gas station.
Other size and placement rules
| Item | What is allowed | Section |
|---|---|---|
| How area is measured | All sign faces visible from one point at eye level. Loose letters without a background count as average height times average width, or the sum of the letters, whichever is smaller. A sign in a frame, cabinet or on a background counts the whole frame, cabinet or background | §18.05.105 |
| Number of signs | Wall signs are not limited in number if the area limit is met. Several signs may share one freestanding structure if they look compatible. A suspended sign perpendicular to the front of the building, up to 6 sq ft, is not counted | §18.05.104 |
| Business frontage | No more than two business frontages count for one occupant | §18.05.102 |
| Location | No crossing property lines or entering the right-of-way unless the City Engineer approves. Freestanding and projecting signs may be in or reach into setbacks if they create no traffic hazard | §18.05.103 |
| Canopy | A canopy over an entrance is allowed everywhere with a permit; copy on it up to 20 sq ft, and it does not count toward area or number | §18.05.111 |
| Prohibited | Roof signs; wall signs rising above the wall or past its ends unless they meet the projecting or freestanding rules; mobile, A-frame and portable signs except as allowed; inflatable and wind signs; signs on public property, utility poles or trees; signs that imitate official signs; signs in a stream or drainage canal; signs over 20 sq ft within 100 ft of a freeway right-of-way and visible from its lanes | §18.05.109 |
| Abandoned sign | Remove it or restore it to use within 30 days of the Administrator’s notice after it has been abandoned for six months | §18.05.112 |
| Nonconforming sign | May stay and be maintained, but cannot be enlarged, moved or structurally altered without permits; any change must cut the nonconforming size and height by at least 25% | §18.05.116, §18.05.118 |
| Next to homes | No advertising sign on a rear or side facade facing an abutting residential parcel; internally lit signs may not face residential districts | §18.04.1406 |
Source: Title 18 sections 18.05.102 to 18.05.105, 18.05.109, 18.05.111, 18.05.112, 18.05.116, 18.05.118 and 18.04.1406; read on November 3, 2026.
Check your sign against the limit
This applies Table 5-1 as printed. It does not know about the Truckee River review, your parcel’s other signs, a variance or the one-foot-per-four-feet height wording for General Commercial, which we flag as unclear below.
How much does a Reno sign permit cost?
Reno prices a sign permit as a flat fee by sign type, not by square foot. Two city documents carry the numbers, and they differ in what they include. The Development Services sheet “Fees Effective July 1, 2026” shows the amount you pay; its footnotes say most totals already contain a $45 application fee and a $45 permit issuance fee. The Finance Department’s FY26/27 adopted schedule, dated July 1, 2026, lists the base amounts, and its general building lines show the same $45 application and $45 issuance fees. We read both on November 3, 2026.
| Sign permit type | Development Services sheet | Finance adopted schedule (base) |
|---|---|---|
| Wall sign, exterior, no electrical | $177.00 | $87.00 |
| Wall sign, interior, with electrical | $309.00 | $219.00 |
| Wall sign, exterior, with electrical | $370.00 | $280.00 |
| Ground or projecting sign, valuation under $1,000 | $178.00 | $88.00 |
| Ground or projecting sign, valuation over $1,000 | $475.00 | $385.00 |
| Each additional sign | $45.00 | $45.00 |
| Small plastic sign (24 in. by 36 in.) | $67.00 | $22.00 |
| Painted sign under 20 sq ft | $71.00 | $71.00 |
| Painted sign over 20 sq ft | Permit fee from the building valuation table | Listed with the valuation-based permits |
| Billboard: demolition | $287.00 | not listed |
| Billboard: new or modified | Permit fee from the building valuation table | Listed with the valuation-based permits |
| Awning or canopy supported by the building | not on the sheet | $87.00, plus $45.00 per additional inspection |
- How the two line up: for the wall, ground and projecting rows the sheet equals the Finance base plus $90, the $45 application fee and the $45 issuance fee ($87 + $90 = $177; $88 + $90 = $178). The small plastic sign adds $45 only ($22 + $45 = $67), as the sheet’s own footnote says.
- One mismatch: the painted sign under 20 sq ft shows $71 in both documents, but the sheet says its $71 already contains a $45 application fee. We cannot make the two agree; ask Development Services which total you will pay.
- Combined permits: when wall signs and ground signs are combined on one permit, the sheet says the fee is assessed for each sign type.
- Valuation-based items: the building valuation table that prices painted signs over 20 sq ft and billboards is a separate part of the sheet, which we did not use for any figure on this page.
- Questions: Development Services, 775-334-2063.
Sources: City of Reno Development Services, Fees Effective July 1, 2026 (“Signs Permit Types”); Finance Department, FY26/27 Adopted Fee Schedule (Building – Other, General and Signs/Billboards); the Building Permits page; read on November 3, 2026.
How to apply for a Reno sign permit — 4 steps
1. Size the sign to your district
Find your district on the City’s zoning map, then read your row in Table 5-1 above. The checklist asks for the linear feet of business frontage on the site plan for wall signs and of street frontage for freestanding signs.
2. Use a licensed sign contractor
The City’s Sign Permit Checklist says only a sign contractor may fabricate, install and erect signs, citing NAC 624.240. A Nevada-licensed contractor with a C-6 classification takes design responsibility and signs the cover page of the submittal.
3. Build the drawing set
Number every sheet and leave room on the plans for two City approval stamps (one 2 in. by 1 in., one 1 in. by 1 in.). Include a cover sheet, a to-scale site plan with every sign located, a scaled color illustration with height, length, color, material and total area, a cross section and front view for wall signs, building elevations with the tenant space, building length and parapet height, and an attachment detail. An illuminated sign needs an electrical detail with its disconnect. Structural calculations, where needed, are signed and stamped by a Nevada engineer.
4. Submit online and pay
The City says building permit applications go in electronically through the ONE Regional Licensing and Permits portal. Pay the flat fee in the table above. Questions: 775-334-2063.
Steps from the City’s Sign Permit Checklist and Building Permits page, and Title 18 §18.08.606(f), read on November 3, 2026.
How long it takes
The code sets a deadline: for an on-premises sign that is not tied to another development application, the Administrator must review and decide, or make a recommendation, within five working days of the date the complete application is accepted. If the sign comes with another development application, the decision is due no later than the decision on that development. If the Planning Commission takes the matter up, its hearing must come within 65 days of the file stamp and its decision within 30 days of opening the hearing; the City Council has 30 days from the opening of its hearing (§18.05.119). Asking for a continuance waives these limits. Decisions must be written and give reasons (§18.05.122). An aggrieved person has five days from the Administrator’s written decision to appeal to the City Council through the City Clerk (§18.05.120). The code does not say what happens if the five working days pass.
Sources: Title 18 §18.05.119, 18.05.120, 18.05.122; read on November 3, 2026.
Signs that need no sign permit — 7 items
- Address and nameplates: address numbers or plates and residential nameplates required by state law (NRS 278.0231) (§18.05.108(a)).
- Change of copy: new copy or an advertising display on an existing sign that does not change the structure, size or configuration (§18.05.108(b)).
- Small residential signs: on residential parcels, combined signs up to 16 sq ft and 3 ft high on a parcel of one acre or less; 32 sq ft and 6 ft for one to five acres; 64 sq ft and 12 ft above five acres (§18.05.108(c)).
- Flags and plaques: flags on one permanent flagpole per parcel, up to 30 ft high, and cut-in or bronze tablets up to 8 sq ft in commercial zones (§18.05.108(d), (e)).
- Traffic and safety signs: official traffic-control and street name signs, emergency medical service signs and public safety warnings (§18.05.108(f) to (h), (k)).
- Inside a building: signs within a building, but advertising inside may not be oriented to be seen from a public right-of-way (§18.05.108(i)).
- Drive-through signs: up to two per lane, combined 64 sq ft per lane, 7 ft high, with copy not oriented toward any right-of-way (§18.05.108(j)).
Source: Title 18 §18.05.108; read on November 3, 2026. Exempt signs still follow the rest of Title 18 and are left out of the area calculations.
Temporary signs, banners and sidewalk signs
Reno allows temporary signs without a permit, application or fee, within strict limits. Temporary signs not allowed by this section are prohibited.
- Residential districts: one temporary sign per street frontage, up to 6 sq ft, for up to 95 days in a calendar year. On tracts over two acres the area can rise to 32 sq ft (§18.05.110(b)(1)).
- Employment and urban districts: one per street frontage, up to 32 sq ft, for up to 95 days a year. On a parcel with no established use or structure the area may be raised by the freestanding allowance, using street frontage in place of business frontage (§18.05.110(b)(2)).
- All temporary signs: no lighting, no reaching into the public right-of-way or the vision triangle, not attached to trees, poles or traffic signs, and kept in repair (§18.05.110(a)).
- Sidewalk A-frames: mobile, A-frame and portable signs are prohibited unless the temporary-sign section covers them, and signs on public property or in the right-of-way are prohibited (§18.05.109(c), (f)). We found no sidewalk-sign permit in Chapter 18.05.
- Removal by the City: signs in the right-of-way may be collected and kept at least 30 days. Notice goes to the owner within five working days of collection, the owner may retrieve the sign within 30 days, and an appeal to the Council must be filed within ten days of removal (§18.05.110(a)(5)).
- Off-premises temporary displays: no permit if on private property with the owner’s consent, within a half radial mile of the activity, up to 6 sq ft, shown fewer than 12 hours a day between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (§18.05.208).
- Digital signs: animated signs are capped at 1,500 nits from sunset to sunrise and 5,000 nits by day, with automatic dimming. None is allowed within 300 ft of the outer travel lane of State Route 431, Interstate 80 west of Robb Drive, U.S. 395 north of North McCarran Boulevard or Interstate 580 south of South McCarran Boulevard (§18.05.114(b)).
Source: Title 18 §18.05.109, 18.05.110, 18.05.114 and 18.05.208; read on November 3, 2026.
Special areas and billboards — 5 items
- Truckee River: an on-premises sign over 150 sq ft within 150 ft of the river centerline needs a major site plan review under §18.08.603 (§18.05.107(b); Table 5-1 note 1).
- Downtown streets: in the Urban districts, animated signs are permitted on parcels fronting North and South Virginia Street, West and East 4th Street and Mill Street, up to 125 sq ft (Table 5-1).
- Near homes: animated signs within 750 ft of residentially zoned land need a major site plan review, except schools (§18.05.114(b)(3)).
- Historic and conservation districts: Chapter 18.05 bans permanent off-premises advertising displays inside a Historic or Conservation District (§18.05.204(c)(9)). We found no sign-specific rule for on-premises signs in the historic preservation chapter (see below).
- Billboards: the City issues no new permanent off-premises advertising permits except under the banked-receipt rules (§18.05.202, §18.05.207). Existing permanent displays are treated as nonconforming (§18.05.203). A permanent display may not exceed 672 sq ft on its primary surface or 35 ft in height, and displays must stand at least 750 ft apart (§18.05.205).
Source: Title 18 §18.05.107, 18.05.114, 18.05.202 to 18.05.207, Table 5-1; read on November 3, 2026.
What we could not confirm
- How long the permit lasts. Chapter 18.05 sets no lapse period. Title 18 sends the sign permit procedure to Chapter 14.16 of the building code (§18.08.606(f)), which is not part of the PDF we read.
- The penalty amount. Title 18 sends violations to Chapter 1.05, Code Enforcement (§18.01.504(a)), which we did not read.
- Which text is current. The City’s PDF is headed “Effective January 8, 2025, Amended June 3, 2026”. The code publisher’s page for Reno returned an access block, so we could not compare the two or see the amending ordinance.
- The two fee documents. The Development Services sheet and the Finance schedule agree once the $90 or $45 of application and issuance fees are added, except for the painted sign under 20 sq ft ($71 in both, though the sheet says its figure already includes a $45 application fee). We did not read the building valuation table used for billboards and large painted signs.
- The General Commercial height cell. Table 5-1 prints “8’ maximum, 1’ per 4’ of linear street frontage” and, for parcels of one acre or more, 35 ft. We cannot tell whether the middle phrase raises the 8 ft figure with frontage or restates it, so the checker only enforces 8 ft and 35 ft.
- Review time in practice. The five-working-day figure is a code deadline for the Administrator; the code states no consequence for a miss, and the City publishes no average. The code also gives a three-working-day deadline for temporary and special-event sign applications (§18.05.119(b)), while §18.05.110 says temporary signs need no application.
- Historic signs. We found no on-premises sign rule in the historic preservation chapter (18.07), and no window-sign rule in Chapter 18.05. Ask Development Services about a landmark or a storefront window.
- Table layout. Table 5-1 was read from a PDF text layer, so cells in the rarer rows are worth checking in the code itself.
Checked against Title 18, the Development Services fee sheet, the Finance fee schedule, the Sign Permit Checklist and the Building Permits page on November 3, 2026.
Reno sign permit questions
Do I need a permit for a new storefront sign in Reno?
Yes, in nearly every case. No one may erect, enlarge, alter (other than normal maintenance), or relocate a sign without a sign permit (Title 18 §18.05.107(a)). Address numbers, a change of copy that leaves the structure alone, and temporary signs within the temporary-sign limits are among the exceptions (§18.05.108, §18.05.110).
How big can my Reno wall sign be?
In the urban, general commercial, neighborhood commercial, professional office and employment districts, 1 sq ft per lineal foot of business frontage, up to 400 sq ft per business and never less than 40 sq ft. Residential districts and UT-5, UT-10 and UT-40 allow 20 sq ft (§18.05.113, Table 5-1).
What does a Reno sign permit cost?
A flat fee by sign type, with a $45 application fee and a $45 issuance fee included: $177 for an exterior wall sign without electrical, $309 for an interior electric wall sign, $370 for an exterior electric one, and $178 or $475 for a ground or projecting sign (Development Services fees effective July 1, 2026).
How fast does Reno review a sign permit?
The Administrator must decide, or make a recommendation, within five working days of accepting a complete application for an on-premises sign that is not part of another development application (§18.05.119(a)). If the sign is part of a larger project, the decision follows that project’s schedule.
Answers from Title 18 and the City’s fee sheet, read on November 3, 2026.
Not sure how the code reads for your sign?
Send your dimensions and we will reply with how Reno’s sign code reads for that sign, at no charge. We are not a sign contractor and do not file permits.
Send your sign details →This guide summarizes the public Reno Annexation and Land Development Code (Title 18, Chapter 18.05, Signs) and the City’s published sign permit pages and fee sheets. It is not a permit, legal advice or a promise that a sign will pass review. Overlay districts, historic areas and the Truckee River corridor can change the answer, so confirm with Reno Development Services before you design, order or install.
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Sources & how this page is maintained
Sources and official references: Reno Annexation and Land Development Code, Title 18 (Chapter 18.05, Signs) · Development Services fees effective July 1, 2026 · FY26/27 Adopted Fee Schedule · City Sign Permit Checklist · City Building Permits page
Last inspected against the official code: November 2026 · confirm current rules with the city before you file
Ask us how the code reads for your sign
Send your dimensions and we will reply with what Reno’s sign code allows for that sign. No charge. We are not a sign contractor and not a permit agent.