Backyard Chickens in Reno, Nevada

Can you keep chickens in Reno?

Thinking about raising backyard hens in Reno? Because the City of Reno consolidated its animal-control functions with Washoe County back in 2005, your flock's legal rules actually come from the Washoe County Code rather than a Reno-specific chicken ordinance. The good news: there's no cap on how many hens you can keep and no permit to apply for — just some straightforward confinement, sanitation, and noise rules to follow.

Yes – with conditions

Yes — backyard chickens are allowed in Reno, Nevada. The City of Reno no longer has its own animal-control chapter: the former Reno Municipal Code sections on animal control (RMC §§ 8.28.010–8.28.700) were repealed in 2005 when Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County entered an Interlocal Agreement consolidating animal-control services. As a result, chicken/poultry-keeping inside Reno city limits is governed by Washoe County Code, Chapter 55 — "Animals and Fowl," which explicitly designates the incorporated City of Reno as a "congested area" for enforcement purposes (§ 55.245).

Washoe County Code treats poultry as a type of livestock (§ 55.010) but does not set a numeric cap on the number of hens a resident may keep, and no permit is required to keep backyard chickens. Owners must keep birds confined to their own property (§ 55.100), maintain clean, odor-free conditions (§ 55.110), and avoid creating a nuisance or excessive noise (§§ 55.120, 55.125). Because Reno is a designated congested area, it is also unlawful to let poultry run at large (§ 55.540). Roosters are not named or banned outright, but their crowing is very likely to trigger the noise/nuisance provisions, so most residents avoid keeping them in town.

Read the ordinance ↗

The rules at a glance

Hens in city limits: Allowed
How many hens: No Set Limit
Roosters: conditional
Permit required: No
Permit cost: Not specified
Setback from property line: Not specified

Peggy knows Reno

The rules, straight from the municipal code.

Washoe County Code Chapter 55 (the ordinance governing Reno) does not prescribe a numeric coop setback distance, but it does impose these requirements on anyone keeping poultry:

Confinement (§ 55.100): Every owner has an "absolute duty" to keep poultry on their own premises, restrained by a fence, cage, coop, chain, or other adequate means so birds cannot leave the property.
Sanitation (§ 55.110): The keeping area must be kept clean and free from offensive odors and animal waste.
Nuisance / Noise (§§ 55.120, 55.125): It is unlawful to keep any animal — including poultry — that creates a nuisance or makes loud, frequent noise that annoys the neighborhood. This is the practical limiting factor on roosters.
No At-Large Poultry (§ 55.540, § 55.245): Reno is designated a "congested area" under the code, so loose/free-ranging poultry off your property is prohibited.
No poultry-specific permit or numeric hen limit exists in the code. Larger coop structures may still trigger separate city building-permit/zoning setback rules unrelated to Chapter 55.

Where this comes from

Keeping a flock happy in Reno

🌡️ Climate

USDA Hardiness Zone 6b–7b (high desert/semi-arid)

Reno sits in the Great Basin high desert at the base of the Sierra Nevada. Summers are hot and dry (average July highs around 90°F) while winters are cold with regular freezes and occasional snow (average January highs in the mid-40s°F, with lows well below freezing). Large day-to-night temperature swings are common year-round, and humidity is generally low.

🦝 Who's after your hens

HawkFoxCoyoteRaccoonBobcatSkunkWeasel

Washoe County Code itself flags several of these species by name — it defines "high-risk species" for rabies transmission as the striped skunk, spotted skunk, raccoon, fox, bat, coyote, bobcat, badger, and weasel, all of which are found in the Truckee Meadows area around Reno. Hawks and other raptors are also common in the high desert and foothills. Secure, fully-enclosed coops and runs with buried or apron wire are strongly recommended given this predator mix.

🐔 Breeds that do well here

Cold-hardy, dual-purpose breeds that also tolerate dry heat do best in Reno's swings between freezing winters and hot summers: Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Australorp, Orpington, Rhode Island Red, and Easter Egger.

Our package comes with two Rhode Island Reds – hardy in heat and cold, and friendly with kids.

Questions people ask about Reno

▸How many chickens can I keep in Reno, NV?

There is no numeric hen limit under Washoe County Code Chapter 55, the ordinance that governs animal-keeping within Reno city limits. You do still need to keep the flock confined to your property and avoid creating a nuisance.

▸Are roosters allowed in Reno?

Roosters are not specifically named or banned in the code, but Washoe County's noise and nuisance provisions (§§ 55.120, 55.125) make it unlawful to keep any animal whose noise annoys the neighborhood — which in practice puts crowing roosters at high risk of a nuisance complaint in residential Reno.

▸Do I need a permit to keep backyard chickens in Reno?

No. Washoe County Code only requires permits for kennels of more than three adult dogs, catteries of more than seven adult cats, and exotic animals — not for backyard poultry.

▸Why does Reno use Washoe County's animal code instead of its own?

In 2005 the City of Reno repealed its own animal-control ordinance (former Reno Municipal Code §§ 8.28.010–8.28.700) and, together with the City of Sparks, entered an Interlocal Agreement consolidating animal-control services under Washoe County. Washoe County Code Chapter 55 has governed animal and poultry matters in Reno ever since.

▸What are the coop and cleanliness requirements?

Chickens must be confined to your property by a fence, cage, coop, or similar enclosure, and the keeping area must be kept clean and free of offensive odors and animal waste at all times.

City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Reno or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked September 12, 2026.