Tree trimming and pruning in Reno, NV

Reno is the largest city we work in, with about 124,000 housing units and every age of tree. It is also the one place in our area where the law cares who holds the saw, at least on the City's side of the sidewalk.

At a glance

• No City of Reno permit to prune a tree on private property
• Street trees: Tree Work Permit, Certified Arborist required
• ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff
• About 43 minutes from our Carson City yard without traffic

Do I need a permit to trim a tree in Reno?

Not for a tree on your own lot. The City of Reno does not require a permit to prune, remove or plant on private property.

A tree in a City right-of-way or on City property is different. That work needs a Tree Work Permit, and the Truckee Meadows Water Authority's summary of local ordinances notes that only Certified Arborists can get permits to plant, prune or remove public trees. The planting strip between sidewalk and curb is where homeowners most often get this wrong. Reno Urban Forestry, 775-321-8373, can tell you which side of the line your tree is on.

Why does Reno insist on an arborist for street trees?

Because bad pruning is permanent. A street tree that has been topped or stripped does not recover its structure, and the public then owns a hazard. The requirement makes sure the person cutting has professional training and works to industry standards.

The same reasoning applies in your back yard, permit or not. A certified arborist assesses every job we do before work begins. If you want to check a credential, what is an ISA Certified Arborist shows how.

What kind of pruning do Reno trees need?

The American Community Survey shows a split city. About 37% of Reno homes were built before 1980 and about 12% before 1960, while about 36% have gone up since 2000. Old lots need dead wood removed and heavy limbs reduced. New lots need young trees trained while the cuts are still small.

Half of Reno's homes are rented, and about half are something other than a detached house. For apartments, condos and commercial sites the work is usually clearance and safety pruning across many trees, planned in one walk-through. See tree service for commercial properties.

How does snow figure into it?

More than visitors expect. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show 20.9 inches of snowfall a year at Reno-Tahoe International Airport and 33.3 inches at the Reno 1.4 NNE station, about 2 miles from downtown and about 500 feet higher than the airport. Snow that arrives before the leaves drop, or wet snow in spring, breaks long, unpruned limbs.

Pruning ahead of winter shortens those levers. If a storm gets there first, read heavy wet snow and broken limbs, and call our 24-hour line for anything hanging over a house or driveway.

Is Reno too far for a Carson City crew?

No. It is about 33 miles from the yard, and Reno is named in the service area on both our website and our Google listing. Pruning is scheduled work, so the drive is planned into the day.