Washoe County, NV

Short-term rental rules in Reno, NV

Short stays in Reno come under the city's room tax code rather than a rental permit. Its definition of transient lodging leaves out a room rented inside a home where the owner also lives. Stays of 28 consecutive days or more owe no room tax.[4]

Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.

Can you rent short term in Reno?

State and county rules only

Seasonal homes
1,476
Housing units
123,756
Residents
273,212

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates

  • City ruleNo city ordinance
  • City feeNone published
  • Tax on each stay13%
  • Seasonal homes12 per 1,000

Reno short-term rental rules

A Reno host needs a room tax license from the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority. The license is free. The city itself issues no short-term rental permit and asks for no business license. Section 2.10.210 makes renting transient lodging without the room tax license unlawful, each day counting as a separate violation. Washoe County's own permit covers unincorporated land only.[5]

What Reno asks of you

  • The September 21, 2026 version of Reno's Administrative Code has no short-term rental chapter. Nor does the city publish a rental permit or registration.[3]

  • The business license office lists vacation rentals and short-term rentals among the business types exempt from a city license. For any state requirements, it refers hosts to the State of Nevada.[5]

  • Reno's land development code defines transient lodging as the rental of a room for less than 28 consecutive days, subject to the city's room taxes.[6]

  • Under Section 2.10.210, renting transient lodging without a license from the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority is unlawful. Each day without it is a separate violation.[4]

  • The authority charges nothing for that room tax license. Its application has a category for homeowner rentals booked directly or through a website.[7]

  • The city levies its own room tax of 1% of gross receipts citywide. It adds 1% inside the police assessment district created on April 4, 1995.[4]

  • Another 1.5% applies in the area the council tied to its 2001 redevelopment bonds. The authority collects these city taxes and pays them over to Reno.[4]

  • The host adds the tax to the rent and shows it apart from the room charge. The host owes it even when the guest never paid it.[4]

  • Washoe County requires its short-term rental permit only for properties in unincorporated Washoe County. Its occupancy, insurance and inspection rules stop at Reno's city limits.[9]

What Nevada asks wherever you host

These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.

  • Nevada's lodging tax is imposed and collected by each county's board of commissioners. The Department of Taxation records the state's share and moves it into state budget accounts.[1]

  • The minimum rate depends on population: a county under 700,000 residents taxes at least 1% of gross receipts, a larger one 2%. At 300,000 residents or more, a further 3% applies.[1]

  • Assembly Bill 363 of 2021, codified at NRS 244.35351 to 244.35359, sets short-term rental standards for counties of 700,000 residents or more.[2]

Nevada short-term rental rules

What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Reno

Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.

Short-term rental tax layers in Reno
LayerRateRemitted to
Transient lodging tax collected by the RSCVA (13.5% at some addresses)[8]13%The county
Total on a taxable stay13%

A homeowner who rents only through a property management company needs no license of their own. One who also rents directly needs an individual license.[8]

Airbnb taxes for hosts

What the census counts

How much of Reno is already a second home

The Census Bureau counts 1,476 of Reno's 123,756 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 12 out of every 1,000. It ranks Reno 2nd of the 2 Nevada cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.

Rank in the state
2nd of 2
Share of housing
12 per 1,000
Median home value
$548,300

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.

Nearby and comparable

Where Reno sits among its neighbors

Las Vegas, NV

Primary residence only

Only with a city license, in the owner's primary residence, with the owner there during each rental.

Las Vegas short-term rental rules

Mesquite, NV

License required

1,939 seasonal homes, 156 per 1,000 housing units.

Mesquite short-term rental rules

Show Low, AZ

Permit required

2,296 seasonal homes, 296 per 1,000 housing units.

Show Low short-term rental rules

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Allowed by zone

5,531 seasonal homes, 573 per 1,000 housing units.

Mammoth Lakes short-term rental rules
StatewideEvery Nevada city on this site, in one tableState law, the tax stack and every city we cover in Nevada, with what each one asks of a host.Nevada short-term rental rules

Keep exploring

FAQ

Reno short-term rental questions

Do I need a permit to rent my Reno home short term?

Not from the city. Short-term rentals are on the license office's list of businesses that need no city license.[5]

What room tax does a Reno short-term rental collect?

The RSCVA tells homeowners to collect 13% or 13.5%, depending on where the property sits. A return is due even for a period with no tax owed.[8]

Does the Washoe County short-term rental permit apply in Reno?

No. The county permit is limited to properties in unincorporated Washoe County.[9]

Is renting a spare room in my own Reno home taxed?

Not under the city's room tax. Section 2.10.200 excludes a room in a private home where the permanent owner also lives.[4]
Read nextHow to start an AirbnbThe six steps in order, starting with the permit check.Read the guide

Sources

  1. Lodging Tax, Nevada Department of Taxation, read on October 2, 2026
  2. NRS chapter 244, sections 244.35351 to 244.35359, transient lodging in counties of 700,000 or more, Nevada Legislature, read on October 2, 2026
  3. Reno Administrative Code, version of September 21, 2026, City of Reno, read on October 2, 2026
  4. Reno Administrative Code, Chapter 2.10, Article III, Room Taxes, City of Reno, read on October 2, 2026
  5. Common Questions & Business Resources, City of Reno, Business License Division, read on October 2, 2026
  6. Title 18, Annexation and Land Development Code (amended June 2026), City of Reno, read on October 2, 2026
  7. Room Tax License Application, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, read on October 2, 2026
  8. Transient Lodging Tax Department FAQs, Homeowner Rentals, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, read on October 2, 2026
  9. Short Term Rentals, Frequently Asked Questions, Washoe County Community Services Department, read on October 2, 2026

This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.

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