Reno Solid Fence helps homeowners in Reno and Sparks reach independent, NSCB-licensed contractors for privacy fences. A privacy fence is defined by its job, blocking sightlines at 6 feet, not by its material, so this page compares the options against local height limits, wind and snow.
Get contractor quotes
- Request cost
- $0
- Contractors
- Independent, NSCB-licensed
- You contract with
- The contractor, directly
How tall a privacy fence can be
| Where | Side and rear | Front yard |
|---|---|---|
| City of Reno | 6 ft or less | 4 ft or less in the required front yard |
| Unincorporated Washoe County | Up to 6 ft | Up to 4½ ft in the front setback |
| City of Sparks | 6 ft or less | 3 ft, or 4 ft if 50% open |
| Unincorporated Lyon County (Dayton) | 6 ft | 4 ft |
Reno allows a fence up to 6 feet on a front yard that is not the primary access frontage, such as the side street of a corner lot, if it sits at least 5 feet back from the sidewalk with landscaping in that strip. Reno measures a fence built on top of a retaining wall from the top of the wall, and Washoe County caps a combined fence and retaining wall at 6 feet in side and rear setbacks.
Privacy materials compared
| Material | National installed range | Notes for Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Wood (dog-ear, board-on-board) | $13–$45 per lf | Needs stain or sealer against UV; boards shrink in dry air |
| Vinyl | $30–$60 per lf | No finishing; solid panels need reinforced posts for wind |
| Horizontal slat (wood or composite) | Varies with board and post | Steel posts handle wind well; spans are shorter |
| Metal privacy panels | Varies | Noncombustible; works next to the house in WUI areas |
| Masonry block wall | Quote-based | Heaviest, quietest, needs a footing |
See the guides to wood fences, horizontal fences and block walls for each one in detail.
Solid fences and the wind
A 6-foot solid fence is a 6-foot sail. Washoe County designs ordinary structures for wind speeds of 120 to 130 mph, and the summer Washoe Zephyr can blow from the west in the afternoon, sometimes daily. Privacy fences that face the wind need closer post spacing, deeper footings and stiffer rails than the same fence in a sheltered yard. Board-on-board and shadowbox designs give a little relief; solid panels give none.
Snow adds load too. The valley floor averages about 20.9 inches a year, and the foothills two to three times that; drifts pile against a solid fence on the leeward side.
Shared lines and neighbors
Most backyard privacy fences sit on a line shared with a neighbor. Reno's permit plot plan asks for property line locations and notes that a survey may be required, which is the clean way to avoid a fence a few inches on the wrong side. Talk to the neighbor before the contractor marks the line, and decide which side the finished face goes on. A shadowbox or board-on-board fence looks finished from both sides.
Back to the main guide: fence companies in Reno.